Chick Pick Solutions Inc. is leading a national initiative to develop and validate an AI-powered chick-sorting system that automates one of the last manual processes in poultry hatcheries: sorting day-old chicks by sex. This labour-intensive task is currently performed by skilled workers, but is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain due to labour shortages, rising costs, and inconsistencies in manual handling.
This project will focus on finalizing and deploying a commercial-ready version of the system, building on earlier prototypes supported by Mitacs, IRAP, and the New Brunswick Department of Agriculture. The team will assemble and integrate two production-grade systems at a commercial layer hatchery in Manitoba, incorporating custom-designed conveyor and feeding systems tailored to the client’s operations. The team will also adjust the systems to be compatible with a commercial broiler hatchery in Ontario.
Activities will also include improving the accuracy of the system’s machine learning models (including layer and broiler specific models), enhancing the robustness of its software features (including automated reporting and cloud-based image uploading), and iteratively refining the system based on live hatchery feedback. To support continuous improvement and quality assurance, a dedicated test bench system will be developed at the company’s facility in Fredericton, New Brunswick.
By the end of the project, Chick Pick Solutions aims to have a validated and scalable solution ready for commercialization for the layer and broiler markets. The anticipated outcome is a more efficient, consistent, and humane chick sorting process that reduces reliance on manual labour while strengthening the productivity and competitiveness of Canada’s poultry sector.
