Chicken Coop Camera Suggestions

D

DavidDavid

Getting comfortable
Jan 29, 2017
604
266
Ohio
I'm looking at options for a couple cameras to put in/on my chicken coop.

My one and only goal is to be able to view the chickens from my phone when I am away from home...either to check in on them or show them off during a conversation with someone. The indoor camera will be just to check on them during the day/night. Spending $120 on a Starlight camera for the interior is definitely way overkill.

I initially thought about getting the Dahua Starlight Fixed Lens Turret (IPC-HDW4231EM-AS) for the corner of the run to view the chickens when they are outside during the day and I'm at work and the Mini IR Wedge w/SD, Audio (2.8mm, 3.6mm, 6mm): IPC-HDBW4231F-AS for inside the coop. Turns out both cameras are basically the same thing (and the same price) with the only benefit to the Wedge is the form factor. Since I didn't care what it looks like in the coop (and the chickens won't either) I had decided to get two of the 4231 turrets. That is until I stole one of my 5231 Starlight varifocals from my front door and held it up to test the view.

I was probably expecting too much from such close quarters, but they actually do a fairly decent job at getting about 90% of the coverage that i was hoping for. From the outside camera position to the close corner of the shed (the shovel) is 17'. Down the right side of the pen is 22' and down the left side is 24'. The coop is a 10'x12' shed.

5_26_33.png

This is cutting off about a 3'x3' corner of the run just below the camera. Does/will this matter? Probably not....i guess. The chickens haven't been in here yet as the chicken door will go at the corner just behind where the shovel is leaned up against the coop... This will be installed this weekend. (the more I look at this screen shot, the more i think this camera would work just fine. Its zoomed all the way out, 2.8mm)

Here's a shot with my $35 Hosafe camera (pretty sure it's 3.6mm fixed lens, 1mp)

HOSAFE.png
Now this is viewing the substream, so the main stream (which i can view remotely fairly well) is a little bit wider and much better quality. But... Being 3.6mm it cuts off a significant portion of the run.

The interior of the coop is a different story. I couldn't find a position with the 5231 Starlight (at 2.6mm) that got the FOV that i was hoping for... Even though i shouldn't have been expecting it.

These first two pictures are from the middle of the long side of the 10'x12' shed. I want the wall in this view because the roosts will be on the right side of the window. Either angle cuts off more of the top or bottom than I'd like.

1 inside.png 2 inside.png


These next two are from the middle of the short side.

3 inside.png 4 inside.png

Again, more of the top/bottom is cut off than I'd like. This angle in corridor mode was no good either. (But the more i look at it... Going with my original plan this might be the best option)

corridor mode.png

Now, I realized a few important things during this testing.

1) 99% of the time I will be looking at these cameras I will be viewing the substream from my phone, and probably 80% of the time will be during the day. Spending $240 on a pair of Starlight cameras now seems rather stupid.

2) Four cameras will do the job rather nicely. I'm able to view the full stream of my Hosafe fairly well from my phone. Four POE Hosafe models like the one here will cost me about $180.

3) I really have no idea what cameras will work for me in this situation. I need POE and i want a decent quality but not too decent that i can't view the full stream from my phone.

I just threw the Hosafe in the corner as i was running out of time last night and below you can see the difference between the sub and main streams when viewed from my phone just now.

Hosafe Sub.png Hosafe Main.png

I'd appreciate any feedback or insight any of you have to offer, whether it be cheap Dahua or ONVIF cameras suggestions or whatever.

@EMPIRETECANDY do you have any $50-$100 2.8mm (or smaller) POE cameras available that might work for me on this situation?
 
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hmmm, you can use some 3mp one, IPC-HDW1320S Or IPC-HFW1320S.
If normal the hacked CHinese models also ok for you, you can use IPC-HDBW4431R-ZS or IPC-HFW4431R-Z, thse are cheap ones.
 
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I'd choose Dahua over Hosafe every time regardless of price, just because of reliability.

Most modern Dahua cameras are capable of a 1280x720 sub stream which is plenty for a phone display and won't mess up the aspect ratio (assuming the main stream is also 16:9 ratio).
 
Just my 2 cents, if you are using a 2.8mm lens, try it out in the corner of the shed instead of halfway down the wall. A 2.8 will give you a little bit more than a 90 degree view. You also might want to try and test it down around 2-3 feet high to get some facial recognition.
 
I did some handheld testing in the corner, but I seem to recall it wasn't the best spot. I do have temporary perches installed now so i know roughly how much of the height i can cut off and still see them sleeping so when the cameras get here tomorrow I'll do some better testing.

I also did try about halfway down, that got an interesting view that might work but we'll see.

I'll be sure to post some more pictures Wednesday once i actually get the new chicken cam installed.

I currently have the Hosafe installed in the outside run while waiting for the new Dahua cams and have found that the chickens are experts at finding hiding spots.....
 
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I installed both cameras last week and am pretty happy with the views. The higher MP gives me more of a FOV i think..and the inside camera gets everything i wanted up to less than a foot of floor space along the wall directly below it.

Here's some screen shots from my phone at some different times of the day....

Screenshot_20170703-051942.png Screenshot_20170703-051951.png Screenshot_20170703-054812.png Screenshot_20170703-083127.png

Thanks @EMPIRETECANDY for the cameras and everyone else for your thoughts.
 
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DavidDavid said:
I installed both cameras last week and am pretty happy with the views. The higher MP gives me more of a FOV i think..and the inside camera gets everything i wanted up to less than a foot of floor space along the wall directly below it.

Here's some screen shots from my phone at some different times of the day....

View attachment 19758 View attachment 19759 View attachment 19760 View attachment 19761

Thanks @EMPIRETECANDY for the cameras and everyone else for your thoughts.
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These are the basically cams from dahua, cheap and not bad.
 
They are definitely cheaper overall (plastic instead of metal housing, plastic clips holding it all together instead of set screws and metal clips, no ivs, no microphone and not Starlight) but for $90 savings over the fixed lens 4231 Starlights I was planning on getting initially and considering where i put them and what im watching, I'm happy.
 
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And perfect timing too. Went to a family reunion over the weekend and were talking about (and showing off) the chickens. Most of the 60+ crowd took them a little bit to get the fact that it was a live view. They thought they were looking at pictures haha.

Mission. Accomplished.
 
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DavidDavid said:
And perfect timing too. Went to a family reunion over the weekend and were talking about (and showing off) the chickens. Most of the 60+ crowd took them a little bit to get the fact that it was a live view. They thought they were looking at pictures haha.

Mission. Accomplished.
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lol, maybe install on different farms can be a good business.
 
bababouy said:
You also might want to try and test it down around 2-3 feet high to get some facial recognition.
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That would be nice I think. It would be more of a hen's perspective. I cant have poultry where I live now. A few years ago when I could. One thing that I remember is that during some time there is a "poultry dust" building up.
Poultry dust is a mixture of bird feed, bedding material (eg wood shavings/shreds or straw), bird droppings, feathers and dander (dead skin), dust mites and storage mites, and micro-organisms such as bacteria, fungi (moulds) and endotoxins (cell wall components of bacteria).
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It's like a white powder and I guess that unless removed regularly it will cover the lenses ;)

Good luck with the chicken surveillance!
 
we LOVE our wireless camera, we can access it thru DLink at any time on our IPhones. I can make sure that the automatic pop door has closed or if one of the girls has missed closing time and is sitting on the ramp to the hen house. we have even used a camera to monitor the chicken feeder for rodent activity and set rat traps to take care of the freeloaders.
 
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