Construction of an Automated Poultry Feed and Water Dispensing System for Small-Scale Farms in Ogun State

Poultry farming is a significant livelihood activity for small-scale farmers in Ogun State, South West Nigeria, yet manual feeding and watering practices contribute to feed wastage, inconsistent intake schedules, and reduced flock productivity. This project presents the construction of an automated poultry feed and water dispensing system designed for small-scale broiler farms. The system employs a servo-controlled auger mechanism for feed delivery and a solenoid valve for controlled water release, both governed by a real-time clock module interfaced with an Arduino Uno microcontroller. Feed and water dispensing intervals are programmable through a keypad, allowing farmers to configure schedules aligned with recommended broiler nutrition guidelines. Weight sensors beneath the feed trough detect residual feed levels and pause dispensing to prevent wastage. The system was deployed and evaluated on a 500-bird broiler farm in Sagamu Local Government Area of Ogun State over an eight-week grow-out cycle. Results showed a 22 percent reduction in feed wastage and a 6 percent improvement in average daily weight gain compared to the farm's previous manual feeding practice. Water consumption monitoring data indicated more consistent hydration patterns across the observation period. A basic cost-benefit analysis projected system payback within two grow-out cycles for farms of 500 birds or more. The study concludes that automated dispensing is a practical and profitable investment for poultry farmers in south-western Nigeria. Keywords: automated feeding, poultry farming, microcontroller, water dispensing, Ogun State