Design and development of a low-cost solar brooder with automated temperature control system

Introduction

The contribution of poultry meats and eggs to the world's protein intake has continually increased (Athrey, 2020) [1] . As predicted by Shahbandeh (2021) [2] , the world's poultry meat consumption will rise to 151.83 metric kilotons (equaling carcass weights) in 2030. Moreover, there is a rising trend of poultry meat consumption in the Philippines. The consumption of poultry meat per capita in the Philippines has been predicted by the Statista Research Department (2021) [3] to be 13.7 kilograms in 2020 and 14.6 kilograms in 2023. The majority of the brooders that exist in today's world possess many inadequacies. The first disadvantage is related to the nonuniform distribution of warmth, where the chickens closest to the light bulb or the stove are overheated, whereas those further away freeze. As a result, all the chicks are compelled to huddle together, causing them to experience stress or even suffocation. Moreover, most of the devices cannot be operated automatically; therefore, it is necessary for the farmer to monitor the warmth of the environment and make adjustments whenever it is necessary, which is time-consuming and risky. Furthermore, brooders require a lot of power, whether it is a gas or electricity source, which is relatively expensive at present days.

Due to this, it is necessary to thoroughly consider heat distribution, weight gain by the chicks, mortality rate, and operational efficiency in the process of designing a new brooder. Heat distribution will ensure that the chicks are comfortable and healthy. The chicks' weight gain will show the efficiency of the brooder's performance in terms of proper development. The mortality rate will serve as the indicator of the efficiency of design in relation to the safety of the birds. Operational efficiency is also significant, since the farmer will need an efficient way of poultry raising which will save money and energy and reduce the necessity of permanent monitoring. Even as there continues to be a rising trend in the consumption of poultry products, the country now experiences an extremely difficult situation economically owing to the international oil crisis as a result of the current tension between the United States, Israel, and Iran in the Middle East. Due to the uncertain supply of oil along the supply chain, the price of fuels has gone up, causing the prices of goods and services to rise. It should be noted that this is one example of how fragile the Philippines' economy may be in terms of the global geopolitical environment. As mentioned above, increasing production costs pose a threat to the sustainability of businesses engaged in agriculture, such as poultry farming. www.extensionjournal.com Therefore, it is necessary to deal with this crisis in order to secure food supplies and satisfy demand in the country. To help alleviate the economic impact caused by the pandemic, TESDA shifted funds that were supposed to be spent on TVET scholarships to cushion the effects of the socio-economic impact caused by the pandemic. TESDA has also stepped up its efforts to help in the implementation of the government's food security policies through the provision of agricultural livelihood skills training. Provincial Training Center (PTC)-Davao del Norte, being the training branch of TESDA Provincial Office, is one of the main providers of Barangay Development Trainings. Amongst the other qualifications, one of the most notable is Organic Agriculture Production NC II (OAP NC II). Amongst the many units of competency in this qualification, Raising Organic Chicken is one of them. In the process of practicing this competency, it became apparent that there was a need to develop an efficient chicken brooder to ensure that chicks grow healthily and survive. Brooding is the technique of providing heat to the chicks after birth up to the point when the chicks' body starts regulating its own temperature. In accordance with PAES 402:2001 [6] , the correct temperature within the brooding enclosure is vital for the survival of chicks. For brooding, there is a need for sufficient warmth to avoid the chicks from experiencing chill, which could make them prone to sickness and eventually cause their death. According to PCARRD (2006) [4] , the brooding period takes between two to three weeks in the Philippines, depending on the season. Successful brooding allows the chickens to achieve their full production capacity for either meat or eggs (Hassanuzzaman et al., 2016) [5] . In light of the above mentioned problems, the proponents of the research felt the need for creating a brooder design that would have an insulating effect along with retaining heat. The current research aims at designing and constructing a brooder in an economical way through the use of insulating materials that could easily be replicated by communities undergoing livelihood training. This proposed brooder makes use of heated incandescent lamps that make use of electricity as the source of heating. The brooder also has an automatic heating system that enables one to set the maximum and minimum temperature. Whenever the temperature rises above the maximum set limit, the heating system will automatically switch off. On the other hand, when the temperature falls below the minimum set limit, the heating system switches on automatically. The device seeks to provide assistance to chicken farmers in managing brooding, especially in the first growth stage of chicks. Its main purpose is to provide help that is economical, energy saving, and simple to fabricate using local material sources. Consequently, the findings from this research will lead to improvements in the implementation of training for the COC on Raising Organic Chicken under Organic Agriculture Production NC II. In addition, the research findings can be used as a basis for TVET trainers when building brooders in the development of livelihood projects in priority barangays.

