Abstract: A chicken harvesting machine which includes a wheel mounted main chassis, a chicken pickup conveyor at one end of the chassis, an elevating framework movably supporting the chicken pickup conveyor on the chassis, a discharge conveyor movably mounted on the opposite end of the chassis from the chicken pickup conveyor, and a coop positioning structure carried on the chassis in a position at which a coop supported thereon can receive chickens discharged from the discharge conveyor. The coop supporting structure is mounted on the chassis for pivotation about a horizontal axis, and includes a laterally shiftable subframe. The laterally shiftable subframe carries a reciprocable platform for moving a chicken coop into a loading attitude adjacent the discharge conveyor.

Abstract: A rectangular frame is mounted on the mast of a conventional forklift. The frame extends outwardly from the front of the mast and includes a gear mounted thereon. First and second arm pairs depend from the gear and are rotatable in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the frame. Each arm pair includes two axially aligned elongate members mounted for movement both away from and toward one another. A grasping element is mounted on the end of each member for grasping opposing sides of a bin when the elongate members move toward one another.

Abstract: A chicken harvesting machine which includes a wheel mounted main chassis, a chicken pickup conveyor at one end of the chassis, an elevating framework movably supporting the chicken pickup conveyor on the chassis, a discharge conveyor movably mounted on the opposite end of the chassis from the chicken pickup conveyor, and a coop positioning structure carried on the chassis in a position at which a coop supported thereon can receive chickens discharged from the discharge conveyor. The coop supporting structure is mounted on the chassis for pivotation about a horizontal axis, and includes a laterally shiftable subframe. The laterally shiftable subframe carries a reciprocable platform for moving a chicken coop into a loading attitude adjacent the discharge conveyor.

Abstract: A system for harvesting and transporting chickens comprising a self-propelled vehicle having finger-carrying chicken harvesting means at one side thereof for picking up and elevating chickens as the vehicle advances; a first conveyor carried on said vehicle for receiving chickens from said chicken harvesting means and moving them to a second side of said vehicle; an elongated telescoping conveyor having one end positioned under one end of said first conveyor at said second side of said vehicle; swingable boom means pivotally mounted on said vehicle and including a flexible suspension member connected to a medial portion of said elongated telescoping conveyor for swingably supporting said telescoping conveyor on said vehicle; and a coop structure adapted for connection to the end of said telescoping conveyor which is remote from said vehicle.