You have already placed your order for day old layer chicks, and now you must prepare before they reach your farm. Many farmers forget one or two crucial steps, and that mistake can be dangerous. Even if you think you know everything, skipping a small detail can put your beautiful chicks at risk.
This guide gives you the complete list of things you need to have ready before your chicks arrive. Make sure you follow it carefully so that you do not miss anything. Brooding is the most sensitive stage of a chick’s life, and it is also when the highest mortality rates happen. Imagine losing 70% of your birds on the very first day just because you were not ready.
As the saying goes: “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.”
1. Delivery date
First, know the delivery date. It is important to confirm and know the exact delivery date. Most hatcheries supply only on order, and some may take weeks or even months before delivery. By knowing the date, you can prepare in advance and avoid being caught off guard. Being unprepared on delivery day can decide whether your chicks survive or die.
2. Biosecurity
Disinfect your chicken house and brooder area at least two weeks before the chicks arrive. Clean every part of the house—floor, roof, windows, and even the space around the house. This reduces early disease risks and helps ensure brooder cleanliness. Without this step, chicks may face infections that cause high mortality.
Next, prepare a footbath for everyone entering the poultry house on the day your chicks arrive. This simple measure protects your chicks from harmful germs.
3. Heat Source
Temperature control is key for brooding. Therefore, make sure your source of heat is working before the chicks arrive. If you plan to use charcoal or firewood, store enough to last the entire brooding period, which usually runs between three to eight weeks. Running out of fuel can leave your chicks cold and weak.
4. Light Source
Day old layer chicks in a brooder. They are crowded at the light.
During the first week, your layer chicks need at least 20 hours of light daily. This is not optional. Without enough light, their feeding and growth will suffer. If you depend on electricity, plan for backup power. If you have no electricity, get solar lights ready and tested in advance.
5. Brooder Setup
Because you will brood your chicks, you must set up a proper brooder. A future post will explain this in detail, but here is what you need for now:
A round brooding structure
Brooder paper (you can use alternatives if necessary)
Litter at least 4 inches thick
Proper ventilation for fresh air
A good brooder keeps chicks warm, safe, and comfortable.
6. Equipment
Clean and disinfect feeders and drinkers at least two days before the chicks arrive. Then leave them out to dry completely. Using dirty or damp equipment can spread diseases to your flock.
Here’s the list of 28 equipment you’ll need for your layer farm.
7. Food And Water
Have enough starter mash ready to last through the brooding period. Chicks cannot wait for you to buy feed later.
In addition, prepare a source of cleanwater. Water is even more critical than feed. Whether you use municipal water, well water, or stored water, make sure it is safe for human drinking. If you cannot drink it, do not give it to your birds.
8. Medicines and Vaccines
Chicks often face stress in the first days. Supplements such as glucose help them recover. From day seven, vaccines become necessary. While vaccines must be bought and used the same day, you should know in advance where to get them. Do not wait until vaccination day to start looking.
Now you know how to prepare for day old layer chicks. With the right planning, you can give them the best care and reduce losses. Receive them right and they’ll serve you well – you know, with eggs 😅
If you have any questions about any of the 8 things – amount, timing, effort or anything, type in the comments and I’ll answer it.
What do I need to start a layer farm? That’s a question many beginners ask. You may wonder if you should first buy land, get money, or even write a business plan.
In this post, I’ll give you a clear answer. By the end, you’ll know exactly what you need to start a layer poultry farm. In fact, the same applies to almost any farming venture.
What do I really need to start my layer poultry farm? I’m confused😮💨
Don’t fret.Just keep reading.
1. PEOPLE
First, you need people. It is said, if you want to go far, go alone. If you want to go further, go with others.
Well,here’s what I say, if you want to go anywhere worthy, you need people.
In business, this is true. You cannot do everything on your own because you’ll quickly burn out. Moreover, business itself is about people—someone with a problem and someone with the solution.
That means you’ll need partners, employees, customers, and suppliers. Even your spouse doesn’t have to like what you do, but they should at least support you. For marketing, sales, and legal matters, you’ll also need a team, including lawyers.
Who will buy your eggs? Customers.
Where will you get farm inputs? From suppliers.
