Validation of a photoelectric sensor system to detect oviposition timing in individually caged broiler breeder hens

Understanding the time of oviposition in broiler breeders is an important metric for improving precision animal and feeding management in the U.S. The objective of this project was to validate the use of a system using photoelectric sensors (PES) to detect the time of oviposition of individually caged broiler breeders. The system was validated using 101 broiler breeder hens housed in individual cages within an environmentally controlled facility over a two-week period. The detection system consisted of a single PES and opposing reflector installed on 3D-printed dividers that separated the egg saver for each cage. The PESs were measured with datalogging systems using a 1-min sampling rate. A camera system and staff records were used to validate the PES system's accuracy. The PES system accurately detected 94.7 % (1339/1414) of events within 3 min of the camera observation. Addressing correctable errors caused by cage design issues could improve the accuracy of the system to 98.7 % (1396/1414). Current limitations of the PES system include the inability to detect soft-shelled or cracked eggs that do not roll into the egg saver, the inability to distinguish when a hen has laid two eggs in the egg saver for a collection period, and the requirement to deactivate the system during the dark period to prevent photorefractoriness of broiler breeders by the red light emitted from the sensors. Determining the time of oviposition was streamlined and efficient using a PES system, reducing data acquisition time (< 0.2 h) compared to a camera-based system (>100 h). At an estimated cost of $369 per cage, the PES system offers a reliable, high-precision tool to explore any poultry egg production research where non-invasive identification of oviposition timing could provide insight into reproductive capacity and success.