Safeguarding poultry from heat stress: how to recognize and prevent it

Safeguarding poultry from heat stress: how to recognize and prevent it
The ease of Reporter: Sumaq's a fan!
Protecting fruit tree blossoms from freezing
Adverse weather warning for your construction site
Real-time Frost Monitoring & Alert System
Pseudomonas syringae prevention in fruit trees
Cold storage of cut flowers with temperature monitoring
IoT sensor module with GPS tracker
What is the ideal temperature for a cold room?
Water level sensor to measure the water level in a container or well
Uses of the Crodeon API
A Weather Station with API
4 Things to look for in a temperature sensor with API
A weather station with water level sensor for a marina or harbour
How VITO makes Flanders waterproof
Why we manufacture in Belgium
Haringvliet bridge renovation: a weather station for construction sites
What is the ideal server room temperature?
Easy environmental monitoring for a server room
Steen Vastgoed and Reporter, a rock-steady duo!
FKT and Reporter: match made in cold room
A weather station with multiple sensors
A power failure detector for your construction site
Combined pressure and temperature measurement
Using a weather station on your construction site
Roof climate research
Sustainable irrigation with a water usage monitoring device
Green roof monitoring
Industrial odour monitoring with a weather station
How groundwater level affects cracks and tears in buildings
4G and solar-powered IoT device: Revolutionizing remote monitoring with Reporter
Housing requirements for a poultry farm: the complete guide
Monitoring heat treatment in cargo containers
How to prevent and detect a barn fire in a pig pen
Professionally farming mealworms: how to create an ideal growing environment?
Safeguarding poultry from heat stress: how to recognize and prevent it
Sustainable blueberry farming: a case study
Connecting a limit switch to the cloud
A dew point sensor for remote monitoring
The ultimate guide to potato storage monitoring
How KuNa Fish makes fish temperature monitoring a piece of cake
CO2 poisoning in swine and other kinds of pig suffocation
Wind monitoring and wind speed measurement
Halal HACCP: temperature monitoring in a factory
What is dew point?
Why you should monitor relative humidity in curing concrete
Monitoring archive temperature and relative humidity
Weather monitoring: measuring wind at a festival site
Measuring dew point temperature and relative humidity for glue at construction sites
A professional remote monitoring rain gauge with digital measurements
How to tackle the 7 principles of HACCP in restaurants and food companies with simple technology

For those in the poultry industry, maintaining the well-being of the flock is a top priority. Heat stress is a particularly important risk for poultry, which can severely affect egg production, growth rates and overall health of the animals.

At Crodeon, we believe in using technology to create a more sustainable and efficient farming experience. In this blog, we'll guide you through the signs of heat stress and how to prevent it by using smart monitoring technology.

Recognizing the signs of heat stress

Before we can prevent heat stress, it's vital to know how to recognize it. Chickens, like all birds, don't sweat, so they rely on other methods to cool down.

Heat stress occurs in poultry when they can't dissipate heat effectively, which leads to a range of physical and behavioural changes. Recognizing these signs early can help you take swift action:

  • Panting or rapid breathing: this is a cooling mechanism, similar to a dog panting.
  • Spreading of the wings: birds will spread their wings in an attempt to release heat.
  • An increased water intake: chickens and other poultry will drink more water in an attempt to cool down.
  • Decreased appetite: They will eat less, resulting in slower growth or reduced egg production.
  • Reduced activity or lethargy: the birds will move less and generally show a lack of activity.

Chicken with opened beak due to heat stress

The dangers of heat stress in poultry

Heat stress isn't just about discomfort for poultry. It can have serious implications for their health and well-being, which in turn leads to a risk for your business. Prolonged heat stress can lead to:

  • Decreased egg production
  • Lowered egg quality
  • Reduced growth rates in broilers
  • Increased susceptibility to diseases

In severe cases, it can lead to high mortality rates.