As Jim Collins said in his book Good to Great, you need the right people on the bus even before deciding where the bus should go.
Therefore, choose carefully. Work with people who share your mission, goals, and values. Not just anybody.
2. PLAN
Next, you need a plan. This doesn’t have to be a long, bankable business plan. Honestly, those are often useless.
Instead, have a simple plan that shows direction. Remember how we said to get the right people on the bus? Now, the plan is about deciding where that bus is going. It would be pointless to gather the right people only to lead them into a ditch.
So, what should your plan include?
Goals – How big do you want your farm to be?
Mission – Why are you starting this farm beyond money?
Product – Will you sell only eggs, or also chicks, feeds, or add value?
Systems – How will your farm run daily?
Legal – What approvals or licenses do you need to grow?
Communication – How will buyers find you, and how will you sell to them?
Great, you’ve already found your first guide—Secret Layers. Congratulations, because most people never take that step. From here, you’ll gain technical information and real knowledge about running a layer farm.
Still, you should also find a physical guide. This is someone nearby who can help in case of emergencies and offer one-on-one support. Trust me, you’ll need such a guide.
4. MONEY
Many beginners think money is the number one need. While they’re not entirely wrong, the truth is you need the other things first.
Still, you cannot ignore money. You’ll need cash to feed your birds from day one until about 4.5 months when they start laying. You’ll also need a chicken house, chicks, vaccines, water, and cash to cover ongoing costs like marketing and daily operations.
In addition, you must think about cash flow. Without steady cash flow, your farm could stop running even if you have healthy birds. That’s why money matters, but only after people, plan, and guide.
5. LAND
Finally, let’s talk about land—the elephant in the room. Do you really need land to start raising chickens? Yes, you do.
However, you don’t need to break the bank. You simply need enough space for your chicken house, storage, and workers. If you already have some land, start with that. If not, you can lease, borrow, or partner instead of spending thousands to buy.
Remember the second “R” in DR. STARR—it stands for Resourceful. Use what you have.
Now you know what you need to start a layer farm: people, plan, guide, money, and land. Don’t postpone your dream. Take the first step today and build the farm you’ve been thinking about.
👉 Register below for free to get our regular Layer Chicken Digest tips.
Be like DR.STARR and master the 7 qualities of a successful layer chicken farmer required for a profitable and sustainable layer farm.
Remember the quail farming craze of 2010?
Kenyan farmers invested heavily, only for many to lose millions when the market crashed.
One farmer even released 3,000 quails into the wild because he could not sustain the business.
But what was the real problem?
Were quails themselves a bad idea?
Not really. Some people actually became millionaires during that time. So why did some farmers succeed while others failed?
The difference often lies in character, values, and qualities rather than just resources. Sometimes success comes not from what you have but from who you are.
In this post, I’ll show you how adopting the DR. STARR framework can transform your layer farming journey.
DR. STARR is an acronym representing 7 qualities of a successful layer chicken farmer – essential traits every farmer must have.
1.DESIRE
Napoleon Hill, in Think and Grow Rich, calls desire “the starting point of all achievement—the first step toward riches.”
You don’t necessarily need deep passion for chickens to succeed in poultry farming, but you must cultivate a strong desire to succeed in keeping layers.
Wishing for success is not enough. Instead, develop a desire so strong it becomes an obsession. Then plan definite ways to achieve your goal and back those plans with persistent action. When your mind obsesses over success, it naturally finds ways to make it real.
Look around you.
Every great achievement you’ve ever had probably began as a thought—a simple desire in your mind. Your layer chicken farm is no different: desire first, then achievement.
2.RESILIENCE
Resilience is the ability to recover quickly from difficulties.
Poultry farming, like any business, comes with challenges. Birds may die from disease, feed prices may spike, or theft might wipe out your flock.
What will you do when these setbacks happen? Quit? Blame the government, imported eggs, or bad luck? Or will you come back stronger?
The answer defines success. Those who quit easily never see profits. In contrast, resilient farmers adapt and rebuild after every challenge.
For instance, Dr. Daniel Masaba, a successful Ugandan layer farmer with 30,000 birds today, once lost 700 birds (Almost half of his flock at the time) in a disease outbreak. Instead of giving up, he rebuilt with improved biosecurity.