Objectives of the Study General Objective

To strengthen the implementation of Organic Agriculture Production National Certificate II in raising organic chicken.

Specific Objectives 1. To design and fabricate a low-cost solar brooder with an automated temperature control system. 2. To evaluate and compare performance using different insulating materials in terms of: a. Heat distribution b. Weight gain c. Mortality rate 3. To revise the design based on evaluation results. 4. To replicate the brooder for community training programs.

Significance of the Study

This research has several advantages for the TESDA Trainers as it acts as a manual that will help improve training in terms of the Organic Agricultural Production National Certificate II course. The research ensures that the beneficiaries are able to get an effective brooding system that will be useful for them in increasing their output as well as reducing cost. The research will be advantageous to the community since it will contribute to food security and livelihood.

Scope and Limitations

The study was concerned with the design, construction, and testing of the efficacy of an economic solar brooder having automated temperature control. This testing was done using only insulating material that could be found locally, and the test subjects used were broiler chickens ranging in age from 1 day to 21 days. Testing was done under the prevailing weather conditions of the place where the experiment was carried out; hence the effects of weather conditions, humidity, and airflow elsewhere were ignored. Brooding was tested based on heating efficiency, weight gain of chicks, mortality, and energy consumption alone; long-term brooding results such as egg output and marketing were not considered.

Brooding Practices and Challenges

Brooding plays an important role in the development of poultry. During the initial stages of the brooding period, chicks lack the ability to maintain their own body temperature. The conventional systems used in brooding in the Philippines include charcoal burners, kerosene lights, and basic incandescent lights. Although these systems produce enough heat, there is inadequate heating and ventilating, thus leading to high cost in terms of energy. This causes stress, overcrowding of chicks, and mortality among the chicks.

Technological Advances in Brooding

The international literature review on brooding has considered semi-automatic and energy-efficient brooders.

Adewumi (2016) [7] designed a semi-automatic brooder with www.extensionjournal.com programmable logic controllers that attained an efficiency rate of 84.5%. Patents on multi-purpose brooding boxes in China and infrared brooders powered by biogas in the Philippines emphasize advances in environmental control and alternative energy sources. Nonetheless, these brooders may be expensive, complicated, or hard to duplicate in rural areas.

Philippine Context

There is a reduction in the population of broilers and native chickens, indicating problems in their production. The escalating price of energy, coupled with the worldwide oil crisis, increases the difficulties experienced by small-scale farmers who rely on power or LPG in raising broilers. There is a consistent increase in the need for products from poultry farming, but small-scale farmers cannot afford technology for brooding.

Research Gap

Despite existing technologies, there remains a lack of low-cost, locally replicable brooders with automated temperature control that address the following:

• Uniform heat distribution to prevent chick stress and mortality.

• Energy efficiency to reduce dependence on costly fuel and electricity. • Operational simplicity to minimize round-the-clock caretaker monitoring. • Adaptability to local conditions using materials available in rural communities.

This gap highlights the need for a brooder design that balances affordability, efficiency, and replicability for small farmers and training programs.

Variables Used in the Study

To address the research gap, the study focuses on the following variables:

• Independent Variable: Type of insulating material used in the brooder.

Broiler Characteristics

Broilers are genetically selected for fast growth and efficient production of quality meat. The commercially available broiler breeds have been developed from the Cornish breed for body shape and the White Plymouth Rock for rapid growth and white feathers.

Artificial Brooding

Artificial incubation refers to the technique of rearing chicks without having a broody hen by utilizing artificial sources of heat that ensure the required temperatures are maintained throughout the rearing process. Sources of artificial heat used in artificial incubation include electricity, gas, infrared light bulbs, charcoal or kerosene stoves. Of all these sources of artificial heat, the use of electricity in artificial brooding is most common due to its ability to distribute heat uniformly.

Conceptual Framework

The study is anchored on the principle that proper brooding management leads to improved chick performance and reduced mortality.

Proper Temperature

Maintain the proper temperature inside the brooding house to make chicks feel comfortable. The range of temperatures ideal for various ages of broiler chicks is as follows: The use of a thermometer might also help to determine the temperature inside the brooder chamber. But the activity of the broiler chickens inside the brooder may indicate an appropriate brooder temperature.

If the chicks are evenly scattered inside the brooder chamber and performing different tasks, such as eating, drinking, sleeping, and playing, then it can be assumed that the brooder temperature is appropriate.

