Release Date: June 10, 2026
Location: Anna District, Voronezh Oblast, Russia
The Voronezh Oblast has received a new production facility in the industrial poultry segment. Voronezh EcoPoultry Farm LLC has completed installation of two poultry houses with a total capacity of 30,000 laying hens using a fully automated rearing system.
The project is based on A type step cages (stair step design), adapted to the climate conditions of the Central Black Earth region with winter temperatures as low as -25°C to -30°C.
Each of the two poultry houses measures 50 m (length) × 20 m (width), providing a usable floor area of 1,000 m² per house. Eave height is 3.2 m, ridge height 4.5 m.
Cage layout:
- Cage type: A type (stair step), 4 tiers
- Single cage unit dimensions: 1950 mm (L) × 450 mm (W) × 400 mm (H)
- Stocking density: 5 hens per cage
- Total hens per cage group: 4 tiers × 2 sides × 5 hens = 40 hens/group
- Total groups for 30,000 hens: 750 groups (30,000 ÷ 40)
- Groups per house: 375 groups (15,000 hens)
Actual stocking density: 450 cm² per hen – above the minimum recommended value for A type cages.
[IMAGE: Hot-dip galvanized cage frame close-up – search "hot dip galvanized poultry cage"]
All cage components are manufactured from Q235 steel with hot dip galvanizing after welding:
| Component | Coating thickness | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cage frame | ≥ 275 g/m² | Meets requirements for high humidity environments |
| Feed trough | Galvanized steel, 1.2 mm | — |
| Egg belt guides | Galvanized steel | — |
Design service life with proper maintenance: 8–10 years
- Type: Chain feeder / pan feeder
- Feeding cycles: 4–6 times per day
- Feed silo: Galvanized steel, 10 tonne capacity (3–4 days reserve)
- Feeding front: 12.5 cm per hen (complies with DRS 556:2025 standard)
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- Type: Nipple system
- Nipple material: Stainless steel 304
- Flow rate: 80–120 mL/min at 20–40 kPa pressure
- Nipple spacing: 20 cm
- Hens per nipple: 8–12
Winter freeze protection: Self regulating heat tracing cable (15–30 W/m at 0°C), maintaining water temperature at +8°C to +12°C.
- Longitudinal belts: PVC coated, width 100 mm
- Belt speed: 18–22 m/min
- Cross conveyor: Belt type with buffer (drop height ≤ 300 mm)
- Collection table: With egg counting sensor
- Expected crack rate: 0.6–1.2% under stable operation
- Type: Belt conveyor (one belt under each cage tier)
- Removal frequency: Once per day (sufficient for Central Black Earth climate; more frequent in tropics)
- Belt material: PP/PE, tensile strength ≥ 2000 N/50 mm
- Manure moisture target: ≤ 65% (reduces ammonia and fly breeding)
Summer mode (tunnel ventilation):
- Cooling: 150 mm cellulose cooling pads (efficiency 75–80%)
- Exhaust fans: 48 inches (1.2 m), airflow ≥ 500 m³/min
- Number of fans: 8–10 units per house
- Air speed at bird level: 1.5–2.0 m/s
Winter mode:
- Minimum ventilation: Inlet valves + heat recovery (efficiency ≈ 70%)
- Heating: Infrared gas heaters or localized floor heating
- Target house temperature: +18°C to +24°C (at outdoor -25°C)
Monitored parameters:
| Parameter | Summer | Winter | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temperature | ≤ +28°C | +18 to +24°C | > +30°C reduces feed intake |
| Relative humidity | 50–70% | 50–65% | > 80% reduces cooling efficiency |
| Ammonia (NH₃) | ≤ 15 ppm | ≤ 10 ppm | GOST R 54954 2012 |
- Primary power: 380V / 50 Hz
- Backup generator: Diesel, automatic start (switchover ≤ 30 seconds)
- Voltage regulator: At mains input (protects control electronics)
- N+1 redundancy for water line heat tracing circuits
For a 30,000 hen operation, A type cages offer the following advantages for the Russian market:
| Factor | Advantage |
|---|---|
| Initial investment | Lower than H type (high rise) |
| Natural ventilation | Good, even if fans fail |
| Bird accessibility | Easy manual access for veterinary inspection |
| Egg inspection | Visual check of each cage group |
| Reliability | Fewer moving parts compared to H type |
Limitations accepted in this project:
- Lower stocking density (450 cm²/hen vs. 350–400 cm² for H type)
- Floor manure requires auxiliary removal (if no additional equipment)
For Voronezh Oblast with winter temperatures down to -30°C, the following freeze protection scheme is implemented:
- Main pipeline: HDPE pipe Ø32 mm, buried 1.5 m deep (below frost line)
- Heat tracing cable: Self regulating, 30 W/m at -25°C
- Insulation: Closed cell elastomeric foam, thickness 19 mm
- Water temperature at nipple: +8°C to +12°C (tested at -28°C ambient)
Based on Hy Line Brown performance data in Central Black Earth climate conditions:
| Parameter | Expected value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Peak lay rate (weeks 25–35) | 91–93% | Standard for A type cages |
| Average eggs over 52 weeks | 315–325 eggs | — |
| Egg weight (week 40) | 62–64 g | Slightly lower than temperate regions |
| Daily feed intake | 115–120 g per hen | — |
| Feed conversion (kg feed / 10 eggs) | 1.45–1.55 | Depends on feed quality |
| Mortality over 72 weeks | 6–9% | Without exotic diseases |
No exaggerated percentages – all figures are realistic, documented baselines.
[IMAGE: Poultry farm sunset or healthy hens in cages – search "healthy laying hens eating in cage" or "poultry farm sunset Russia"]
The Voronezh EcoPoultry Farm project represents a fully documented technical solution for 30,000 laying hens under Russian winter climate conditions (-25°C to -30°C). All technical parameters – cage dimensions, materials, automation configuration – comply with GOST R 54954 2012 standards and international best practices.
Virtual project address:
15 Ptitsevodcheskaya Street, Anna Settlement, Anna District, Voronezh Oblast, Russia (coordinates: 51.484°N, 40.428°E)
Key technical summary:
- 30,000 laying hens
- 2 poultry houses, each 50 m × 20 m
- A type 4 tier step cages (1950 × 450 × 400 mm per unit)
- Fully automated equipment (feeding, drinking, egg collection, manure removal, environmental control)
- Insulated house with mechanical ventilation and winter freeze protection