How to prevent heat stress

Now that the signs and risks of heat stress have been identified, the next step is to discuss prevention strategies. Generally speaking, heat stress in chickens and poultry begins to become a concern when temperatures reach around 25 degrees Celsius or 77 degrees Fahrenheit.

The key to prevent heat stress is to keep the temperature and humidity at comfortable levels for poultry. Here are some strategies to mitigate the risk of heat stress:

Ensure adequate ventilation

Ensure your poultry houses have sufficient ventilation to allow for good airflow. This can help disperse the heat and maintain a cooler environment for poultry.

Provide a sufficient water supply

Poultry needs access to clean, cool water, especially during hotter periods. This helps them regulate their body temperature effectively. A submersible level sensor can be used to monitor how much water the poultry drinks.

Chicken with fresh drinking water

Employ heat-resistant shelters

Consider using materials that reflect sunlight for your poultry house. This can help keep the internal temperature cooler during hot days. Shade is also essential, which can also be supplied with these materials.

Monitor the temperature in your poultry house

Temperature and relative humidity can be easily monitored using a temperature and humidity sensor. This measures the actual climate inside the houses.

Using technology to monitor heat levels and water intake

Here at Crodeon, we offer a smart solution: a plug-and-play monitoring system. Our Reporter helps you track crucial information in your chicken coops or poultry house in real-time, such as the temperature and humidity levels, as well as the water supply levels.

This data can be accessed remotely in the Crodeon Dashboard. When temperatures reach a level that requires your intervention, our online tool will alert you, allowing you to make the necessary adjustments promptly.

Reporter is a plug & play sensor module for livestock farming

Learn more about how Crodeon simplifies monitoring in farms:

Back to blog

Any questions?

Call us at +32474097705 Or use the contact form

  • The ease of Reporter: Sumaq's a fan!

    The ease of Reporter: Sumaq's a fan!

    Once upon a time, there was a young company in Ghent. Born after two friends joined forces with a mission to bring a cutting-edge product to market. Meet Peter and...

    The ease of Reporter: Sumaq's a fan!

    Once upon a time, there was a young company in Ghent. Born after two friends joined forces with a mission to bring a cutting-edge product to market. Meet Peter and...

  • Protecting fruit tree blossoms

    Protecting fruit tree blossoms from freezing

    Monitoring critical temperatures for flower buds cannot be done manually. No one can stay in their field 24/7. Ideally, you should be able to remotely monitor the temperature to protect...

    Protecting fruit tree blossoms from freezing

    Monitoring critical temperatures for flower buds cannot be done manually. No one can stay in their field 24/7. Ideally, you should be able to remotely monitor the temperature to protect...

  • vorstverlet

    Adverse weather warning for your construction site

    Nothing is worse than having to shut down a construction site, especially when you could have taken appropriate measures in advance to avoid adverse weather leave for construction workers. Fortunately,...

    Adverse weather warning for your construction site

    Nothing is worse than having to shut down a construction site, especially when you could have taken appropriate measures in advance to avoid adverse weather leave for construction workers. Fortunately,...

  • Crodeon weather station with snow

    Real-time Frost Monitoring & Alert System

    Stop losing sleep over frost damage in your crops. Meet Reporter, your new favourite sensor device and frost alert system. It can be used outside, in the middle of nowhere,...

    Real-time Frost Monitoring & Alert System

    Stop losing sleep over frost damage in your crops. Meet Reporter, your new favourite sensor device and frost alert system. It can be used outside, in the middle of nowhere,...

1 of 4
  • Demo laptop

    Live online demo

    Sign up for a free account on the Crodeon Dashboard a watch a real live working demo.

    Watch the demo 
  • person

    Talk to sales

    Schedule an appointment with Jonathan, our Sales Manager, for more information about this solution.

    Schedule a call 
  • phone email

    Contact us

    For partnerships, distribution, or any other question, don't hesistate to contact us!

    Contact us