Today, his farm thrives because of his resilience.Persistence keeps you moving forward; resilience helps you rise after falling. Together, they keep you in business long enough to see the “crazy profits.”
3.SPIRITUALITY
Surprisingly, spirituality plays a significant role in farming success. Here, spirituality involves two things: Mission and Faith.
Mission:
Why does your farm exist? Is it just for money, or does it serve a bigger purpose?
While earning KES 100,000 a month is a great financial goal, having a purpose beyond money gives you drive even when challenges arise.
It keeps you motivated before the money comes and even after it arrives.
Faith:
Faith is believing in things you cannot yet see.
You already exercise faith daily—when you go to sleep trusting you’ll wake up or travel believing you’ll arrive safely. Likewise, you must believe you can succeed in poultry farming even before it happens.
When faith combines with mission, your farm gains a powerful foundation. You’re not just running a business; you’re pursuing a purposeful calling.
To be a leader, you must first be a good follower.
And being a good follower involves working as a team and following the teams goals and mission.
That lesson applies directly to farming because you’ll interact with many people: employees, customers, suppliers, and even government officers.
Lack of teamwork often creates unnecessary workload, employee turnover, and lost partnerships.
Successful poultry farmers, on the other hand, know how to work well with others and build strong professional relationships.
Here’s a tip I use to promote teamwork: treat everyone as a partner in your business. Listen to them, ask better questions, and encourage collaboration. Even friends can offer valuable insights when you view them as informal consultants. Remember, we always go farther together.
5.ACCOUNTABILITY
Accountability is one of the toughest yet most valuable qualities to develop.
It’s different from responsibility.
Responsibility means admitting you made a mistake.
Accountability goes further: learning from that mistake and preventing it from happening again
For example, if feed prices rise, accountability means acknowledging you failed to stock up when prices were low, then creating a plan to buy in bulk next time.
If an employee ignores biosecurity rules and your flock dies, accountability means accepting you hired and trained poorly—then improving your hiring and training process.
Mastering accountability forces you to create systems and solutions that strengthen your farm, ensuring mistakes are not repeated. It’s a powerful habit not just in business but in life.
6.RESOURCEFUL
Being resourceful doesn’t mean having plenty of resources; it means making the most of what you have.
Imagine you need to travel from Nairobi to Mombasa but can’t afford a plane ticket. What do you do? You take a bus. You still reach Mombasa, just in a different way. That’s resourcefulness—finding alternatives when things get tough.
On your layers farm, money may run out, customers may switch suppliers, or markets may slow down. Will you give up, or will you find creative solutions to keep moving forward?
Resourcefulness often awakens your creativity.
You begin to see possibilities where others see dead ends. That ability keeps your farm alive and thriving when others fail.
7.READER
If you’ve reached this part of the blog, congratulations—you’re already a reader!
And that’s an essential quality.
Elon Musk once said he learned how to build rockets by reading two books a day. Similarly, farmers who continuously learn stay ahead of the curve. Reading exposes you to new concepts, tools, and opportunities that others miss.
Even dedicating 10 minutes a day to reading about best poultry farming practices can compound into significant knowledge over time.
With today’s fast-changing agriculture industry, staying informed is crucial to staying competitive.
Start with reliable sources: books, research papers, credible blogs, newsletters, and even worksheets like the ones we offer at Secret Layers.
(If you haven’t already, sign up for our free Layer Starter Kit,weekly poultry tips and tutorials- It’s totally FREE)
Being like DR. STARR—having Desire, Resilience, Spirituality, Teamwork, Accountability, being Resourceful, and becoming a Reader—makes you more than just a farmer.
It positions you as a successful, future-ready poultry entrepreneur.They are the qualities of a successful layer chicken farmer you’ve been looking for – the ‘cheatcode’ for success in the poultry business.
These qualities may seem personal, but they directly influence how you run your farm, how you handle challenges, and how quickly you grow.
Start working on them today. Build the poultry business mindset first, then apply the skills. Combine your character with knowledge and watch your layers farm thrive—regardless of market challenges.