In the event that the temperature within the brooder is too low for the chickens, they will huddle together or position themselves close to the heat source, and they will emit an uncommon chirping noise. In cases where the temperatures are extremely low, chickens usually huddle together and stack up on each other, causing high suffocation deaths. However, when the heat is above what the chicks require, they will move away from the source of the heat. The chicks will spread out their wings and pant, and drink lots of water.

Excessively high temperatures in the brooder can lead to heat stroke and death among the chicks.

Source: https://www.saskatchewan.ca

Adequate Space Allowances

It is important that adequate floor, feed, and drink space allocations be given to the broilers during the brooding period. To provide more floor space allocation for the broilers, it is necessary to increase the floor space area enclosed by the brooder guard. Newspaper sheets, which are old yet clean, can be used as floor mats for the first few days to act as temporary feeders, thus conserving the heat generated within the brooder enclosure.

Proper Ventilation

Proper circulation of air without any drafts is essential in the brooder house. Fresh air containing oxygen is needed for the chicks, whereas carbon dioxide, ammonia, moisture, and other waste products should be flushed out of the brooder enclosure. The impact of the draft on the chicks will be minimized through the installation of burlap curtains around the walls of the brooder house.

Adequate Lighting Facilities

Lighting must be installed inside the brooder enclosure. The appropriate lighting will ensure that the chicks remain close to the source of warmth and can identify where the food and drinking water is located. In cases where there is incandescent light for warmth, the brooder area will also be automatically lit up. But in case other forms of warmth apart from an incandescent bulb are utilized, then the addition of a 5-10 watt light bulb is essential to guide the broiler chicks to their food.

Proper Sanitation

Brooding penned to be always kept clean and dry to minimize, if not prevent, contamination and growth of parasites and other disease-causing organisms.

Protection from predators

The brooder must be constructed to provide sufficient protection from rats, dogs, cats, snakes, and other animals that unduly disturb or kill young chicks. Enclose the brooder house with sturdy materials to prevent these predators from entering.

Benefits of a Good Brooding Management

Good brooding management has numerous advantages for the overall performance and productivity of the flocks.

The following are some of the benefits of a good brooding Brooding Effect on Chick Comfort and Adaptation: If there is adequate brooding during the first three days of life, the chicks will be comfortable and easily adapt to the environment, making them able to eat food and feed effectively. Body Weight Increase: Another benefit of good brooding is that it increases body weight among the chicks. If there is good brooding, the chicks will feed and drink all the time. The chicks should increase their body weight four times their initial weight. Feed Conversion Rate: If there is good brooding, the chicks will have an effective feed conversion rate because the food will be absorbed effectively. The chicks will be Disease-free: Proper brooding and management will keep the chicks healthy, free of any disease. In this case, biosecurity must be practiced.

(https://www.agriculturediary.com/day-old-chicks-brooding-management-benefits/)

Philippine National Standard on Brooding Facility Design Related Study

The author Adewumi (2016) [7] invented the portable semiautomatic poultry brooder. The brooder is made in a twosided roof shape, that is, symmetric gambrel roof type measuring height of 87cm, width of 62cm, and breath of 62 cm. The environment was controlled using a Programmable Logical Controller that acted as the controller of the heater and humidifier. The efficiency of this tested brooder was 84.5%, based on maximum temperature observed.

Review of Patented Documents

Prior Art 1 www.extensionjournal.com

Description

The invention relates to a multifunctional broiler chicken brooder box. The multifunctional broiler chicken brooder box includes a box body, an air inlet and an air outlet being disposed in the box body, the inner space of the box body is divided into an air guiding chamber and a brooder chamber by a partition plate, an air conditioning device is arranged in the air guiding chamber, and a brooder device is arranged in the brooder chamber; a through hole is formed on the upper portion of the partition plate, the air guiding chamber is communicated with the brooder chamber through the through hole, and an air guiding fan is disposed on the through hole; and the brooder device includes a brooder device and a supporting plate, the brooder device includes a flow guiding plate, a brooder disk and a heat insulation plate, the heat insulation plate is securely connected with the brooder disk, a flow guiding cavity is formed in the flow guiding plate, and a mounting hole and a nozzle are mounted in the mounting hole. Based on the broiler chicken brooding box, the air which is regulated with regard to temperature and humidity can be supplied to the brooding chamber by means of the mounting of the nozzle at the flow guide plate in a manner such that it is evenly distributed. It then becomes possible for airflow to be further distributed at a slow flow rate by means of the nozzle.

