COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF SMALL SCALE PASSIVE SOLAR BROODER SYSTEM FOR POULTRY BROODING APPLICATIONS

Comparative evaluation of a small scale passive brooder system for brooding day old chicks was done. The chick brooder system consists of metal aluminum measuring about 1.42m (length) by 0.92m (width) by 0.52m (height). The solar energy collector/heat storage system is a compact unit on top of the brooder house made of metal sheet with dimensions (1.38m x 0.47m x 0.04m). The medium of solar energy storage is water. The brooder system was tested experimentally with day old chicks for about eight weeks under the University of Nigeria, Nsukka weather. The ambient temperature range was 18.632.8 O C while the brooder temperature range of 24-33 o C could be maintained. This shows that the brooder system is a good temperature moderating device. The average weekly global solar irradiance was in the range of 10-605W/m 2 over the period. An average body weight of 3240.57g was attained from an initial body weight of 35g. The recorded mortality rate was 3% while the average feed conversion rate was 1.8