8 Supplies for Your First Backyard Chicken Setup

Bringing home your first flock of chickens is a rewarding milestone, turning a patch of your backyard into a source of fresh eggs and daily entertainment. But success hinges on having the right setup from day one, before the first peep is even heard. A well-equipped homestead prevents common problems and lets you focus on the simple joy of raising healthy, happy birds.

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Essential Gear for Your New Backyard Flock

Setting up for backyard chickens isn’t just about buying a coop; it’s about creating a complete, self-contained system that meets all their needs for safety, food, water, and health. The right gear prevents wasted feed, keeps water clean, and protects your flock from predators and disease. Investing in durable, well-designed equipment from the start saves you from frustrating and costly replacements down the road.

Think of these supplies as the foundation of your flock’s well-being. A cheap feeder that spills feed attracts rodents, and a poorly designed waterer quickly becomes fouled, spreading illness. Each piece of equipment recommended here is chosen to solve a specific problem that new chicken keepers face. This isn’t about having the fanciest setup—it’s about having a reliable one that works.

Chicken Coop – Producer’s Pride Sentinel Coop

A chicken coop is more than a house; it’s a fortress. It provides essential shelter from rain, wind, and sun, but its most critical job is to offer absolute protection from predators like raccoons, hawks, and neighborhood dogs. Your flock will spend every night locked securely inside, so the coop’s construction is your primary line of defense.

The Producer’s Pride Sentinel Coop is an excellent starting point for a small flock of 3-5 birds. Its design includes the non-negotiable features: elevated living quarters, a secure nesting box for easy egg collection, and internal roosting bars where the chickens will sleep. The solid wood construction and asphalt roof provide good weather protection, while the predator-resistant latches on all access points offer peace of mind.

Before purchasing, measure your intended space. While compact, the coop and its attached run have a specific footprint. Assembly is required, so plan for an afternoon with a helper. This coop is ideal for beginners with a few hens in a suburban backyard; those planning a larger flock or living in areas with extreme weather will eventually need to upgrade to a larger, more heavily insulated structure.

Chicken Feeder – Harris Farms Hanging Poultry Feeder

Chickens are messy eaters. A simple bowl of feed on the ground will be scratched through, spilled, and contaminated with droppings in minutes, leading to significant waste and potential health issues. A dedicated feeder elevates the food, keeping it clean, dry, and accessible only to your flock.

The Harris Farms Hanging Poultry Feeder is the right tool for this job. Its hanging design is its key feature—it keeps the feed off the floor, discouraging rodents and preventing your chickens from knocking it over. Made of durable, BPA-free plastic, it’s easy to clean and won’t rust. The 15-pound capacity means you aren’t refilling it constantly, but it’s not so large that the feed goes stale.

The feeder’s height must be adjusted to be level with the birds’ backs as they grow, which prevents them from scratching feed out. You’ll need a secure place in your coop or run to hang it from. This feeder is perfect for anyone who wants to minimize feed waste and maintain a clean eating environment for their flock. It’s a simple, effective design that outperforms ground-level troughs every time.

Chicken Waterer – Little Giant Double Wall Fount

Constant access to clean water is the single most important factor for a chicken’s health and egg-laying consistency. An open water dish is a recipe for disaster—it will be filled with dirt, bedding, and manure almost immediately. A fount-style waterer uses a vacuum seal to release small amounts of water into a trough, keeping the main supply pristine.

The Little Giant Double Wall Fount is a classic for a reason. Its galvanized steel construction is incredibly durable and helps inhibit algae growth better than plastic models. The double-wall design provides some insulation, helping keep water cooler in the summer and offering slight resistance to freezing in the winter. The vacuum-sealed system is reliable and prevents the messy, dangerous spills that can soak coop bedding.

