Automated Poultry Controls

1
Automated Poultry Controls
Team Members
Client
Faculty Advisor
Tetteh Akornor CprE Moses Castellano CprE Zachary
Schmid EE Brian Schmoll CprE
Murray McMurray Hatcheries Webster City, Iowa
Dr. Randall Geiger
Design Team Dec03-04
Design Requirements
Abstract
In hobby poultry farming, free-range chickens are
best grown under tightly controlled environmental
conditions. This project will develop a modular
control system that optimizes the environmental
conditions for these birds. Some of the controls
include the opening and closing of the coop
doors, the amount of feed provided to the
chickens, the ventilation and temperature of the
coop and the amount of sunlight to which the
chickens are exposed. Final product cost is
driven by perceived value of hobbyist, not by
economics of commercial chicken production.

• Design Objectives
• System is easily operated by any involved
  individual
• System must be durable
• Functional Requirements
• Outputs present conditions to an easily readable
  display
• Menu access for control of system variables
• Modular control of doors, ventilation, feed and
  heat will come from the micro-controller
• Design Constraints
• Sensors must handle adverse weather
• System must handle close contact with animals
• Control must be provided to two doors, heating,
  ventilation and feed systems
• Low cost, ease of installation and use, and
  reliability will need to be considered
• Measurable Milestones
• Project Definition 10
• Research 10
• Project Design 15

Proposed Approach and Considerations
Introduction

• Proposed Approach
• Problem Definition research current equipment
  in the field of chicken farming and determine how
  we may control them from the micro-controller
• Implementation Selection select compatible
  pre-made components
• End-Product Design use the selected components
  to create a working prototype
• Technologies Considered
• Sunrise Detection either a photo-sensor may be
  used for detection or an equation may be used to
  calculate the time of sunrise.
• Connection Port connecting to a laptop computer
  using either USB or Bluetooth
• Programming Language language for control of
  the micro-controller and menu commands is needed
• Testing Considerations
• Lab Testing testing of the software will be
  completed to assure that the micro-controller
  will function as required
• Field Test testing hardware with software to
  check for proper output values

• Problem Statement
• General Problem Statement A system for
  environmental controls is needed for hobbyist
  chicken farmers
• General Solution Statement Create an automated
  modular controller which reads environmental
  sensors and adjusts temperature, ventilation,
  light, and doors
• Operating Environment
• Sensors exposed to outdoor weather
• Equipment in immediate vicinity of farm animals
• Intended Users and Uses
• Used by an adult or child with adult supervision
• Used for control of small flock, 25-200, of
  chickens
• Assumptions
• Coop, ventilation, heaters and other equipment
  currently in place
• Control unit located inside chicken coop
• Maximum of two sensors per measured reading
• Limitations
• Installation procedure should be easily
  understood

Financial and Personal Effort Budgets
Project Schedule