January 5, 2026

Sometimes we get so busy that it is easy to overlook the small things when raising poultry. Because of this, I thought it would be a good idea to start a “Back to Barn Basics” series for quick refreshers on management topics. This series will cover a wide variety of areas relevant to what’s going on in the industry and what we come across in the field. This article stems from some recent industry talks I’ve attended to get part one of the series: Controller Sensors.

Why Sensor Accuracy Matters

When I visit a farm to work on ventilation, one of the first things I check is whether the controller sensors agree with the tools I bring along. Often, they don’t. Wear and tear on the equipment usually leads to the sensors being incorrect. This can include:

  • Sensors getting wet (Washing down the barn and not removing sensors or watching out for them)
  • Dust and debris around sensors or in tubing
  • Bird interference (sometimes sensors become enrichment toys)

Accurate sensors are critical because they’re the base for how we ventilate and control the barn. We know what the Thermal Neutral Zone (TNZ) of our birds are. The best way to achieve that is by ventilating the house properly. 

Without accurate sensors, we can’t do that. We can walk into the barn and see if the birds are comfortable, but we’re not in the barn 24/7. Accurate sensors can make us confident that our birds are in their TNZ.

What We'll Cover:
  • Which Sensors to Check
  • How to Ensure it's Accurate
  • Tips for Uncalibrated Sensors
  • Tools You'll Need

Static Pressure

Tools Needed: Magnehelic gauge with tubing long enough to reach outside of the barn from inside.

Steps:

  1. Close every inlet and curtain to make the house has as few air leaks as possible.
    1. This allows a tight test to be performed simultaneously.
    2. These results determine if you need to power ventilate in minimum ventilation or if we have to “crack” ventilate.
  2. Ensure the magnehelic is zeroed out before attaching the hose to the positive (+) side because it is going outside of the house.
  3. Turn on enough fans to pull 1 cfm/sqft. 
  4. Stick the hose outside through a door/inlet/crack.
  5. If the magnehelic reads above 0.15” SP, you can power ventilate.
  6. Compare the magnehelic reading to the controller.

Troubleshooting:

  • If readings differ, you can pull the hose off of some controllers and attach it to the magnehelic. 
  • If the magnehelic matches what you got from the magnehelic while you were inside of the barn → controller issue
  • If the magnehelic matches what the controller was reading while you were inside of the barn → tubing issue
  • Fix tubing by replacing it or by offsetting the controller by the difference (although this can lead to other issues). If it’s a controller issue, you may be able to zero out the controller to fix the issue. It is best to check with the manufacturer for optimal results.

Temperature Sensors

Tools Needed: Temperature gun and/or data loggers.

Steps:

Quick Check:

  1. Leave the temperature gun in the barn for 15 minutes before use.
  2. Take readings of the temperature sensor.
    1. Remember, the closer you are to what you’re taking the temperature of with these, the more accurate it will be.
  3. Compare readings to the controller.
  4. Use the gun for floor temperature checks before and after placements.

Detailed Check:

  1. Attach data loggers to sensors for 24 hours.
  2. Compare logger data to controller readings. 
Why it Matters

Young birds can’t regulate body heat. Floor temperature is more critical than ambient readings for early flock success, but overall barn temperatures are important for the life of the flock to get the proper atmosphere in the barn. If sensors and your heat gun don’t line up, they may need to be replaced. Sometimes, moving the placement of the temperature sensors can help create the correct atmosphere in the barn. It’s important to know how far off the sensors are from the real temperature so we don’t over or underheat the birds.

Humidity Sensors

Tools Needed: Humidity reader (e.g., Amprobe CO2-100 or a $10 store-bought meter).

Steps:

  1. Let the tool acclimate in the barn for 15 minutes.
  2. Compare readings to the controller. 
  3. Adjust ventilation based on your tool: 
    1. Humidity > 60%: Add 15 seconds (5-min timer) or 30 seconds (10-min timer) of run time to minimum ventilation.
    2. Humidity < 40%: Reduce by 15 seconds (5-min timer) or 30 seconds   (10-min timer) of run time to minimum ventilation.

Pro Tips:

  • Humidity sensors often fail after a few flocks due to wash-down moisture. 
  • Leave a cheap humidity reader in the barn for daily checks. 
  • Replace as needed or remove during wash down to extend the life of the meter. 
  • If you get a meter that shows high and low humidity readings, reset it every day. This way you know if humidity gets high or low over night.

 

Final Thoughts

When sensors aren’t accurate, barn conditions suffer. Checking static pressure, humidity, and temperature sensors ensures the best environment for your birds. Temperature is important to make sure the birds are as comfortable as possible and withing their TNZ. Having humidity between 40-60% will make sure the birds don’t feel warmer or cooler than what the temperature sensors are telling us. It also helps to keep the floors dry and the dust down. Static pressure is what we base minimum ventilation off of. If the static pressure is off, we probably aren’t getting the heat cycling, air flow, or overall barn conditions that we should. Proper management is the backbone of healthy poultry production, and that starts with having working tools. 

Reach out to your BVS representative if you’d like help checking your sensors. If sensors are inaccurate, consult your manufacturer for adjustments or replacements.

Continue reading more articles in BVS Poultry Talk today!

 

 

For More Information:

Samantha Shirk, Marketing Manager, Best Veterinary Solutions

marketing@bestvetsolutions.com

515-827-0105

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