Be aware that a full 3-gallon steel waterer is heavy, so place it where you can refill it easily. Regular cleaning is still necessary to keep the drinking trough sanitary. For those in freezing climates, this waterer is compatible with most electric heater bases, a necessary accessory for winter. This is the waterer for keepers who value durability and hygiene over the lightweight convenience of plastic.

Coop Bedding – Standlee Premium Pine Shavings

Coop bedding serves two critical functions: it absorbs moisture from droppings and provides a comfortable, insulating layer on the coop floor. Good bedding keeps the coop smelling fresh, makes cleaning easier, and contributes to the overall health of your flock by creating a dry environment where bacteria and parasites are less likely to thrive.

Standlee Premium Pine Shavings are the ideal choice for coop bedding. Pine shavings are highly absorbent, have a pleasant natural scent that helps control ammonia odors, and are low in dust. Unlike straw, which doesn’t absorb well and can harbor mites, or cedar, whose aromatic oils can cause respiratory issues in chickens, pine is both safe and effective. Standlee ensures their shavings are screened for dust and consistency.

You can use pine shavings for a standard weekly clean-out or for the "deep litter method," where new layers are added over time to create a composting base. A compressed bale expands to cover a significant area, making it cost-effective. This is the go-to bedding for nearly all backyard setups; it’s simple, safe, and performs its job perfectly.

Daily Nutrition and Essential Supplements

Once you have the basic hardware, your focus shifts to what goes in it. A chicken’s diet is more than just "feed." It’s a carefully balanced system that requires a complete nutritional base, digestive aids, and specific supplements to support egg production. Providing these elements separately allows the chickens to take what they need, when they need it.

Think of it like this: the complete feed is their main course, providing all the essential protein, vitamins, and minerals for daily life. Grit is the tool they use to digest that meal properly. For laying hens, a calcium supplement is the extra building block needed to form strong eggshells day after day. Neglecting any one of these components will eventually lead to health problems or a drop in egg production.

Chicken Feed – Purina Start & Grow Medicated Crumbles

From hatch day to about 18 weeks of age, young chickens (chicks and pullets) have intense nutritional needs to support their rapid growth. They require a high-protein feed that’s easy to eat and digest. More importantly, they are extremely vulnerable to coccidiosis, an intestinal parasite that is a leading cause of death in young flocks.

Purina Start & Grow Medicated Crumbles is the industry standard for raising healthy chicks. The medicated formula contains amprolium, which is not an antibiotic but a coccidiostat that helps chicks develop a natural immunity to coccidiosis. The crumble form is the perfect size for their small beaks. Purina’s formulation is consistent and provides a complete nutritional profile, including vitamins and minerals essential for strong bone development.

This feed is specifically for young, growing birds and should be discontinued once they begin laying eggs (around 18-20 weeks). At that point, you will switch to a "layer feed" with lower protein and higher calcium. Do not give this medicated feed to birds that are already laying eggs. For anyone starting with day-old chicks, a medicated starter feed is the safest, most reliable way to get them to a healthy adulthood.

Poultry Grit – Manna Pro Grit with Probiotics

Chickens don’t have teeth. Instead, they use a muscular organ called the gizzard to grind their food, and to do this, they need to swallow small, hard particles like tiny rocks or sand. This material is called grit. If your chickens are confined to a coop and run without access to varied terrain, you must provide it for them.

Manna Pro Grit with Probiotics is the right supplement for the job. It’s made from insoluble crushed granite, which is hard enough to effectively grind down grains and forage in the gizzard. This particular product also includes probiotics, which help support healthy digestion and gut flora. Providing grit is non-negotiable for proper digestion and nutrient absorption.

Grit should be offered free-choice in a small, separate container—do not mix it into their feed. The birds are smart enough to eat it only when they need it. Manna Pro offers different sizes for chicks versus adult birds, so be sure to buy the appropriate size for your flock’s age. If your chickens free-range all day on rocky soil, they may not need supplementation, but for any flock in a confined run, providing grit is essential.

