Chicken Cam
A Raspberry Pi automated camera in which I can watch and listen to my chickens plotting.
ChickenCam was created because I feared the chickens were plotting against me. Here’s how I subverted them with a Raspberry Pi based solution.
Requirements
- Raspberry Pi
- Camera without IR filter
- Weatherproof extension cord + Outlet tap
- 3D enclosure, specially fitted
- Infrared illuminator
- USB microphone
- Chickens
- Too much time on your hands
1. Setup Raspberry Pi
Plug in the USB microphone, install new image of Raspbian, and attach the camera. Setup the camera using raspi-config and then setup the following.
2. Setup Wifi
Make sure this WiFi will work outside.
sudo vim /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
network={
ssid="SOMETHING"
psk="PASSWORD"
}
3. Download packages
sudo apt-get install apcalc python3 python3-setuptools zsh \
openssh-server openssh-client tree git vim htop python3-pyaudio \
python3-pil python3-numpy python3-rpio.gpio lame imagemagick
4. Setup audio
sudo nano /usr/share/alsa/alsa.conf scroll down until you find the lines
defaults.ctl.card 0
defaults.pcm.card 0
and change them to
defaults.ctl.card 1
defaults.pcm.card 1
5. Install Go
Download Go1.7+ and install.
6. Build enclosure
Here’s mine:
7. Start chicken monitoring
On the Raspberry Pi, do the following:
git clone https://github.com/schollz/chickencam.git
cd chickencam
nano conf.py # edit SERVER_LOCATION with the your particular server
go build -o sunset
sudo python3 main.py
8. Start web server
This should be done on the server (which can also be the raspberry pi):
git clone https://github.com/schollz/chickencam.git
cd chickencam/server
go build
./server
9. Enjoy your chickens popping in to say hello
