Automated mobile chicken coop with Loxone
The fact that there are (almost) no limits with Loxone is proven by this mobile chicken coop. Not only does the fully automated control system save the farmer valuable time, but the chickens also enjoy the greatest comfort at any time of the day or night.
What was implemented?
General
The Loxone system in the mobile chicken coop takes a lot of work off the farmer’s hands. Through automatic feeding, manure removal and more, a lot of time can be saved and thus spent on other tasks. Thanks to the Loxone app, you can get an overview on your phone of the chicken coop at any time, check it and intervene if necessary. Moreover, the mobile chicken coop is largely self-sufficient thanks to the photovoltaic system, Victron inverter and Pylontech battery.
The battery status is read out via the RS485 extension. When the battery is fully charged, the mobile chicken coop operates in automatic mode – which the farmer can set individually. When the battery is low, the power consumption in the coop is automatically reduced. The ventilation is limited to a minimum and the light is dimmed. If more power is available again, the system automatically switches back to its original state.
Project Facts
Location: Mitterbauer Stahlbau GmbH, Upper Austria, Austria
Loxone Partner: Katzdobler GmbH
Main components:
Miniserver
Relay Extension
1-Wire Extension
1-Wire Hülsen Temperaturfühler
RS485 Extension
AO Extension
Project Facts
Location: Mitterbauer Stahlbau GmbH, Upper Austria, Austria
Loxone Partner: Katzdobler GmbH
Main components:
Miniserver
Relay Extension
1-Wire Extension
1-Wire Hülsen Temperaturfühler
RS485 Extension
AO Extension
What was implemented?
General
The Loxone system in the mobile chicken coop takes a lot of work off the farmer’s hands. Through automatic feeding, manure removal and more, a lot of time can be saved and thus spent on other tasks. Thanks to the Loxone app, you can get an overview on your phone of the chicken coop at any time, check it and intervene if necessary. Moreover, the mobile chicken coop is largely self-sufficient thanks to the photovoltaic system, Victron inverter and Pylontech battery.
The battery status is read out via the RS485 extension. When the battery is fully charged, the mobile chicken coop operates in automatic mode – which the farmer can set individually. When the battery is low, the power consumption in the coop is automatically reduced. The ventilation is limited to a minimum and the light is dimmed. If more power is available again, the system automatically switches back to its original state.
Lighting
AO Extension, Relay Extension
The automatic lighting control in the mobile chicken coop is based on the position of the sun or the brightness in the outdoor area. In order for the chickens to maintain their laying performance throughout the year, the lighting can be specifically adjusted to the chickens’ sensations with the RGBW functionality. In the morning, for example, the sunrise can be simulated with yellowish light and the sunset with reddish light. Reddish light, for example, helps the laying hens to feel more relaxed.
Ventilation
AO Extension, Relay Extension, 1-Wire Extension
Many chickens and bad air quality? Not in the fully automated chicken coop. The ventilation is controlled by a 0-10 V fan and depends on the temperature and the CO2 content in the coop. If the temperature in the coop rises too high, the farmer receives an alarm message on his smartphone.
Other special features – manure removal, feed and water level, nest and outlet flaps
Relay Extension
With Loxone, the automatic manure removal is controlled with a frequency converter. At low outdoor temperatures, slow movements with changes in direction take place – this prevents the manure belt from freezing.
The food and water levels are also monitored with Loxone. If the amount of food is only sufficient for about two days, the farmer is notified via push notification and email. In addition, the feed is transported into the barn via three different motors.
The nest and flap doors in the mobile chicken coop also open and close automatically and they adjust themselves according to the weather. To ensure that the chickens can always get back into the coop if the weather is bad, the flap doors are also linked to the feeder and the light. The flap doors close automatically when the sun goes down, so uninvited nocturnal visitors cannot enter the chicken coop.
What the managers & partners say about the project
We were looking for a system that could be individually connected to a wide variety of things, such as a battery, an inverter or a ventilation control. Thanks to the variety of interfaces, Loxone is ideally suited for this. In addition, the remote diagnosis via the Loxone app is a real highlight for the farmer.
The biggest challenge in this project was to control the battery levels in combination with the battery capacity and the light control at different times.
More from the chicken coop:
© Pictures: Mitterbauer Stahlbau GmbH
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