Abstract: A poultry holding system that can be erected tool-free by assembling lengthwise and crosswise members on support posts. Multiple upright support posts are set up in an evenly spaced grid. The crosswise members and lengthwise members are constructed as U-profile rails, with through-holes in the horizontal sections of the U-profiles that allow the members to be assembled and supported on the support posts. The poultry holding system thus constructed can have at least two tiers, one above the other. The assembly components are designed to be particularly economical, which allows greater flexibility in the design and construction of the poultry holding system to accommodate the constraints of the particular facility.

Abstract: A belt drive that has a transmission element that transmits a drive force to a drive element, which then sets a belt roller into rotational motion. The transmission element is a shaft and the drive element is an angular gear which has an input that is connected to the transmission element and an output that transmits the rotational motion from the gear to the belt roller. The belt drive is particularly suited for use in a belt system that is used in multi-tier poultry facilities. This belt system according to the invention includes a common drive motor that provides the drive force and a plurality of belt drives, one belt drive for each tier. One or more drive shafts transmit the drive force from the drive motor to each of the belt drives.

Abstract: A driver for use on a feed chain having elongate oval chain links that have two chain link legs. The driver is wider than the width of the chain link, so as to project beyond both sides of the chain link. The driver has a snap connector that allows the driver to be snapped onto the two chain link legs. A locking bar may be used with the driver to prevent the chain link legs from inadvertently releasing from the snap connector.

Abstract: A poultry holding system that can be erected tool-free by assembling lengthwise and crosswise members on support posts. Multiple upright support posts are set up in an evenly spaced grid. The crosswise members and lengthwise members are constructed as U-profile rails, with through-holes in the horizontal sections of the U-profiles that allow the members to be assembled and supported on the support posts. The poultry holding system thus constructed can have at least two tiers, one above the other. The assembly components are designed to be particularly economical, which allows greater flexibility in the design and construction of the poultry holding system to accommodate the constraints of the particular facility.

Abstract: A driver for use on a feed chain having elongate oval chain links that have two chain link legs. The driver is wider than the width of the chain link, so as to project beyond both sides of the chain link. The driver has a snap connector that allows the driver to be snapped onto the two chain link legs. A locking bar may be used with the driver to prevent the chain link legs from inadvertently releasing from the snap connector.

Abstract: A belt drive that has a transmission element that transmits a drive force to a drive element, which then sets a belt roller into rotational motion. The transmission element is a shaft and the drive element is an angular gear which has an input that is connected to the transmission element and an output that transmits the rotational motion from the gear to the belt roller. The belt drive is particularly suited for use in a belt system that is used in multi-tier poultry facilities. This belt system according to the invention includes a common drive motor that provides the drive force and a plurality of belt drives, one belt drive for each tier. One or more drive shafts transmit the drive force from the drive motor to each of the belt drives.

Abstract: A chick feeding station having an elongate trough for holding poultry feed, a conveyor which is placed in the trough and moves feed in the longitudinal direction of the trough, and deflectors and supports that provide chick safety. The conveyor is a chain conveyor with flights. The deflectors are mounted on the chick feeding station such that they extend from just above the conveyor flights and obliquely upward in the direction of travel of the conveyor, to move a chick to an upper level of the trough. A support for each deflector is also provided in the trough, the supports extending above the flights in the longitudinal direction of the trough, all the way to and through the deflectors.

Abstract: A chick feeding station having an elongate trough for holding poultry feed, a conveyor which is placed in the trough and moves feed in the longitudinal direction of the trough, and deflectors and supports that provide chick safety. The conveyor is a chain conveyor with flights. The deflectors are mounted on the chick feeding station such that the extend from just above the conveyor flights and obliquely upward in the direction of travel of the conveyor, to move a chick to an upper level of the trough. A support for each deflector is also provided in the trough, the supports extending above the flights in the longitudinal direction of the trough, all the way to and through the deflectors.