And if you haven’t already:
> 📩 Register below for free for access to Secret Layers resources:
Struggling to choose the best layer chicken breeds for your layer farm? You’re not alone.
There are over40layer chicken breeds in the world. Yes, 40! And trying to pick one from that list is overwhelming, even for experienced farmers.
But here’s the good news:
You don’t need all 40 breeds to make money. After all, how many breeds can you keep on a single farm?
What you need is a practical shortlist of the 3 best layer chicken breeds.The best performing. Note that if you’re in any other tropical country, this post is also for you.
In this guide, we’ll walk through the top 3 best layer chicken breeds that do well in Kenya’s climate, lay plenty of eggs, and are loved by farmers.
And because I like you, I’ll also give you a number 4 bonus breed to keep in mind.
By the end, you’ll know exactly which one suits your goals.
1. ISA BROWN
ISA Brown Chicken – Known for the best feed to egg conversion rate.
ISA Brown is a hybrid chicken – a mix of several breeds. It’s arguably the best brown egg layer worldwide.
✨ Did you know? “ISA” stands for Institut de Sélection Animale – French for ‘Animal Breeding Institute.
They lay around 280–300 eggs per year with good feeding and care.
Their eggs are medium-sized and dark brown in colour.
With a lifespan of 2–4 years, they’re productive and efficient.
Though some reports say they’re harsh, most farmers say ISA Browns are calm and easy to manage.
They’re excellent for commercial farms due to their great feed-to-egg conversion ratio. That means fewer feeds, more eggs and more money.
They start laying at 18–22 weeks and adapt very well to Kenya’s tropical climate.
Since they also do great in both cages and deep litter systems, they are a perfect breed for most Kenyan farmers.
Learn more about the ISA Brown chicken breed here:
All the above breeds can adapt to Kenya’s warm weather.
Here’s how they rank in heat tolerance and adaptability:
1. ISA Brown – Excellent
2. Lohmann Brown – Good
3. Hy-Line Brown – Good, but needs care in high temperature seasons
Which Breed is Most Profitable?
Most layers chicken beginner farmers think profit is about the number of eggs you sell.
While this is partly true, it’s not the entire truth.
Profit isn’t just about egg numbers. You also need to think about feed costs,the feed to egg conversion rate of your birds,survival rate, egg market,your setup and the business aspects.
Like we call it..“The Business Of Layers“
And for that, here’s a profitability score based on Kenyan conditions:
1. ISA Brown – Best for feed efficiency and low death rate
2. Lohmann Brown – Consistent performance and gentle temperament
3. Hy-Line Brown – Profitable if you have systems in place for precision care
What Next?
Now you probably know which breed you intend to buy.
To help you further, I’ll write a post explaining the factors to consider when choosing the best layer chicken breeds for you to keep.
But how do you get started?
I’ve created a practical 6-step guide to help you launch your layer farm smoothly.
👉 Read the 6-Step Guide to Starting a Layer Farm Here:
Did you know that nearly 80% of small layer chicken farms fail within the first two years?
Not because the birds died but because the farmer ran out of purpose,knowledge or a clear plan.
Imagine standing at your farm,with your first day old layer chicks, full of excitement..
But a few weeks pass and you’re not sure if you’re heading towards success…or sinking costs.
That moment you question everything
‘Why am I doing this?’ is exactly where many would be farmers give up.
But behind every lasting profitable layers farm, there’s a farmer who asked better questions ,stayed committed,built real skills and treated his/her farm like a business – even before the eggs started rolling in.
In this post, you’ll learn how to start a layer poultry farm with the 5 gamechanging things every serious layers poultry farmer must master.
Let’s start..
1. Know Your Why
Before sinking time and money into chicks, ask yourself:
Why do you want to start keeping layers?
Is it the profit, the passion for poultry, or the dream of feeding your community?
What deeper purpose drives you?
Are you looking to quit your desk job? Provide for your family? Serve others?
Your why is what keeps you going when things go wrong—because they will.
Without a powerful motivation, many farms go under when challenges arise.
A good technique is the “3 Whys” Exercise:
Why 1…Why do I want to start layers farming? (To make money)
Why 2…Why do I want to make money? (To support my family)
Why 3…Why do I want to support my family? (To insure my children’s future)
There you have it: a soul-deep why to inspire you daily.
