Proposed Development of a Solar Powered Automated Incubator for Chickens

The number of chick produced through natural incubation is very low due to irregular environmental parameters like temperature, humidity, etc and the death of hen can lead to the total collapse of this incubation process. A solar powered automated incubator system was designed to operate in place where there are no source of electricity (in very remote areas). The solar energy is used in two forms; to provide solar electric energy and also to provide solar heat energy. The solar reflector was used captured heat energy during the day and to supply this regulated heat at temperature band of 36-37°C to the incubator via a valve controlled by a PIC18f4550 microcontroller, while the solar PV was used to charge the battery and to supply power to the system during the day. At night or poor weather when battery is used to power the system, if the temperature goes below 36°C an electric heater will be used to increase the temperature band to 36-37°C and the heat of the heater will be decrease if temperature is getting greater than 37°C. The turning of the eggs is done twelve times daily and is achieved by the use of stepper motor which drives the egg tray either in clockwise or counter clockwise direction. The advantages of this system are numerous, especially that it uses only solar energy.