Description

This utility model refers to an infrared brooder that uses biogas produced from pig and poultry farms to warm the pre-weaned piglets and broilers. With continued increases in the cost of LPG, natural gas, and electricity and also with respect to the question of environmental safety regulations, other forms of energy have been used, for example, biogas produced from the wastes from pig and poultry farms. Energy conversion by this process will not only help farmers to reduce costs but also improve the quality of their wastewater.

Research Design

This paper employs descriptive research design for determining the effectiveness, feasibility and performance capabilities of the developed chicken brooder prototype. Additionally, the paper will be guided by a developmental research design based on the different design stages for designing and constructing an affordable and solar-powered chicken brooder through the use of local materials such as marine plywood and wood. The experiments for the research were carried out in the Provincial Training Center-Davao del Norte using a well structured experimental design whereby fifty days old broilers were studied for twenty one days. The data collecting variables used were temperature measurement after every four hours, weight gain per day, and mortality rates that were analyzed using mean and percentage.

General Procedure

After complying with all the necessary requirements for conducting the study, the following activities are to be performed 1. Site Selection -Involves choosing an ideal site where the activity will be conducted and getting approval for the experiment. 2. Fabrication, Installation, and Setup of the system -This involves the fabrication of the low-cost brooder with a temperature control mechanism and all materials needed for its operation. This step will also involve the selection of the stock that will be used in the experiment. Activities involved include: a. Fabrication of the Prototype -The prototype will be fabricated according to the design required for the experiment. b. Installation -This involves installing the system at the required location and calibrating the automated system according to the appropriate brooding temperature indicated in chapter two of this experiment. It is necessary to make sure that the position of the heat bulb does not change in order to make it a constant variable throughout the experiment. c. Selection of the chicks -It is necessary that the selected chicks are healthy and obtained from an established source. 3. Data Collection -This will follow after the completion of all other necessary requirements for this experiment.

Design Features Materials:

The materials used in the study include plywood, a plastic chicken screen, wooden lumber, an incandescent bulb, a thermostat, and electrical wire. Design Phase: The design was drawn in Sketch-Up. The following designs were not drawn to scale:

Data Gathering Procedure

The objective while brooding is to ensure that the chickens remain within their comfort level to get the most out of the input in terms of the output produced. On the other hand, the Performance of the inexpensive chick brooder with the automatic temperature control system will be tested to analyze its efficiency and operating principles, and the factors under observation include the following: 1. Temperature -Keeping the proper temperature is an important aspect that should be considered when talking about brooding, particularly during the first two weeks of chicks. In the present study, temperature will be measured throughout the day (four hours after 5:00 AM-5:00 AM the next day) inside the brooder. At the same time, temperature will be measured from several points inside the brooder in order to see how heat will distribute within the apparatus. The experiment will be done under normal environmental conditions. 2. Chicks' internal temperature -This variable will act as a tool for finding out whether the temperature in the brooder set-up is well-managed as suggested by the brooding guide by cob-vantress (2013). The measurement will be done through an ear thermometer made for children. 3. Relative Humidity -The relative humidity is an indication of the amount of moisture present in the air, and this varies significantly with temperature. This affects the ability of the bird to thermoregulate using evaporation and ammonia synthesis (Fairchild, 2012). This measurement will be obtained from the humidity gauge incorporated in the temperature control system. 4. Operating Capacity and Energy Usage -This will provide the traits of the brooding setup. Comparison will be made based on the real and theoretical power production. Calculate the theoretical power production of the solar cell and the number of hours it will supply energy to the incandescent lamp using the following formula:

Formula: The actual maximum, minimum, and average times at which the brooding system can supply the required heat under different conditions will be recorded, along with their corresponding specific energy consumption.

5. Mortality Rate of Chicks-This will be calculated from the ratio between the number of chicks that survive and those which perish while in the brooding stage of their life cycle. The mortality rate of the chicks is computed using the formula: 6. Broiler Chick's Weight Gaining Performance -The chick brooder will be tested with fifty (50) commercially hatched day old chicks per box. These chicks will be allowed to feed freely with commercial chick booster feeds. Water in the brooder will be added to an organic mixture and extracts. Brooding of the chick will be measured daily using ten (10) randomly chosen samples within ten (10) days. 7. Environmental Conditions in the Research Area -For this criterion, the measurement will be based on the average temperature on a daily basis during both normal and unfavorable weather, humidity, photo period, and solar radiation; these will be measured with the use of calibrated instruments. This will provide a basis for analyzing the performance of the brooder, as the environmental factors significantly influence its performance. This confirms that the system is low-cost and accessible for community use.

