A scale system using a PIC and either an RF based or a Ethernet based
weighing system, distributed thoughout the entire cage.  If you are using a
PC to compile the data, (as you should), error can be reduced in software
significantly in software.

1.) Use a combination of the imaging and the moving wall technique.  It
garuntees that each chicken is weighed.  And you will know exactly how many
chickens there are.

2.) Use long sampling times, to get an extremely accurate weight
measurement.

Store EACH value, since the computer how many chickens there are, duplicate
weighings caused by rogue chickens can be weeded out, (since the
measurements are accurate).


alternatively,


You can use that same combination of the woving wall/optical sensor to track
the chickens in the pen.  The computer, in realtime would have a vertical
view of the pen and, if using infrared, the location of every chicken.  When
a chicken has been weighed, simply "track" the location of each chicken,
this elimates the chances of duplicate readings.

If it really means that much to you.  Any chickens that have not been
weighed can be actively sought out be some sort of "hunter weigher" that
will grab all remaing chickens and weigh it.

I am positive that this solution, although it took me awhile to conjure up,
is worth $1000 bucks!  It would really help me get my first spectrum
analyzer, before I graduate high school!

Anthony Clay
zarthrag@intcon.net