Egg collection systems

Main advantages

• the unit can be removed, thus facilitating cleaning with a high-pressure washer;
• anti-crack “fingers” provide a light pressure on the eggs, which ensures a controlled transfer to the cross belt;
• tension-adjustable stainless steel wire threads guarantee a smooth transfer of the eggs while simultaneously allowing feathers, dust and soft-shelled eggs to fall down between the threads.

Vertical conveyors are the standard solution whenever there is little space between the nests and the cross collection. They operate at a gradient of 50° and are available in two widths: 350 mm and 500 mm.

Vertical conveyors are powered by a separate drive unit for a more flexible collection speed. Big Dutchman recommends frequency-regulating the longitudinal egg belts (optional).

Rod conveyors are often used to connect the nest with the cross collection. They can only be used in a straight line. The rods are made of small, stabilised plastic tubes that are connected by a roller chain on both ends.

The distance between the rods is small enough to prevent even smaller eggs from slipping through, despite possible gradients of up to 25°.

Lift systems can be used for nests with multiple levels. Eggs are collected simultaneously per level in all rows. The lift system transports eggs especially gently as there is only one transfer point.

The production system is fully accessible because once all eggs have been collected, the lift moves into its parking position, which can be at a height of more than 2 m. Another advantage is that the lift requires only little space in the end set area.

Lifts can also automatically collect eggs mislaid in the system, so-called “system eggs”. For improved hygiene, lifts should be installed in the service room.

The EC elevator is able to collect large numbers of eggs. Especially in multi-level houses (up to three levels), the elevator can be equipped with an extra wide elevator chain and is thus an efficient egg collection system: it does not require much space and collects up to 15 000 eggs per hour.

A new feature is the option for “system egg collection”: the elevator can simultaneously collect eggs mislaid in the system. All belts either run into the elevator in parallel or system eggs are collected separately.

Main advantages

• ideally suited for the manual collection of eggs;
• standard drive speed: 2.6 m/min, optionally VarioSpeed;
• available for different egg belt widths (2 x 200 mm, 245 mm, 350 mm, 400 mm and 500 mm);
• integrated egg belt brush for clean egg belts;
• robust and fully galvanised design for a long service life.

Main advantages

• collection capacity of up to 9 000 eggs per hour;
• simultaneous collection of eggs from up to four tiers;
• little space required in the end set area;
• no distribution units, i.e. minimum maintenance and adjustment requirements;
• no synchronisation between rod conveyor and elevator chain necessary;
• easy access to all cage rows, no obstructions because of the cross collection;
• rod conveyor with cleaning function: dirt and soft-shelled eggs do not reach the elevator chain;
• use of high-quality chain modules;
• suitable for all cage types;
• simple installation.

Main advantages

• high collection capacity of up to 19 000 eggs per hour*;
• simultaneous collection of eggs from up to eight tiers;
• no distribution units, i.e. minimum maintenance requirements;
• rod conveyor with cleaning function: dirt and soft-shelled eggs do not reach the elevator chain;
• easy access to all cage rows, no obstructions because of the cross collection;
• suitable for all cage types;
• simple installation and adjustment.

_{* depending on the system type, the egg belt width and the speed of the longitudinal belt}

Main advantages

• smooth egg transport as there is only one transfer from the longitudinal belt to the cross belt;
• easy access to all rows because the lift system moves into a parking position after egg collection is completed, i.e. the cross collection is no obstruction;
• little space is required in the end set area;
• the lift system can be combined with any cross collection of any width.

Different farm layouts as well as differences in height often require individual solutions for egg transportation. Curve conveyors are commonly used for cross collection because, thanks to their flexibility, they can be adapted to any type of layout.

The core part of each curve conveyor is a galvanised or plastic-coated conveyor chain that consists of two hardened outer chains with weld-on cross bars on the same level. The eggs are thus transferred smoothly to the chain and do not accumulate along the inner radius of the curve.

Big Dutchman offers two cleaning units, both available as stationary and mobile version, to clean reliably the entire curve conveyor’s chain from dirt and thus from bacteria, salmonellae and fungi. Both units use the ultrasound technology in combination with hot water and a special cleaning agent.

The compact cleaning unit can clean up to 200 m of chain before the basin has to be refilled, while the larger unit cleans chain sections of up to 600 m. Depending on the degree of contamination, multiple repetitions may become necessary.

Main advantages

• very accurate recording of all eggs on longitudinal and cross belts;
• works reliably in the dark due to infrared light;
• all data of the installed EggScan counters can be retrieved and compared with reference curves from breeding companies using ViperTouch or amacs;
• the optical system is easy to clean by removing the counter from the bracket without tools;
• robust technology, protection rating IP 69K.

Main advantages

• graders and packers are continuously loaded at full capacity;
• ideal egg quality thanks to a smooth and gentle transport of the eggs;
• automatic start of the belts in the morning; the egg flow stops directly at the packer;
• collection groups can be planned one day in advance;
• egg collection is completed simultaneously in all houses that belong to the same collection group – at maximum filling rates;
• Digital EggFlow allows the synchronisation of up to ten cross belts for up to four graders/packers.