Method and apparatus for automatically supporting and restraining birds, and preferably young chicks, said method and apparatus in a preferred embodiment being applied for automatically debeaking said birds

Apparatus for automatically debeaking birds, comprising:

• a plurality of spaced apart bird supports, each bird support comprising means for holding a bird by its head with the head immobilized,
• drive means for moving said bird supports to cause each support to follow a path passing first to a loading station and thereafter to an unloading station,
• release means for causing a support to release its bird upon arrival at said unloading station,
• a debeaking assembly at a debeaking station along said path of said bird supports downstream with respect to the loading station but upstream with respect to the unloading station, said debeaking assembly comprising a debeaking element, movable between an operative position and a non-operative position so that each support is able to pass through said debeaking station, and,
• actuator means for actuating said debeaking assembly with its debeaking element to its operative position upon arrival of a support at the debeaking station and thereafter returning the debeaking assembly with its debeaking element to its non-operative position.

A method for automatically supporting and restraining notably birds, comprising:

• providing a plurality of spaced apart bird supports, each bird support comprising means for holding a bird by its head with the head immobilized,
• moving said bird supports so that each of said supports follows a path successively passing through a bird loading station and a bird unloading station,
• inserting a bird into a said bird support in said bird loading station, and
• releasing said bird from said bird support in said bird unloading station,
• wherein the bird support comprises means for grasping the head of a bird to suspend said bird with its body hanging below its head and with the head immobilized, each said support having a closed position for grasping said head and an open position in which said head is free to be inserted into or dropped from said support means, said release means at said unloading station automatically shifting said grasping means from said closed position to said open position to cause the bird to be automatically released.