Calcium Supplement – Manna Pro Crushed Oyster Shell

A laying hen mobilizes a massive amount of calcium from her body to form an eggshell every 24-26 hours. While layer feed contains elevated calcium levels, it’s often not enough to keep up with prolific layers. Without supplementation, hens will pull calcium from their own bones, leading to health problems, or they will lay thin, soft-shelled, or shell-less eggs.

Manna Pro Crushed Oyster Shell is the best way to provide this necessary supplement. Oyster shell provides a slow-release form of calcium carbonate that the hen can absorb as needed. Unlike calcium powders that get mixed in feed, offering crushed oyster shell free-choice allows each hen to regulate her own intake based on her individual laying cycle.

Like grit, this should be served in a separate dish, available at all times. It should only be given to hens that are of laying age (around 18 weeks or older). Do not give it to chicks or roosters, as excess calcium can cause kidney damage in non-laying birds. For anyone who wants strong, healthy eggshells and long-term hen health, a separate calcium supplement is a must.

Dust Bath Additive – Harris Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth

Chickens keep themselves clean and free of external parasites like mites and lice by taking dust baths. They will dig a shallow depression in loose dirt or sand and use their wings to fling it all over their bodies. This natural behavior helps exfoliate their skin and suffocate any pests hiding in their feathers. You can enhance their natural dust bath with a special additive.

Harris Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is an excellent addition to a dust bath. DE is the fossilized remains of tiny aquatic organisms, and on a microscopic level, its sharp edges are abrasive to the exoskeletons of insects, causing them to dry out and die. It’s a natural, chemical-free way to help your flock with pest control. It is critical to use only food-grade DE, as other forms are treated and unsafe for animals.

To use it, mix a small amount into the loose, dry dirt of your flock’s favorite dusting spot or create a dedicated dust bath box filled with a mix of soil, sand, and a cup or two of DE. Avoid creating large clouds of dust, as it can be a respiratory irritant to both you and your birds. This isn’t a replacement for coop cleanliness, but it’s a powerful tool for helping your chickens stay healthy using their own natural behaviors.

Establishing Healthy Routines for Your Flock

Your equipment is just the start; the real key to a thriving flock is a consistent daily and weekly routine. Chickens are creatures of habit and will learn your schedule quickly. A predictable routine reduces stress and allows you to perform quick, regular health checks.

Every morning, let the flock out, check their food and water levels, and do a quick visual inspection of the birds to ensure everyone looks active and healthy. In the evening, make sure all the birds have returned to the coop before securely locking them in for the night—this is your most important predator-prevention task. Once a week, do a more thorough coop cleaning, replacing soiled bedding and scrubbing the waterer. These simple, repeatable actions are the backbone of good animal husbandry.

Your Complete Checklist for Happy Chickens

Getting started with chickens feels like a lot, but it boils down to a handful of essential items. Having everything on hand before your birds arrive ensures a smooth, stress-free transition for everyone. This list covers the non-negotiable supplies for a healthy and secure backyard flock.

• Shelter: A predator-proof coop like the Producer’s Pride Sentinel Coop.
• Feeder: A no-waste hanging feeder like the Harris Farms Hanging Poultry Feeder.
• Waterer: A durable, clean fount like the Little Giant Double Wall Fount.
• Bedding: Absorbent, low-dust Standlee Premium Pine Shavings.
• Starter Feed: A high-protein, medicated feed like Purina Start & Grow Medicated Crumbles for chicks.
• Digestive Aid: Manna Pro Grit with Probiotics offered free-choice.
• Laying Supplement: Manna Pro Crushed Oyster Shell for laying-age hens.
• Pest Control: Harris Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth for their dust bath.

With the right gear in place and a simple routine, you’re not just keeping chickens—you’re creating a small, productive ecosystem in your own backyard. This setup provides the foundation for a healthy flock and years of delicious fresh eggs. Now, the real fun begins.