- Aug 14, 2008
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Hello,
Wouldn't it be nice to find out which hens are the best layers of the flock?
Just think about it. Suppose you have access to a spreadsheet that had, for each hen, data of date and time of nest occupation (in and out). So you could easily determine the laying habits and productivity of each single bird. Then you could select the best hens for breeding. Or, if you have a mix of breeds, you could determine which one does better in your yard's particular conditions. Or, yet, you could find out which breed reacts better to environment/food/other conditions changings.
I think many people wouldn't care to know the individual performances, provided the global result is ok. But, if you are on the more analytical side, maybe you could get interested in the following idea:
(I'm sorry if this subject has already been discussed here; I just couldn't find any references to it)
Those who run street footraces are used to an electronic timing system that can be taken as a model for our application. This system has (utterly simplifying) two parts: a small "chip" tied to one shoe of each runner and a set of mats to be steped on by the runners. The "chip" is a passive (no batteries) RFID device. Each mat has an embedded antenna which activates the chip and reads a unique code sent by it every time a runner step on the mat. The antenna is connected to a reader that registers the chip code and the time. Since each chip code is associated to a single runner, the runner's time can be precisely clocked.
Now suppose you could tie a chip to a hen's leg. That's not difficult and has been done before. Here's an example of the device, among others:
http://www.synometrix.com/RFID_ring_specification.shtml
Then you'd need "only" a smaller version of the run timing mat and reader. The little mat would be mounted in a single passage to the nests, so all layers would necessarily step on it. The reader would register date and time for each hen (chip) entering and exiting the nest, and store the data for several days/weeks. Periodically, you would connect the reader to a computer and import the data to a spreadsheet to be worked out in the proper way.
The reader/antenna set seems to be the hard part to acquire. I tried to contact some suppliers, but they work mainly with industries, not individuals. I could not find any finished, ready-to-use reader for this application, but maybe it won't be impossible to devise a way of making one, if there is some fellow in this forum who is skilful at this subject.
Best regards.
João Campos
Wouldn't it be nice to find out which hens are the best layers of the flock?
Just think about it. Suppose you have access to a spreadsheet that had, for each hen, data of date and time of nest occupation (in and out). So you could easily determine the laying habits and productivity of each single bird. Then you could select the best hens for breeding. Or, if you have a mix of breeds, you could determine which one does better in your yard's particular conditions. Or, yet, you could find out which breed reacts better to environment/food/other conditions changings.
I think many people wouldn't care to know the individual performances, provided the global result is ok. But, if you are on the more analytical side, maybe you could get interested in the following idea:
(I'm sorry if this subject has already been discussed here; I just couldn't find any references to it)
Those who run street footraces are used to an electronic timing system that can be taken as a model for our application. This system has (utterly simplifying) two parts: a small "chip" tied to one shoe of each runner and a set of mats to be steped on by the runners. The "chip" is a passive (no batteries) RFID device. Each mat has an embedded antenna which activates the chip and reads a unique code sent by it every time a runner step on the mat. The antenna is connected to a reader that registers the chip code and the time. Since each chip code is associated to a single runner, the runner's time can be precisely clocked.
Now suppose you could tie a chip to a hen's leg. That's not difficult and has been done before. Here's an example of the device, among others:
http://www.synometrix.com/RFID_ring_specification.shtml
Then you'd need "only" a smaller version of the run timing mat and reader. The little mat would be mounted in a single passage to the nests, so all layers would necessarily step on it. The reader would register date and time for each hen (chip) entering and exiting the nest, and store the data for several days/weeks. Periodically, you would connect the reader to a computer and import the data to a spreadsheet to be worked out in the proper way.
The reader/antenna set seems to be the hard part to acquire. I tried to contact some suppliers, but they work mainly with industries, not individuals. I could not find any finished, ready-to-use reader for this application, but maybe it won't be impossible to devise a way of making one, if there is some fellow in this forum who is skilful at this subject.
Best regards.
João Campos
