Layer Cages South Africa

A layer cage is a galvanised cage for keeping hens that lay eggs. 4 – 7 chickens are kept in each bay. A layer cage is also known as a battery farming cage. A well made layer cage will have a nipple drinking pipe with nipples running the length of the layer cage. The layer cage will have a trough at the front for chicken food. The first part of the layer cage is called a starter cage, and has a small water tank attached that is fed from the deader tank on the roof of the layer chicken house. This tank is used to check water quality and to add medication for the hens.

Layer cage - 2 tier

The second part of the later cage is called a follower cage and just has a feeding trough and a nipple line. The layer cages are lined up in a row down the length of the layer house and the nipple line connects all the layer cages in that row.

A small farmer layer house must be at least 4m wide so that there is space around each row of layer cages to push an egg collection trolley and so that the layer house can be properly cleaned. A good layer house will be higher than a broiler house to accommodate the double tier layer cages (layer cages are generally 2 tiers or 3 tiers in larger poultry houses). The layer house will also have a larger curtain opening (with a winch) than a broiler house. Chickens in a layer cage cannot move around, and are very close to each other – this means that it can get very hot in a layer poultry house. The larger curtain opening allows more air to circulate and therefore the house will be cooler. The litter of chicken dropping fall to the floor through the layer cage mesh, and should be cleaned out regularly. A curtain opening that drops very close to the floor allows the litter to quickly dry.

A layer house is managed in a similar way to a broiler house, the layer cages just make it easy to collect eggs and to feed and water the hens. The other option if you wish to be kinder to the chickens are nest boxes. Nest boxes allow the chickens a lot more freedom as they can walk around the house. The hens will learn to lay in the nest boxes – although one often gets floor eggs or B grade eggs. Layer cages are widely used in South Africa in small poultry layer houses and large chicken houses. All layer houses with layer cages should have fans, min max thermometers, foot baths and thermometers to measure humidity. If you are using nest boxes a separate nipple drinking system will need to be installed – or you will use water founts or bell drinkers and tube feeders. In large layer houses, a chain feeding system will be used in conjunction with a nipple drinking system. Layer cages. or battery cages for chickens,  are manufactured in South Africa and are generally of very good quality. Layer cages can be purchased from Chicken Shack Agencies. Layer cages or battery cages require little maintenance.Battery cage farming is illegal in Europe, But layer cages for chickens farming is still legal in most of Africa and South Africa. A battery cage for chickens or egg cages or chicken cages or poultry cages for layer houses are all considered battery farming.