Chicken Coop Automation: Door, Light, and Temperature

Coop automation reduces daily labour by 30-45 minutes, improves egg production 10-15%, and protects birds from predators and weather. This guide covers door, lighting, and climate control with Arduino.

Why Automate Your Coop

Benefits: predator protection (auto door closes at sunset, 10-15% flock loss prevention), consistent 14-16h light for peak production (Indian winters drop to 10-11h), climate monitoring for heat stress (>35C) and ammonia buildup alerts.

Automatic Door Control

12V DC motor or linear actuator controlled by LDR detecting dawn/dusk. HC-SR04 ultrasonic sensor at doorway ensures no bird is passing during closure. Arduino compares light level against calibrated thresholds.

Temperature and Humidity Monitoring

DHT22 at bird height (~50cm) monitors 18-24C optimal with 60-70% RH. Above 30C: auto exhaust fan. Below 40% humidity: trigger misting. DS18B20 outside for ambient reference.

Lighting for Egg Production

Supplemental LED lighting: pre-dawn 4AM to sunrise, post-sunset to 8PM, gradual 15-minute dimming to simulate dusk. Maintains 16 hours total light year-round for consistent production.

Building the System

Complete automation system:

#include <DHT.h>
#include <RTClib.h>
DHT dht(2,DHT22); RTC_DS3231 rtc;
void loop(){
  float t=dht.readTemperature(), h=dht.readHumidity();
  int light=analogRead(A0);
  DateTime now=rtc.now();
  // Door: close when dark (if no bird in doorway per HC-SR04)
  // Fan: on when t>30
  // Light: on when hour 4-6 or 18-20
}

Cost and ROI

System Rs 3,000-5,000. For 50 hens: 10-15% production increase = 4-6 extra eggs/day = Rs 28-42 at Rs 7/egg. Annual benefit: production Rs 10-15K + labour Rs 5-8K + predator prevention Rs 5-10K = Rs 20-33K. Payback: 2-3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Best motor for door?

12V linear actuator 10-15kg force, 300-500mm stroke, Rs 800-1,500.

HC-SR04 in dusty coop?

Works reliably. Clean transducer monthly. PVC tube guard helps.

Power cut handling?

12V 7Ah SLA battery backup (Rs 600-800) provides 14-35h.

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