Design and Implementation of an IoT-Based Temperature Control and Monitoring System for Broiler Chick Brooding Enclosures Using ESP32 with Fail-Safe Features

Abstract

The rearing period of Day-Old Chicks (DOC) during the early phase (brooding) is the most critical phase in the poultry industry, requiring precise environmental temperature regulation. Fluctuating and unstable temperatures can cause heat stress or hypothermia, leading to high livestock mortality rates. This study aims to design, build, and analyze an automatic temperature control and monitoring system based on the Internet of Things (IoT) using the ESP32 microcontroller. The system utilizes a DHT11 sensor, a 4-channel relay module, a 5V DC exhaust fan, a 40W AC heating lamp, and a 4000 Hz buzzer. Tests were conducted 5 times in a 30×30×30 cm test coop with an initial temperature of 31.2°C. The results show an average system response time of 2.8 ± 1.1 seconds and a DHT11 mean absolute error of 0.7°C compared to a reference digital thermometer (the DHT11 read consistently lower than the reference). The system successfully maintained the 35.0°C threshold, activating the exhaust fan when temperature ≥35.0°C and the heater when temperature <35.0°C. The fail-safe features—zero-state power disconnection and intermittent 4000 Hz buzzer alarm during sensor malfunction—worked properly. The limitation of this study is that testing did not use live DOC and the test duration was limited. The implementation proves to provide an applicative and efficient solution for breeders to reduce chick mortality risk through precise remote microclimate control.