Have you been dreaming of starting a layer poultry farm?
Do you want to make more money from your layer birds?
Do you want to start a profitable layer poultry farm? – Not a get rich quick.
But…
You don’t know where to start because you don’t have the information on what to do.
The information you get about how to start layers farming from friends, YouTube or random websites is either too complex, impractical, irrelevant to you, scattered all over on websites full of ads or expensive.
Sound familiar?
If you’re already into layers farming, you might be stuck making small profits that can’t grow your farm – or worse losing money.
If you’re still planning to start your layers farm, that dream keeps getting delayed.
And slowly, doubts creep in.
You start to feel like you can’t accomplish your dreams – that profitable layers farm, that other source of stable income, financial freedom(Whatever that means to you), quitting your job or even contributing to something great in your country and this world.
You feel like your goals are slipping away.
And it stresses you out and worries you.
I Get It..Because I’ve Been There
I know what it feels to be stuck, to want something more but not have the right information to move forward.
I believe nobody should struggle to find basic, simple, practical and well organized knowledge in today’s world.
You shouldn’t be losing money on your layers farm.
You shouldn’t be making small profits than what you can get from your farm.
You shouldn’t be wondering what to feed your birds, what to vaccinate them, how to price your eggs or where to find the market to sell your eggs.
You shouldn’t be postponing your dream of starting that profitable layers poultry farm.
Here’s What I Did..
Years ago, I was in the same place.
I decided to dig deep.
I searched for every article, blog, report book and video I could find on layers poultry farming.I’ve spent over 10,000 hours learning(I’m still learning by the way) on this one topic – Layerspoultryfarming.
(You may have heard of the 10,000hourrule – It’s real)
How many years is that by the way? *Assuming a normal work week day. Type in the comments below.
And now, I’m giving it all to you – in one place.
In simple and practical ways.
Secret Layers
Secret Layers is the first layers-onlyblog focused entirely on helping you succeed in layers poultry farming.
No broilers. No other thing – just layers, eggs and how to make them profitable.
When?
Remember;
Every week.
Never miss a post.
Enter your name and email address below to get updates delivered straight to you:
What You’ll Get On This Blog
Simple. Practical. Farmer focusedinformation.
Everything is actionable and clear.
Here’s what you’ll get;
Technical Guidance
What you should know/do before starting
Choosing the right Layer breeds
Housing
Layers feeding guides
Brooding
Layers vaccination and disease management
Increasing egg production
And many more
Business Advice
Business plans
Start up costs
Selling your eggs
Marketing your eggs
Distributing your eggs
Business growth and development
Managing cashflow
Managing employees
Legal and licensing
And many more…
*You don’t want to miss these – they’re the mistakes that quietly kill most layers farms*
Interactive Learning
Case studies
Success stories of layers farmers
Tips
And many more
And Niss’ story – Out fictional farmer with very real challenges, mistakes and wins.
We’ll follow her as she tries to make her business plan, reduce feed costs, sell her eggs and grow her farm – you’ll learn with her, laugh with her and grow with her.
You’re NoT Alone
This is your blog.
Your resource.
Your secret weapon for building the profitable layers farm you’ve always wanted.
You don’t have to lose money on your farm.
You don’t have to make small money on your farm.
You don’t have to postpone that 10,000 layer birds dream farm.
You don’t have to ‘just survive’ with money problems.
Just think about it…
What if you had a stable alternative source of income – a profitable layers poultry farm.
One that didn’t depend on family, a boss, a salary or office politics.
You could finally quit that stressful job (or keep it without worrying about the pay)
You’d clear those debts, pay off that loan and give your wife, kids and family the life they deserve.
But more than that – you’d be doing something meaningful;
Feeding your communityCreating jobsEmpowering othersInspiring change
That’s the kind of success this blog is here to help you build – financial freedom with real purpose.
(Layers chicken in a farm)
Like John.F.K said ;
“Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.”
Take the First Step NOW– It’s FREE
Simple.
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“6 SIMPLE STEPS TO START A PROFITABLE LAYER POULTRY FARM”
