Solar heating of poultry houses. 1. An analysis of energy use for brooding broiler chickens. Poultry Sci

ABSTRACT A comprehensive analysis of the amount of energy required to brood broiler chick-ens was made. A computer simulation was used to evaluate brooding energy requirements as a function of geographic (or climatic) location, time of year, housing type, and house temperature schedule. Results are presented as the average brooding energy requirement for birds marketed during each of the four calendar quarters and the average for the year. Daily and half-day require-ments were also calculated for birds grown during each quarter. Simulation results compare favor-ably with fuel use survey data reported by Brewer et al. (1978). The results point to complexities inherent in the design of efficient solar heating systems for brooding broiler chickens. 1979 Poultry Sci 58:314-31