Kenyan poultry farmers are increasingly adopting battery cage systems over traditional deep-litter floor systems for laying hens. While the initial cost of battery cages is higher, they offer advantages in space utilization, disease control, and egg quality, though animal welfare concerns remain.

• A shift from deep-litter to battery cages incurs an additional cost of Sh350 per bird for cages.
• Battery cage systems can house 6000-8000 layers in a 300 square metre space compared to 1,800 layers in a deep-litter system of the same size.
• Dr. Messo, company veterinarian at Kenchic, highlights that caged chickens often have higher longevity, less disease, and lower mortality rates by 1-2 percent.
• Key advantages of battery cages include cleaner eggs due to a sloped design and efficient feed distribution with minimal spillage.
• A single individual can manage 10,000 birds in a highly intensive, automated cage system.