The chicken scanner is a small RFID reader inside of one of the nextboxes. It logs when a hen activates the scanner with the passive RFID tag attached to a leg band. Typically, the scanner is activated many times during a hen’s egg laying, during which time she is in the nest for between 30 and 60 minutes.

The scanner sends the unique RFID information and metadata to a Quick Base database, which is then queried and displayed below.