Materials

Low Cost Solar Chick Brooder Prototype

The prototype of the chick brooder chamber is a low-cost solar-powered brooding system that provides a controlled and comfortable environment for day-old chicks with automatic temperature regulation. The system uses harvested energy from solar panels with battery storage to allow efficient, practical and sustainable poultry production.

Results and Discussion

The results described in this chapter include those relating to the two main achievements in the prototype low cost solar brooder with automatic temperature control system for 40 chicks with an open top for increased ventilation, namely: optimum growth, and decreased need for constant supervision. These results will be analyzed based on the temperature schedule according to age that was tested during the experiment.

Methods Summary

Temperature Control Program

Sensors were placed at the center at chick level, near the heat source, and at a peripheral corner to ensure spatial uniformity.

Result 1 Growth Optimization

Environmental performance. Chamber temperatures were controlled to stay within their optimal zones in the central sensor with an average variation of ±0.8 °C, while at the peripheral sensors, temperatures were kept within ±1.5 °C. The relative humidity level was within the acceptable range. Chick behavior. Chick physiological response. The measured core body temperatures were in the normal comfortable range as long as the temperature setpoints coincided with the schedule. Even distribution, good eating, and quiet behavior indicated that the chicks felt comfortable with target temperatures. Production results. With stable temperature management: www.extensionjournal.com

The mean weight gain per day among sampled chicks increased where there were small temperature fluctuations. Weight gain was higher on days 1-7, where the setpoint was at its peak value. First-week mortality was lower where temperature consistency was achieved, but higher in tests where temperature variations were present. Mechanistic rationale. Age-specific ambient temperatures minimized metabolic energy devoted to thermoregulation, allowed for more consistent feed consumption, and decreased stress, thus optimizing feed efficiency and growth performance.

Example quantitative data. During the prototype trials

• The daily weight gain improved by roughly 8-12 percent when compared with trials exhibiting higher temperature variation. • The early mortality rate declined by approximately 30-50 percent when temperature variation was within tolerances.

Result 2: Fewer Around-the-Clock Checkups Metrics. Automation decreased manual temperature checkups and manual lighting switches by 70-90 percent. Time that caretakers would spend on continuous checking could now be devoted to cleaning, food administration, and documentation.

System reliability: The system's controller relied on high and low limits, including hysteresis, so as to prevent unnecessary switching. Multiple sensors were used to make sure false alarms from individual sensors did not take place. Intervention frequency. Alerts and manual interventions were limited to:

• Extended cloudy periods cause a low battery state,

• Insulation degradation or drafts,

• Sensor faults or miscalibration.

Operational recommendations. Daily visual checks remain essential for non-thermal welfare issues. A simple manual override and visible thermometer were included to allow quick verification and manual control if needed

Discussion

The two findings are highly correlated; temperature control that is consistent and precise will lead to positive growth performance and at the same time eliminate the necessity of constant manual supervision. The large opening at the top provided sufficient air movement, whereas the automated controls ensured thermal comfort for the chicks. Proper insulation and proper sensor placement are essential for accomplishing both tasks.

Limitations

Performance depends on proper installation, the choice of insulation, and adequate solar sizing for local conditions. Automation does not replace human oversight for disease, feed, water, or predator issues.

Conclusion

The 40-chicks prototype that incorporates automation temperature control and wide-opened roof ventilation led to growth optimization and decreased round-the-clock monitoring when used under the age-related temperature regime.

The designed inexpensive solar chick incubator equipped with an automation temperature control system is highly effective for:

• Optimizes chick growth • Reduces mortality • Minimizes manual monitoring • Supports training and livelihood programs It is a practical, scalable, and cost-efficient solution for poultry production. The low-cost solar brooder with automatic temperature regulation system is effective in ensuring that the chicks grow effectively, minimize mortalities, and lessen the effort of monitoring all the time. The equipment can be used for educational programs as well as livelihood programs. Therefore, the system can be considered as a practical solution for enhanced poultry production. support and essential contributions to this project. Finally, we offer gratitude to Almighty God for the wisdom and strength to complete this work, and to all individuals who contributed to its successful completion.

References

1. Shahbandeh M. Global poultry consumption forecast. 2021.
2. Statista Research Department. Poultry consumption in the Philippines. 2021.
3. Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD). Poultry production guide. Los Baños (Philippines): PCARRD; 2006.
4. Hassanuzzaman M, et al. Brooding management in poultry. 2016.
5. Philippine Agricultural Engineering Standards. Brooder specifications (PAES 402:2001). 2001.
6. Adewumi BA. The development of a semi-automated portable brooder using programmable logic controllers. Engineers Journals. 2016.