New WiFi Thermometer

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My new WiFi thermometer came in today! Set it up and placed the sensor inside the hen condo tonight. So far it seems to be working pretty good! I wasn’t sure if it would work that far away, but it is! They claim it transmits up to 196 feet and the hen condo is approximately 100 feet, maybe 110 feet away, from the gateway inside the house. I also wasn’t sure if it the metal fence of the run would interfere with transmission from the sensor to the gateway inside the house, but it is! AWESOME! So far, so good and I am extremely, and pleasantly surprised! Fingers crossed it continues to work well! I have the alarm range set so it will notify me if it drops down to 20 degrees or if the temperature reaches 50 degrees. My heat lamp is set to turn on at 31 degrees and turn off at 38 degrees using a temperature sensor. The sensor probe is inside the hen condo. 

This is the WiFi thermometer:

Govee WiFi Hygrometer Thermometer, Wireless Temperature Humidity Sensor with App Alerts, for Greenhouse, Basement, Pets, Garage, 1 Sensor and 1 Gateway (Supports 2.4G WiFi)

WiFi Thermometer

And a screen shot of the app with the temperature displayed. 

And the temperature controller is being used to manage the heat lamp. My goal is to keep the temperature between 31-38 degrees inside the hen condo when the temperature outside drops below freezing. I don’t want it to get too warm either, because the hens still have to be able adjust to colder temperatures for when they have to go outside the hen condo to eat and drink water. 

This is the temperature controller:

DIGITEN DTC101 Digital Temperature Controller Greenhouse Thermostat Outlet Plug for Heater Heat Mat Thermostat Aquarium Temperature Controller Heating Cooling Mode for Reptiles Incubation Homebrewing

Temperature Controller

I still have to mount the sensor where I want it in the hen condo. It was rather late when I brought it out there and the hens were sleeping. I didn’t want to disturb them so I just left it inside for now to test it out. I’ll mount it permanently in the morning, and will add a photo of it here after it has been installed! Just need a screw, and slide it onto the screw head. Easy peasy! 

So, now I can feel pretty confident that my hens won’t get too warm when the heat lamp is in use! I’ll be notified if the temperature gets up to 50 degrees. Because the only way the temperature will get that high is if the temperature controller fails and the heat lamp stays on when it shouldn’t. I don’t want my gals getting overheated and ill or dead, that’s for sure! Like I said, the temperature controller is set to turn the heat lamp off if it reaches 38 degrees. It should never hit 50 degrees so if it does, because that system fails, I’ll be notified and can intervene! I don’t worry about it getting too cold. After all, I’ve heard that chickens survive in minus 40 degree weather in Alaska without a heat lamp! But I like to keep my gals at or a little above freezing to prevent frostbite and promote improved egg laying during the winter months. In the past, even with the best ventilation, I’ve had chickens with larger combs get a little frostbite on the very tips of their combs when the temperature dropped below 10 degrees, and more so when the temperature dropped below zero degrees; as low as minus 15 degrees at times. They all healed fine from it fine, but I imagine it is likely uncomfortable for them! So my goal is to prevent it. Again, fingers crossed that all is maintained perfectly for my gals between both of these systems! I also have a generator so the system should also work during power outages, too! But if WiFi goes out too, I’ll probably lose the WiFi thermometer. But the temperature controller will at least continue to work. 

Update! The sensor has been mounted inside the hen condo! 


Update! Day 2, still working well! In fact, it got up over 50 degrees today and the app notified me when the hen condo got up to 50 degrees since I have it set to notify me if it gets to 50 degrees for a high. I have it set for this, more so when it’s freezing outside and the heat lamp is running. I want to make sure the temperature doesn’t rise too high from the heat lamp, since I have the temperature controller set to turn off the heat lamp when it gets to 38 degrees. It should never get above 38 degrees if the temperature control is working correctly, 



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