Abstract: An arrangement for processing poultry has at least one overhead conveying device which is designed for conveying the poultry with a predefined conveying speed, which forms a conveyor line and is configured for transporting the poultry suspended by the legs. A plurality of processing stations are arranged along the conveyor line. The conveyor line has processing conveyor portions at each of the processing stations for processing poultry, and at least two of the processing portion lengths of each of the processing conveyor portions are configured to be controlledly variable. A method for processing poultry is also provided.

Abstract: A loading aid is for temporary intermediate storage of transport containers which are at least partially open to the top, are exclusively empty and are standing ready in a stack during filling with live poultry animals. The aid includes a rack having, on a front side facing the stack, at least two spaced apart vertical support struts and at least two insertion openings for containers arranged above one another between the struts. The rack has, on a rear side, at least two spaced apart vertical support struts. Slide rails extend on both sides of the rack from the struts on the front to struts on the rear to form a receptacle for a container. The rack has at least two receptacles arranged above each other, which is distinguished in that the slide rails on the front side protrude beyond the vertical support struts. A method is also provided.

Abstract: An arrangement for processing poultry has at least one overhead conveying device which is designed for conveying the poultry with a predefined conveying speed, which forms a conveyor line and is configured for transporting the poultry suspended by the legs. A plurality of processing stations are arranged along the conveyor line. The conveyor line has processing conveyor portions at each of the processing stations for processing poultry, and at least two of the processing portion lengths of each of the processing conveyor portions are configured to be controlledly variable. A method for processing poultry is also provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus, designed and configured for stunning live poultry animals which are intended for slaughter and are located in containers, by means of a gas mixture comprising a stunning gas, which apparatus comprises a stunning chamber having at least two stunning zones, an introduction station, arranged on the inlet side of the stunning chamber, for the or each container containing live poultry animals and a discharge station, arranged on the outlet side of the stunning chamber, for the or each container containing stunned poultry animals, at least one transport conveyor for transporting the or each container in the transport direction T through the stunning zones from the introduction station to the discharge station, as well as means for delivering the gas mixture into the stunning zones of the stunning chamber, which apparatus is characterized in that the means for delivering the gas mixture comprises at least one injection pipe which is designed and configured to be movable relativ

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus, designed and configured for stunning live poultry animals which are intended for slaughter and are located in containers, by means of a gas mixture comprising a stunning gas, which apparatus comprises a stunning chamber having at least two stunning zones, an introduction station, arranged on the inlet side of the stunning chamber, for the or each container containing live poultry animals and a discharge station, arranged on the outlet side of the stunning chamber, for the or each container containing stunned poultry animals, at least one transport conveyor for transporting the or each container in the transport direction T through the stunning zones from the introduction station to the discharge station, as well as means for delivering the gas mixture into the stunning zones of the stunning chamber, which apparatus is characterised in that the means for delivering the gas mixture comprises at least one injection pipe which is designed and configured to be movable relativ

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a poultry defeathering apparatus, where a drive mechanism is used for rotating a plurality of picking heads of a picking bank and to such a picking bank. Each picking head is mounted at an outer side of a cover member on an axle projecting through an opening in the cover member and supported by a bearing. The drive mechanism is arranged on an inner side of the cover member opposite the picking heads. To protect the drive mechanism from deterioration, a gas or air is caused to flow along an inlet path on the inner side of the cover member and onwards to the drive mechanism. The gas or air has a lower relative humidity than the air surrounding the picking heads, when the apparatus is in operation, thus ventilating any moisture entering the picking bank away.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a poultry defeathering apparatus, where a drive mechanism is used for rotating a plurality of picking heads of a picking bank and to such a picking bank. Each picking head is mounted at an outer side of a cover member on an axle projecting through an opening in the cover member and supported by a bearing. The drive mechanism is arranged on an inner side of the cover member opposite the picking heads. To protect the drive mechanism from deterioration, a gas or air is caused to flow along an inlet path on the inner side of the cover member and onwards to the drive mechanism. The gas or air has a lower relative humidity than the air surrounding the picking heads, when the apparatus is in operation, thus ventilating any moisture entering the picking bank away.

Abstract: The invention relates to a poultry defeathering apparatus and to a picking row for use in such an apparatus. The picking row comprises an elongate support part with a front side surface, a back side surface, a two interconnecting side surfaces interconnecting the front and back side surfaces. Said side surfaces extends in parallel to a length axis of the support part and a plurality of picking heads are arranged on the front side surface. At least one of the interconnecting side surfaces is convex, preferably being curved with a radius of curvature corresponding to half the height of the support part. In the apparatus, two or more picking rows are arranged side-by-side with the picking heads facing in substantially the same direction such that interconnecting side surfaces of neighboring picking rows face each other. In such a pair of interconnecting surfaces, at least one of them is convex.

