Broiler cages are generally categorized by their shape or assembly method into full阶梯 cages, half阶梯 cages, layered cages, mixed阶梯 cages, and flat cages.

The full-step layer chicken cages have non-overlapping compartments vertically, allowing each layer's feces to fall into the lower manure channel. The feces are then cleared out of the shed by a ground scraper cleaner installed in the manure channel.
The semi-step chicken cages have a partial overlap between the upper and lower levels, with the overlap reaching up to half or one-third of the cage depth. The top net of the lower cage is designed at an angle for easy installation of the manure board, allowing the accumulated manure on the upper level to dry in the wind and fall under the influence of gravity into the manure trough below. Most breeding and laying hen cages produced in our country adopt this design. The semi-step chicken cages occupy less floor space and have a higher density of rearing compared to fully stepped cages.
Layered chicken cages stack the cages vertically, with horizontal manure collection devices below the bottom mesh of each layer. These can be cleaned using scraper manure removal machines or conveyor belt systems, transporting the chicken manure to the end of each row of cages, where it is then transferred outside by a horizontal spiral scraper. Small-scale layered chicken cages can be manually cleaned. Feeding, watering, manure removal, and egg collection are easily mechanized. The advantages of layered cage farming include high density of housing, typically 16-18 chickens per cubic meter for three layers and 18-20 chickens per cubic meter for four layers, which reduces the construction investment per chicken and increases labor productivity. The disadvantages are poor ventilation between layers, significant differences in environmental conditions on each layer of the cages, and high requirements for chicken house environmental control.
Stacked mixed layer poultry cages, with the upper and lower cages staggered, the middle and lower cages fully overlapped. The lower cages have manure boards above the top wire mesh, where manure can be manually pushed in to drop or cleared with a mechanical scraper.

Flat-deck layer hen cages consist of a single layer with two rows of cages installed back-to-back, sharing a feeding trough, water trough, and egg conveyor belt. Chicken manure falls directly to the ground, and the drinking and cleaning equipment is identical to that of stepped cages. Since flat-deck cages do not require corridors, their density is higher than that of fully stepped cages. However, feeding, drinking, cleaning, and egg collection must all be mechanized, making the reliability of the equipment crucial. The heavy reliance on electricity means that a power outage could have severe consequences.