Development of an Automated Poultry Farm Management System for Ebonyi State Small-Scale Farmers

Small-scale poultry farmers in Ebonyi State face productivity losses attributable to poor environmental monitoring, inconsistent feeding schedules, and delayed disease detection. This study develops an automated poultry farm management system that monitors temperature, humidity, and ammonia levels within poultry houses and controls feeding dispensers and ventilation fans through a microcontroller-based automation module. The system uses DHT22 sensors for temperature and humidity, an MQ-135 sensor for ammonia detection, and an Arduino Mega 2560 as the central processing unit. Actuator control is managed through relay modules connected to automated feeders and exhaust fans. Data is displayed on an LCD screen and transmitted via GSM to a farmer's mobile phone when critical thresholds are exceeded. System development followed an applied research design, with prototype fabrication, controlled environment testing, and a four-week live deployment in a commercial poultry house in Abakaliki. Results show that temperature was maintained within the target range of 21 to 28 degrees Celsius for 94 percent of monitored hours. Feed wastage was reduced by 33 percent, and flock mortality in the monitored house declined by 18 percent compared to the preceding equivalent period. GSM alert delivery success rate was 96 percent. The study concludes that low-cost automated management systems can significantly improve poultry productivity for small-scale Ebonyi State farmers. Solar power integration is recommended for off-grid farm locations.