Make Your Chook Chores SUPER Easy!
Refreshed 22nd April 2026, Updated 10th January 2025, Updated 9th November 2023 (first published Wednesday 22nd January 2014)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Poultry Essentials
We are sharing a selection of our favourite poultry essentials that help streamline our daily routines here at Appletons.
Managing a large number of birds keeps us busy, and we have found that quality, purpose-built accessories significantly reduce the time spent on chores.
Investing in these time-saving devices ensures that our flock remains well-fed, watered, and cared for, even when things get busy.
We hope these recommendations help you find more time to enjoy your poultry.
No. 1
Step-On Feeder ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
We would not be without our automatic chicken feeders. They save us a fortune by preventing wasted feed and contamination, while also eliminating the need for daily refills or scattering feed on the ground.
The initial cost is quickly recouped by keeping sparrows, rats, and mice at bay. Furthermore, these feeders allow hens to eat whenever they need to throughout the day. This ensures all bird - regardless of their place in the pecking order - can meet their nutritional requirements, provided the feeder is kept full of quality feed.
Check out the new Omlet Smart No Waste Chicken Feeder 5kg - no mess, no spill, anti-bully feeder.
No. 2
Best Waterers ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Appletons Easy Care Drinker 19.8L
Omlet Inslulated Stay Clean Drinker 11L
Hens require a consistent supply of clean water, particularly during hot summer days. Chickens are approximately 70% water and drink frequently, even a single day without hydration can negatively impact their laying ability. To ensure your birds have access to a reliable water source, we recommend large capacity options such as our Easy Care Drinker, bucket drinkers, Automatic Ready To Go Box Drinker or nipple drinkers. These designs help prevent common issues associated with shallow bowls or open buckets, which are easily fouled, grow slime or get knocked over.
No. 3
Appletons Coop Maintenance Pack ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
At Appletons, we use a combination of two products to keep our hen houses in top condition and nearly 100% mite-free. While total eradication is nearly impossible, these products ensure we can collect eggs without the nuisance of red mites. For annual cleaning—typically in late autumn—or to manage an active infestation, we use Appletons Poultry Safeguard. For ongoing residual control, we recommend applying Appletons De-Mite Powder on a weekly or fortnightly basis.
No. 4
Wood Shavings ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
If you haven't yet switched to using wood shavings for floor litter and laying boxes, we highly recommend making it a priority. Wood shavings are a fantastic alternative to hay and straw, providing a clean and comfortable material for your chooks.The benefits are numerous: you will need to clean the hen house less often, the environment will smell better, and your chooks will appreciate the change. To encourage natural scratching behavior, try throwing a little wheat or maize into the deep floor litter.Additionally, used wood shavings is excellent compost for the garden. It hepls produce vibrant, leafy silverbeet that both we and our chooks enjoy.
No. 5
Layer Pellets with Meat & Bone Meal ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
To get the best results from your layers, it is essential to provide high-quality feed starting from day one. At Appletons, we feed all our chickens the best quality feed available from the moment they hatch. We recommend investing in a premium quality hen feed, as we believe you are what you eat. We specifically use and recommend Westons Peak Layer, Free Range Layer, or Denver Meal Time Organic Certified MBM Layer Pellets. These options contain ruminant proteins, which provide essential lysine and methionine in their natural form.
No. 6
Layer Pellets + WORMER
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Premium Yolk 19% Layer Pellets + Wormer
Simplify your flock’s routine with our high-quality, pre-mixed layer pellets. Perfect for hens from point of lay onwards, this feed should be used for 7 to 14 consecutive days. While we recommend worming your birds every 3 to 6 months, please note that there is no withholding period for eggs or meat when using this product.
