The Effect of Technical Poultry Fattening Hall Design on the Indoor Environment and Thermal Comfort of Poultry

This article shows the possibilities of using passive air conditioning methods in real conditions during the fattening of chickens in the summer with high outdoor temperatures. On a farm in three halls with the same interior equipment, the effect of different constructions of walls and roofs of buildings on the internal thermal and humidity microclimate was investigated. Microclimatic conditions and chickens’ performance were compared in two identical lightweight panel halls (49,000 chickens each) with light aluminum roof sheets (L* = 81.4 ± 0.4), and against conditions and results in a massive brick house (31,200 chickens) with a dark eternit roof (L* = 35.7 ± 3.5). The dark color of the roof surfaces and parts of the walls of the brick house accelerated the increase in air temperature in the house. The air temperature was 0.7 to 2 K higher in the house with darker surfaces, which was also reflected in a higher THI. The duration of chickens’ stay in conditions of higher heat stress (THI above 28.3) was 1.84 times longer in this house than in houses with light surfaces, which had the effect of increasing water consumption by 30%. The effect of heat accumulation of the brick structure on the attenuation of high temperature was not significant.