How many chickens in a layer cage?

A layer cage is a chicken cage that has been designed to hold hens for egg production. Layer cages come in various sizes, and therefore can vary in their holding capacity.

The new generation layer cages can hold between 5 and 7 hens per cage, or bay. A layer cage unit is made up of 16 bays - 8 on each side and across 2 tiers. The bays each have their own nipples for drinking and a feeding trough down the front. The cages have a sloping floor so that the eggs roll forward into egg catching trays.

The size of your chicken house will determine how many layer cage units you can fit in the house. There should be eough room around the layer cages for egg collection and cleaning. Larger layer chicken houses will use an egg collection trolley to help with the colloection of eggs. If you wish to do free range egg production and organic egg production will need to use nest boxes and not layer cages.

Size of Layer Cages

Layer cages made in South Africa are the new, larger bay layer cages. The cages are 2450mm long, 1870mm wide and 1650mm high. In these layer cages there are 16 bays. 8 bays on each side across 2 tiers. Layer cages are made of galvanised steel welded mesh and use a nipple drinking system for wat and troughs for feeding Each layer cage unit has small header tanks on the cage for medication.

Cost Of Layer Cages

Again, the price of poultry cages depends on size, whether you need it to be assembled on site for you, and  the location of your chicken house. A chicken cage comes with certain features - you pay for those features. When doing egg production, the easiest way, if doing intensive egg production, is through the use of egg cages. How many eggs you get depends on how many chickens in a layer cage. Prices on layer cages can be found at LAYER CAGE COSTS