Abstract: The invention relates to a poultry defeathering apparatus and to a picking row for use in such an apparatus. The picking row comprises an elongate support part with a front side surface, a back side surface, a two interconnecting side surfaces interconnecting the front and back side surfaces. Said side surfaces extends in parallel to a length axis of the support part and a plurality of picking heads are arranged on the front side surface. At least one of the interconnecting side surfaces is convex, preferably being curved with a radius of curvature corresponding to half the height of the support part. In the apparatus, two or more picking rows are arranged side-by-side with the picking heads facing in substantially the same direction such that interconnecting side surfaces of neighbouring picking rows face each other. In such a pair of interconnecting surfaces, at least one of them is convex.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for suspending living or stunned poultry to be slaughtered in conveyor brackets of an overhead conveyor. A belt conveyor delivers the poultry to a distribution surface, where the poultry are successively guided or pushed outwardly against an edge of the distribution surface to individual positions for receiving the poultry with the legs projecting from the edge of the positions. The legs are fixed in fixing means at the positions. The individual positions are then successively moved upwardly relative to the distribution surface to suspend the poultry for a subsequent downward movement of the positions by brackets of the overhead conveyor running above and spaced apart from the distribution surface. The positions are subsequently moved downwardly again to the level of the distribution surface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for suspending living or stunned poultry to be slaughtered in conveyor brackets of an overhead conveyor. A belt conveyor delivers the poultry to a distribution surface, where the poultry are successively guided or pushed outwardly against an edge of the distribution surface to individual positions for receiving the poultry with the legs projecting from the edge of the positions. The legs are fixed in fixing means at the positions. The individual positions are then successively moved upwardly relative to the distribution surface to suspend the poultry for a subsequent downward movement of the positions by brackets of the overhead conveyor running above and spaced apart from the distribution surface. The positions are subsequently moved downwardly again to the level of the distribution surface.

Abstract: A method and apparatus (10) for scalding and plucking slaughtered poultry, by way of example chickens, hens, turkeys, ducks or geese, where the poultry is transported via a sluice device through a scalding tunnel (10) are slaughtering, preferably suspended at the feet, where the poultry in the scalding runnel is conveyed successively between rows of nozzles (36) that are adapted to apply scalding agent to the poultry, where a plurality of different scalding agents are applied, where in a first scalding zone hot water is used as scalding agent, where in succeeding scalding zones scalding agents with mutually differing temperatures are applied, where in the said succeeding scalding zones warm humid air is used as scalding agent which is at least blown onto specific sub areas of the poultry. In a simple way optimal plucking may occur subsequently without the poultry subjected to unnecessary heat action, and so that a considerable reduction of the required energy consumption is simultaneously attained.

Abstract: Poultry defeathering apparatus comprising at least one defeathering assembly (6) with a plurality of picking heads (7). Each picking head has a base member (15) provided with at least one flexible picking device (19). The base member is rotatable with respect to a support part (9). The flexible picking device (19) is rotatable with respect to the base member and is connected to a drive for rotating it with respect to the base member in a rotating movement different from the rotating movement of the base member with respect to the support part.

Abstract: A method and apparatus (10) for scalding and plucking slaughtered poultry, by way of example chickens, hens, turkeys, ducks or geese, where the poultry is transported via a sluice device through a scalding tunnel (10) are slaughtering, preferably suspended at the feet, where the poultry in the scalding runnel is conveyed successively between rows of nozzles (36) that are adapted to apply scalding agent to the poultry, where a plurality of different scalding agents are applied, where in a first scalding zone hot water is used as scalding agent, where in succeeding scalding zones scalding agents with mutually differing temperatures are applied, where in the said succeeding scalding zones warm humid air is used as scalding agent which is at least blown onto specific sub areas of the poultry. In a simple way optimal plucking may occur subsequently without the poultry subjected to unnecessary heat action, and so that a considerable reduction of the required energy consumption is simultaneously attained.

Abstract: Poultry defeathering apparatus comprising at least one defeathering assembly (6) with a plurality of picking heads (7). Each picking head has a base member (15) provided with at least one flexible picking device (19). The base member is rotatable with respect to a support part (9). The flexible picking device (19) is rotatable with respect to the base member and is connected to a drive for rotating it with respect to the base member in a rotating movement different from the rotating movement of the base member with respect to the support part.

Abstract: A method for gas stunning of poultry for slaughter is in which the poultry arrives at the poultry slaughterhouse, for example, in transport crates, where the poultry is subjected to gas after the poultry have been taken out of the transport crates, and where the poultry are conveyed by conveyors (18, 20, 24, 32) successively through a stunning chamber (8). The influence of the stunning gas for stunning of the poultry is adjusted in the stunning chamber by reducing or increasing by adjusting an effective length of at least one conveyor in the stunning chamber (8).

Abstract: A method for gas stunning of poultry for slaughter is in which the poultry arrives at the poultry slaughterhouse, for example, in transport crates, where the poultry is subjected to gas after the poultry have been taken out of the transport crates, and where the poultry are conveyed by conveyors (18, 20, 24, 32) successively through a stunning chamber (8). The influence of the stunning gas for stunning of the poultry is adjusted in the stunning chamber by reducing or increasing by adjusting an effective length of at least one conveyor in the stunning chamber (8).

Abstract: A method for gas stunning of poultry for slaughter is in which the poultry arrives at the poultry slaughterhouse, for example, in transport crates, where the poultry is subjected to gas after the poultry have been taken out of the transport crates, and where the poultry are conveyed by conveyors (18, 20, 24, 32) successively through a stunning chamber (8). The influence of the stunning gas for stunning of the poultry is adjusted in the stunning chamber by reducing or increasing by adjusting an effective length of at least one conveyor in the stunning chamber (8).

Abstract: A method for gas stunning of poultry for slaughter is described, where the poultry arrives at the poultry slaughterhouse in for example in transport crates, where gas stunning of the animals is effected after the animals have been taken out of the transport crates, and where the animals by means of a number of conveyors (18, 20, 24, 32) are conveyed successively through a stunning chamber (8), where the influence of the gas for stunning of the animals is adjusted by reducing or prolonging the conveying time and/or the conveying route of the animals on said conveyors through the stunning chamber (8).

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are described for handling chicken (4) suspended in transport shackles (24).