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UGA Poultry Housing and Environmental Control and Energy Conservation

09/03/2026

In today's longer broiler houses—especially those operating at relatively low light intensities—maintaining uniform bird density on the tunnel fan end of a house can be a challenge. Installing a migration fence near the tunnel fans, in addition to those at the 1/4, 1/2, and 3/4 house, can help ensure there are enough birds in this area to properly activate the feeder control pans.

09/02/2026

Just finished up presenting at the Commercial Grower Expo organized by the Univ of Maryland Extension Service. Always a pleasure to speak a group of broiler growers, tech reps, and allied industry personnel…about 80! 😃. Covered a little bit of everything: Evap cooling pad operation, Variable speed tunnel fans, Poultry411 app, Circulation fans, and Low intensity radiant brooders.

09/01/2026

Just published our latest Poultry Housing Tip....
"Evaporative Cooling Pad Maintenance Tips"

Here is an excerpt:
"....The following are a few ways to help maximize pad performance while at the same time maximizing pad life:

Maintain Uniform Water Distribution
Uniform water distribution is the foundation of an efficient evaporative cooling system. Water should flow evenly over the entire outside surface of every pad. Keep distribution pipe holes clean so water is applied uniformly across the full length of the pad. Inspect the system while it is operating and look for dry areas, plugged holes, leaking fittings, or uneven flow from one end of the system to the other. Correcting these small problems early helps prevent permanent mineral deposits from forming and ensures the entire pad contributes to cooling.

Make sure you have a trash trap installed at the end of each water distribution pipe. Install an elbow fitting at the end of the distribution pipe and connect it to a vertical, two-foot-long PVC pipe with a ball valve at the bottom. As water flows through the distribution pipe, it will push trash such as bugs, feathers, and seeds into the vertical pipe instead of through the holes in the top of the distribution pipe. Opening the ball valve once a week while the pad system is being used will help remove this trash from the system.

Monitor Air Velocity Through the Pads
Mineral deposits, dirt, and algae on pad surfaces can restrict airflow long before it becomes obvious. An inexpensive air velocity meter provides an objective measure of pad performance. Hold the meter one to two inches from the center of a six-inch pad while all the tunnel fans are operating. Air velocity should generally range from 325 to 375 ft/min when all the fans are operating. If readings are lower, inspect the pad for mineral deposits, algae, or dirt. Before assuming the pad is the problem, verify that the fans are clean, the shutters operate freely, the belts are in good condition, and the house is reasonably tight. Dirty fans and air leakage reduce the amount of air passing through the pads, making the pads appear to be underperforming when the problem actually lies elsewhere.

Prevent Algae and Mineral Buildup
Algae and mineral deposits are among the most common causes of declining pad performance. Allow the pads to dry completely once each day whenever cooling is no longer needed. A daily dry-out period discourages algae growth because algae require continuous moisture to survive. Avoid chlorine- and bromine-based products because they gradually weaken cellulose pad material. Products based on quaternary amines generally provide effective algae control without damaging the pads.

Water quality also deserves attention. Hard water leaves calcium deposits behind as the water evaporates. Over time, these deposits reduce airflow, increase static pressure, interfere with water distribution, and shorten pad life.

It is a good practice to dump the water from the pad system every week or two during summertime flocks. As water evaporates from the pad system, the minerals in the water remain behind. Over time, the water becomes increasingly concentrated with minerals, increasing the likelihood of mineral buildup on the pads. Dumping the system also helps minimize algae growth because recirculated water can become rich in nutrients that encourage algae growth...."

The entire article can be found at poultryventilation.com/resources

08/31/2026

Keeping large, market-age broilers cool during hot weather is difficult at best. However, it is manageable if you have an air speed of 700 ft/min or greater, evenly distributed birds, properly managed and maintained evaporative cooling pads, and all of your tunnel fans are running throughout the night.

08/28/2026

One of the most difficult aspects of managing a poultry house during cold weather is balancing air quality and fuel usage. A grower must bring in enough fresh air to remove the moisture, ammonia, and carbon dioxide produced by the birds while minimizing heat loss from the house. If too little air is brought in, air quality deteriorates and litter moisture increases. If too much air is brought in, or if the incoming air is not properly directed and mixed with the warm air near the ceiling, fuel usage can increase and cold, damp areas can develop along the floor.

Achieving the proper balance requires more than simply adjusting minimum ventilation timer settings. House tightness, exhaust fan performance, air inlet openings, static pressure, heating-system capacity, air circulation, bird age, and outside temperature all affect the environment inside a poultry house. A problem with any one of these can make it more difficult to maintain good air quality, dry litter, uniform floor temperatures, and reasonable heating costs.

The 2026 UGA Cold Weather Poultry House Management Workshop is designed to help participants better understand how these systems work together. Through a combination of classroom presentations and hands-on exercises, participants will learn about minimum ventilation, house tightness, heating systems, air inlet management, circulation fans, litter moisture control, and other important cold-weather management topics. The objective is to provide participants with practical information they can use to evaluate poultry houses, identify problems, and improve environmental control throughout the winter.

The workshop will be held November 3–5 at Flinchum’s Phoenix in Athens, Georgia. Registration is limited to 100 participants and is beginning to fill, so those interested in attending should register soon.

To register, visit Poultryventilation.com and click on the “Events” tab

08/25/2026

Probably one of the best evaporative pad systems ever made (pushing 20 years old). The pad sits in a gutter that sits top of an 8" pipe. Water flows from the gutter into the 8" pipe through holes in the bottom of the gutter. This not only maximizes the water holding capacity of the pipe (about 2.5 gals/ft...effectively twice that of many other systems being sold today) but also helps to separate the pads from the water in the pipe.

Yes, it was expensive relative to other options but it will probably be on the house for another 20 years (I doubt it is on the market anymore). Pay me now or pay me later.

Yes...I know it needs to be cleaned :)

08/24/2026

I’m a big proponent of having at least two pumps on each side of a poultry house. This not only makes it easier to stage evaporative cooling—operating the pads near the end wall first, followed by the systems farther from the end wall—but, if the system is plumbed properly, also allows one pump to wet both pad systems if the other pump fails.

In this case, the pump serving the right pad system failed. After opening the valve connecting the two distribution pipes and closing the vertical valve above the failed pump, the pump on the left is now wetting the pads in both systems. One pump may not supply the ideal amount of water to both pad systems, but it is far better than having all the pads on one side of the house remain dry.

08/21/2026

Examples of cross-ventilated, colony broiler houses. Large “tunnel”fans on one side wall…pads along the opposite sidewall. There is more than one way to ventilate a poultry house 😀

08/15/2026

If an automatic belt tensioner is not set properly, it can lead to reduced belt life as well as motor failure. If the belt is too tight, it puts excessive force on the motor bearings. If it is too loose, the belt can slip, leading to increased belt wear and higher motor pulley temperatures, which can also reduce motor life.

Generally speaking, the notch on the base of the tensioner should align with the first or second notch on the tensioner arm. Always consult the fan manufacturer’s recommendations for the correct belt tensioner setting, as requirements may vary a little from fan to fan.

08/14/2026

To maximize the life of a link belt make sure the pulleys are aligned, the belt is properly tensioned, and the belt is installed so that it is traveling in the correct direction.

Address

110 Cedar Street
Athens, GA
30622

Telephone

+17065409111

Website

http://www.poultryventilation.com/

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