Step-down chicken coops

Standard laying hen cages can be categorized by their shape or assembly form into full阶梯 cages, semi阶梯 cages, stacked cages, mixed阶梯 cages, and flat cages.

All-Step Layer Chicken Cages feature non-overlapping cage bodies in the vertical direction, allowing each layer's feces to fall into the lower manure trench below. The feces are then cleared out of the chicken house by a ground scraper cleaning machine installed in the manure trench.
Semi-step poultry cages with some overlap between upper and lower levels, the overlap can reach 1/2 to 1/3 of the cage depth. The top mesh of the lower cage is designed at an angle for easy installation of manure boards, allowing the accumulated feces on the upper level to fall into the manure channel below due to gravity after drying. This type of cage is widely used in China for broiler and breeding chicken pens. The semi-step cage occupies less floor space and has a higher stocking density compared to full-step cages.
Layered poultry cages, with each layer overlapping vertically, featuring a horizontal manure collection system below the bottom mesh of each layer. The manure can be removed using a scraper or conveyor belt cleaning machine, transporting it to one end of each row of cages, and then to the outside of the shed via a horizontal spiral scraper. Small-sized layered cages can be manually cleaned. Feeding, watering, manure removal, and egg collection are easily mechanized. The advantages of layered cage systems include high stocking density, typically 16-18 birds per cubic meter for three layers and 18-20 birds per cubic meter for four layers, reducing the construction investment per bird and high labor productivity. The disadvantages are poor ventilation between layers, significant differences in environmental conditions on each layer of the cages, and high requirements for controlling the shed environment.
Stacked and mixed chicken cages for laying hens, with the upper and lower levels staggered and the middle and lower levels fully overlapped. The lower cages have manure boards above the top wire mesh, allowing manual pushing of feces inward for dropping or mechanical scraping plates for cleaning.

Flat-lay layer cages, consisting of a single layer of cages, with two rows installed back-to-back, sharing one feeding trough, one water trough, and one egg conveyor belt. Chicken manure falls directly to the ground. The drinking and cleaning facilities are the same as those in阶梯式layer cages. The flat-lay cages do not require corridors, thus increasing the pen density compared to the full阶梯式. However, feeding, drinking, cleaning, and egg collection must all be mechanized, so the mechanical equipment must be reliable and highly dependent on electricity. In the event of a power outage, the consequences could be severe.