NATURA® 60 & 70
Multi-tier select access aviaries
NATURA 60 is Big Dutchman’s innovative type of aviary for layers. The design concept is based on the idea to improve bird welfare of the flock, and also the cage-free environment. It offers quality space for each hen to act out their natural behaviors, such as perching, dust bathing, foraging, nesting, exploring and other social behaviors.The multi-tier system features doors which allow birds in and out of the system through defined locations and at selected times. It is a very popular option for excellent egg production figures and ease of management.
The NATURA 60 & 70 system designs are very similar, and share many features, with the main difference being the NATURA 70 is wider with more usable space, a deeper nest, and all internal feed troughs, which allow for more birds per running foot of the system than the NATURA 60.
Important Advantages
- Nests are positioned in the top tier where hens naturally go to seek out a secure place to lay their eggs
- Fresh drinking water on top and bottom tiers provide easy access to water for the entire flock
- Litter aisles are areas of the house that are free and open to the flock, accessed through large openings at the bottom level of the system
- Inspection aisles are used by the farm managers
- The nests and longitudinal egg belts are located above the inspection aisles and are easily accessible
- Both sides of the system are easily accessible for flock management
- Interior stairways provide access for the hens to the different levels of the aviary
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Morning
Every morning the doors open
The NATURA 60 and NATURA 70 cage-free systems have doors which open every morning to allow your flock to have free access to the litter aisles. Each night the flock moves back into the system independently without any human involvement. The fact is hens want to feel secure and they feel secure inside the system, much like we want to be inside our houses at night.
Litter Properly Dried
For a healthy and calm flock
With the flock inside the system every night the litter is able to dry thoroughly, providing quality litter in which your flock can forage, dust bathe, and move around without the litter sticking to their feet. The better the quality of litter, the more the hens will use this area to act out their natural behaviors, improving the welfare of the entire flock.
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Movement
Outside and inside the system
Movement is easy for the hens whether they’re inside or outside of this system. Outside of the system, they’re able to roam around, dust bathe, forage, interact with other hens, perch and do what they please. Within the system they can eat, drink, perch, move from the bottom to the top levels, and nest to lay their eggs. Encouraging bird movement is vital for a healthy flock. When birds move around air flow is increased, resulting in healthier birds, a calm flock, and drier litter.
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Feed and Water
Fresh for the entire flock
The entire flock has easy access to fresh feed and water whenever they want it. Our feed and water placement is intentional in order to promote bird movement within the system. Water is placed at the top level right outside the nests to provide the birds a drink after they lay their eggs, and another line of drinkers is placed in the lower tier of the system. Feed is strategically placed inside the system to promote bird movement and open up quality space.
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Nest Design
Maximizing egg laying and quality
The NATURA 60 & 70 nest is an innovative design for an automatic group-laying nest for broiler breeders, layer breeders and layers. Special characteristics of this automatic nest are its central egg belt and the patented divided tilting nest floor. It’s the hen’s natural desire to find the most secure place to lay her eggs. The nests are located in areas to provide this sense of security they seek. After the egg is laid, it gently rolls out onto the extra wide egg collection belt, and then heads to the egg packing area automatically. The nest average acceptance is 98%, but for those rare times when an egg is laid outside of the nest, we’ve built in a built in system egg tray to make picking up the mis-laid eggs easy and fast.
Operation of the tilting nest floor
The egg belt is located in the center to allow the eggs be laid directly in front of the belt. This design ensures the shortest possible roll-off distance for the eggs, minimizing the amount of cracked and checked eggs.
Before the divided nest floor completely closes the nest, it is first raised in the center, increasing the inclination of the rear part of the nest floor and removing any eggs from the nest area.
The nest floor is raised completely, allowing any dirt to drop off the nest insert as well as closing off the nest to prevent hens from entering and brooding inside.
System Inspection and Management
Management made easy
The NATURA 60 is easy to manage, which means your staff will do a thorough job. The NATURA 60 has two separate aisles for your flock management; the litter aisle, and the inspection aisle. The litter aisle is used when the flock is inside the system during the night and early in the morning before the flock is let out. Having the flock inside the system allows you to inspect the litter aisle without any contact with the hens, making system management from the litter aisle easy and fast. The inspection aisle is used throughout the day when the flock is out of the system. From this aisle you can inspect the system, check on the flock with easy access doors, and look for any mis-laid eggs and collect them from the integrated system egg tray.
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Inside for the Night
Finding security within the system
Just as we go inside every night, your flock wants to go inside to find security and comfort. Every night the entire flock heads back into the system without any human involvement. As the lights dim, the hens begin to hop up into the system through the access doors at the lowest level.To keep the flock safe, we only offer the ability for them to enter and exit the system from the lowest level.
Take a Virtual Tour
Want to see the NATURA 60 & 70 in an actual layer house? Click to view our 360 tour of the system, and see tours of some of Big Dutchman’s other housing systems as well.
Resources
View and download the latest NATURA 60 & 70 product brochures.
Questions? Ask our Aviary Specialists
Managing aviary systems can seem overwhelming for producers. Our Aviary Specialists are here to help. Click the link below to find their contact information and feel free to reach out to them at any time to get your questions answered.
Related Products
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NATURA Primus – Rearing
The NATURA Primus three-tier rearing aviary systems offer you the best possible prerequisites for a smooth transition of pullets from the rearing to the laying aviary.
NATURA Step & Step XL – Layer
The NATURA Step & Step XL are multi-tier open access true aviaries that offer complete open access, giving full freedom to the bird to move in and out of the system & equipment at all times.
Get Started on Your Project
Over the course of 80 years we have designed, tested, developed, and refined egg production equipment to meet every imaginable need. Get in touch with our sales team to discuss your farm requirements today.