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Design and Fabrication of a Local Solar-Powered Poultry Egg Incubator for a Low-Income Country

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Abstract

In this study, a solar-powered poultry egg incubator was designed, fabricated and tested to evaluate its performance with respect to temperature, relative humidity, hatchability and chick survival. The major components of the design are the incubator unit, automatic temperature device and solar PV system. The incubation chamber was generally maintained through the incubating period at a temperature range of 36–39 °C and average relative humidity of 60–74%. This was necessary as too low relative humidity may cause excessive egg water loss, thereby resulting in embryo dehydration and subsequent death of in-ovo. The test results showed that the device average operating temperature and relative humidity stood at 37.5 °C and 67%, respectively. These are comparable to optima operation conditions of conventional poultry egg incubators. Furthermore, performance assessment conducted on the fabricated incubator showed egg hatchability and chick day old survival rate of 77% and 79.2%, respectively. Additionally, the designed incubator has the advantage of automated turning of eggs for proper embryo formation as against lever-handle manually operated egg turning type.

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Funding

This study was solely funded by the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Delta State University, Oleh Campus, Abraka, Nigeria

    S. C. Ikpeseni, K. Owebor, S. O. Sada, E. C. Dibie & O. E. Odeh

  2. Department of Civil Engineering, Delta State University, Oleh Campus, Abraka, Nigeria

    H. I. Owamah

Authors
  1. S. C. Ikpeseni
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  2. K. Owebor
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  3. H. I. Owamah
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  4. S. O. Sada
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  5. E. C. Dibie
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  6. O. E. Odeh
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Correspondence to H. I. Owamah.

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Ikpeseni, S.C., Owebor, K., Owamah, H.I. et al. Design and Fabrication of a Local Solar-Powered Poultry Egg Incubator for a Low-Income Country. J. Inst. Eng. India Ser. B 103, 779–790 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40031-021-00701-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40031-021-00701-7

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