September 20, 2022

 

Roxell introduces automatic nest Shenandoah^® group nest

 

 

The Shenandoah experts — known for the popular individual nest — designed this innovative group nest concept. Each nest box has eight nest openings — rather than 16, 18 or 20 — resulting in group areas that are adapted to the physique of today's broiler breeders.

 

Specific features of the group nest ensure various advantages, including:

 

    - A higher nest acceptance;

 

    - Good hygiene for the chicken and egg;

 

    - Careful handling of a large volume of eggs.

 

Due to the efficient design of its width and depth, the nest can increase the capacity and profitability of broiler breeders houses. Switching from an individual nest to an automatic group nest is convenient as no changes need to be made to the layout of the house, Roxell said.

 

By offering more usable nest space, Shenandoah continues to support the growth ambitions of poultry farmers.

 

At the core of the Shenandoah group nest is the provision of sufficient space and oxygen. Since chicken breeds are larger these days, spacious, oxygen-rich compartments are essential. Hence, the nest has the largest and deepest nest boxes for houses with a ‘US-style’ layout, Roxell explained.

 

The ventilation in the nest is guaranteed with the perforated AstroTurf nest mat. To simulate a natural living environment, the nest opening has a step and short curtains. For the hen, it’s an entrance to a safe space with much shade.

 

The Shenandoah group nest also creates the right balance between space, oxygen, ventilation, hygiene and natural behavior. This results in fewer floor eggs and a surplus of nest eggs with a higher average per hen.

 

The following features are aimed at ensuring high standards of nest hygiene for a successful, antibiotic-free production house:

 

    - Every evening, an automatic expulsion system (with a bar) gently pushes the hens out of the nest, so they cannot brood overnight or remain in the nest. This is a very animal-friendly method that is unique in the sector;

 

    - Inside the nest, the AstroTurf mat carries away waste to maintain a high level of hygiene;

 

    - With the large perforations in the egg belt, waste can simply drop through. The egg belt is made of polyester with a layer of plastic on the outside to prevent stretching.

 

As well as hygiene, another factor that influences the fertility rate is the way the eggs are handled. Nest mats prevent hairline cracks from forming and there are streamlined transitions during the transport to the egg collection table. To accommodate the additional volume of eggs, the egg belt is adapted to large capacities.

 

With this group nest, it is easy to increase the stocking density in an existing broiler breeder house. The Shenandoah group nest is just as long as the individual nest, at 2.4m. The difference is in the group compartments, which have been laid out more efficiently. They are wider, deeper and have a fully flat nest floor. This increases the usable nest space by 50%, which means the average capacity per nest box increases by 30 hens.

 

Shenandoah also makes it easy to transition from an individual nest to a group nest. No changes need to be made to the general layout of the house. With this group nest, a poultry farmer can expand their nest space without needing to make adjustments to the existing systems. The management of the house also remains the same as usual.

 

"We took great care in developing this Shenandoah group nest," said Frank Hartmann, marketing manager at Roxell. "This group nest was to become the solution for poultry farmers with larger breeds that want to increase their stocking densities without hefty investments. We also needed to make sure the new nest meets the applicable regulations.

 

"However, we were able to make it happen. By changing the nest layout and expanding the nest volume, we created 50% more space. This is a luxurious amount of space for a nest. We extensively tested the hens’ responses to the new concept, as always. First with a live set-up at the Roxell test center, and then in the test houses in the US and later at the Cobb breeding company. Cobb thoroughly tested and analysed the nest and expressed its satisfaction with this new group concept. Therefore, not only poultry farmers, but also the breeding company, Cobb, have approved the new automatic nest."

- Roxell