Chicken Flock Supplies

Everything on this list is what I actually use and recommend — nothing more, nothing less. I have put together a full resources page with links to my favourite products, updated regularly, so you don't have to go hunting.

Before Your Chicks Arrive: The Brooder Setup

You'll need this ready before day-old chicks come home. Don't leave it to the last minute.

  • Brooder box — a large plastic storage tote, stock tank, or cardboard box works fine for the first few weeks

  • Heat lamp or heat plate — a heat plate (also called a chick brooder plate) is safer and more energy efficient than a traditional heat lamp, though either works

  • Thermometer— essential for monitoring brooder temperature; aim for 95°F in week one, reducing by 5°F each week

  • Chick feeder — a small, shallow feeder designed for chicks so they can't scratch feed everywhere

  • Chick waterer — small fount-style waterer; add clean marbles or pebbles to the dish so day-old chicks can't drown

  • Chick starter feed — a crumble-style starter/grower feed (unmedicated unless recommended by your feed store)

  • Bedding— pine shavings are ideal; avoid cedar (toxic fumes) and newspaper (too slippery for chick legs)

  • Chick grit— fine grit for chicks who are eating anything other than chick starter

Tip: Set up your brooder 24 hours before your chicks arrive so it reaches the right temperature. A cold brooder on arrival day is a stressful start for everyone.

The Coop & Run

Your coop is your biggest investment. Buy the best quality you can afford — a flimsy coop is a predator's welcome mat.

  • Coop — allow a minimum of 4 sq ft per hen inside the coop, and 10 sq ft per hen in the run; bigger is always better

  • Roosts/perches — 1 linear foot per hen minimum; smooth, rounded wood at least 2 inches wide

  • Nesting boxes — 1 box per 3–4 hens; fill with clean straw or pine shavings

  • Nesting pads — not required, but my preferred nest box liner. Keeps eggs clean and prevents breakage.

  • Hardware cloth (welded wire) — use 1/2 inch hardware cloth — not chicken wire — to predator-proof windows, vents and run walls

  • Padlock or carabiner latches — raccoons are disturbingly good at opening simple latches

  • Bedding for coop floor — pine shavings, sand, or a deep litter mix; plan to refresh regularly

  • Coop thermometer/hygrometer — helps you monitor temperature and humidity, especially in winter

Note: If you're building or buying a coop rated for '6 hens', assume it comfortably fits 3–4. Manufacturer flock size claims are almost always optimistic.

Feeders & Waterers (Adult Flock)

  • Hanging feeder or treadle feeder — hanging feeders are affordable; treadle feeders (opens only when a chicken steps on the platform) reduce waste and keep out wild birds and pests

  • Waterer— while nipple-style waterers stay cleaner than open founts, I like to see there’s water available and use a plastic waterer. In freezing climates, get a heated base or heated waterer.

  • Oyster shell dispenser — a small separate container of free-choice oyster shell for laying hens to access as needed

  • Grit dispenser — a separate container of insoluble grit for hens who free range or eat treats

Feed

  • Chick starter/grower — for chicks from hatch to approximately 16–18 weeks

  • Layer pellets or crumbles — for hens from point of lay onward; choose a feed with at least 16% protein. You can also choose organic feeds if you prefer.

  • Oyster shell — free-choice calcium supplement; keeps shells strong

  • Insoluble grit — necessary if hens eat anything other than commercial feed

  • Treats (optional) — dried mealworms, scratch grains, or fresh greens; keep to less than 10% of their diet

Tip: Don't switch feeds abruptly — mix old and new feed over a week to avoid digestive upset.

Health & Wellness Basics

You don't need a medicine cabinet full of supplies, but having these on hand before you need them is always wise.

  • Poultry dust or permethrin spray — for treating mites and lice; treat the coop at the same time as the birds

  • Elector PSP — a newer, highly effective spray for mites; safe to use directly on birds

  • AquaSol dewormer — an easy water-soluble dewormer; worm your flock in spring as a routine preventative

  • Electrolyte powder — for stress, heat, illness, or after shipping; dissolve in water

  • Vetericyn poultry spray — a gentle wound spray for minor injuries and pecking wounds

  • Styptic powder — stops bleeding fast from nail trims or minor wounds

  • Latex gloves — always handle sick birds and eggs from sick hens with gloves

  • Small first aid kit — tweezers, gauze, saline, scissors, and a syringe for oral dosing

Egg Collection & Storage

  • Egg collection basket or apron — a wire egg basket or an apron with pockets; makes daily collection much easier

  • Egg cartons — reuse or buy in bulk; label with date collected

  • Egg washer or clean cloth — for washing dirty eggs before refrigerating

  • Egg skelter or fridge rack (optional) — keeps eggs organised so you always use the oldest first

Useful Extras Worth Having

  • Chicken saddles/hen aprons — protective fabric worn by hens if a rooster is over-mating or if feather pecking is an issue

  • Chicken swing or perch toys — enrichment helps reduce boredom-related pecking, especially in smaller runs

  • Dust bath container — a low-sided tub filled with fine dirt, sand, and wood ash; hens will use it constantly

  • Catch net or hook — makes catching a hen for inspection much less of an ordeal

  • Poultry saddle bag or carry bag — if you ever need to transport a hen to a vet