They say Abraham Lincoln once remarked, “Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” It’s a powerful reminder that preparation always beats raw effort.
But here’s the truth — before you sharpen, you need an axe in your hands. The same applies to poultry farming. You can buy the best chicks and dream of collecting trays of fresh eggs every morning. Yet without the right layer chicken farming equipment, your farm will struggle before it even begins.
Many beginners rush to buy birds first, only to realize later they don’t have feeders, drinkers, or even a proper house. This mistake wastes money and puts the flock at risk. The right poultry equipment may look simple, but it is the foundation of a profitable layer poultry farm.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through all the essential equipment for layer chicken farming every beginner needs before starting a poultry farm.
Think of this as your starter kit — a farmer-focused guide to help you prepare, avoid costly mistakes, and set your farm up for success.
Just to be clear, this is not the exclusive list. And most important, you don’t need to buy all of these items before you kick off your farm. You can buy some later, and you can improvise to fit your needs. Don’t wait until you have everything. Start with what you can, and build from there.
I. Housing
1. Structure
Your birds need a house with enough space. That’s a no-brainer. Include space for storing feed as well. You want this store to be cool, dry, and secure.
Construct your house with a foot dip at the entrance for biosecurity. Always add disinfectant, not just soapy water. Another thing farmers often forget is perches. Birds need a place to rest and play. Try to give them as natural an environment as possible. All lay and no play makes layers dull girls.
2. Litter
If you plan to use the deep litter system, prepare dry litter about 4 inches thick. Depending on what’s available, you can use sawdust, coffee husks, or rice husks.
3. Cages
If you plan to use cages, have them ready before the birds arrive. This system is easier to manage but more expensive than deep litter.
To decide which is better for you between cages and deep litter read here
4. Windbreaker
On the open wire-mesh sides, cover them to reduce strong winds, dust, or even rain. You can use curtains, polyethylene sheets, shade nets, or even sacks 😂. Remember DR.STARR— he was resourceful.
II. Brooding
Brooding is a temperature-sensitive stage. Without the right poultry farm equipment, chicks will not survive.
5. Heat Source
You’ll need a reliable source of heat. Options include a brooding jiko, charcoal stove, or infrared lamp.
6. Water Source
Never buy chicks without a water source on your farm. Birds will die without clean water. Ensure you have a municipal supply, water tanks, or a plan to buy water when needed.
7. Feeders
Feeders are where birds eat. Commercial ones reduce wastage, which is the highest cost on a farm. Homemade ones are cheaper but often waste more feed.
8. Drinkers
Drinkers hold water. Both chick and adult drinkers are important, though adults can also serve chicks.
9. Light Source
Light matters. Layers need about 18 hours of light per day. The sun gives 12 hours, so you must provide the other 6 using electricity or solar bulbs.
10. Plywood
This is the main material for brooders. You’ve seen round areas where chicks are kept — that’s plywood at work. Still, many farmers improvise with cardboards or simple small rooms, and chicks survive just fine.
11. Brooder Paper
Cover litter with brooder paper or newspapers to stop chicks from eating it on day one.
12. Thermometer
Observation helps, but it’s not accurate. A thermometer lets you monitor brooder temperature properly.
III. Growing Stage
When chicks start growing into pullets, you need more chicken farming tools.
13. Weighing Scale
Monitor the birds’ weight to make sure they are not underweight or overweight. This affects laying performance. Weighing also helps detect poor feed intake and sick birds.
14. Beak Trimmers
Layers can become cannibalistic, pecking each other or breaking eggs. Since eggs are money, invest in debeaking equipment. Modern tools make it humane.
15 & 16. Syringes and Needles
Vaccines are a must. Some require injections or wing stabs. Keep syringes and needles ready, and ask your vet for guidance.
IV. Laying Stage
When birds reach laying age, equipment needed for starting a layer farm becomes more essential. It’s the money period.
17. Laying Boxes
Layers need quiet, dark places to lay eggs comfortably.
18. Egg trays
Where will you put your eggs? On trays — simple and safe.
19. Means Of Transport
Transport is optional but useful. Having your own reduces costs when moving eggs, chicks, or supplies.
V. Security
You must protect both your birds and your investment.
20. Sprayer
Disinfect the house before bringing in birds and between batches. A sprayer makes this easy.
21 & 22. Human and Animal Surveillance
Theft is real. Consider guards, CCTV, or dogs for human intruders and cats, fences or traps for animal intruders like rats,wild animals e.t.c
Not everyone will like your success — it’s human nature.
VI. Clothing
Your safety and biosecurity come first.
23, 24, 25 and 26. Protective Clothing
I put these separately because they are crucial to your health and your birds health. Each and everyone of them.
Gloves, gumboots, masks, and overalls are necessary. Keep one set for farm use only, and remove it immediately when leaving. Ignoring this increases disease risk.
VI. Record Keeping
A farm without records is a farm headed for failure.
27. Record Keeping Tools
Record everything — mortality, feed use, bird weights, egg numbers, sales, credits, and finances. Use a notebook or software. At Secret Layers, we don’t have record-keeping tools yet (2025), but we’ll release them soon.
VII. Other Tools
Simple tools make work easier.
28. Farm Tools
A spade, jembe, and wheelbarrow will help you mix feed, change litter, and dispose of manure.
IX. Not Equipment, But Still Important
Some essentials don’t fit into equipment but are crucial.
Feeds: Without quality feed, nothing works.
Workers: You may do it alone or hire extra help.
Glucose and disinfectant: Prepare these before chicks arrive.
Marketing Material : Decide how to sell eggs. Use airtime, internet, and social media.
Chicks:Finally, don’t forget the birds themselves 😂
Read this if your undecided on which chicken breed to buy.
That’s everything you need for your layers poultry farming journey. This complete list of equipment for poultry farming will help you avoid mistakes, save money, and prepare like a professional.
If you think I missed anything important, type it in the comments and I’ll add it.
We need to make sure every farmer is ready before they start.Remember, you don’t need all the layer chicken farming equipment at once. Some items can wait, and you can improvise on others to save costs.
Don’t postpone your dream just because you don’t have gumboots. That’s not what entrepreneurship is.Now go out there, start your farm, and live your dream.
See you next Friday!
carlosdeche4040@gmail.com
secretlayerske@gmail.com
