There's a lot of chicken gear out there, and most of it you don't need. Here's the short list that actually earns its keep in our coop, plus what to skip while you're starting out.
We keep this list to gear we use ourselves. As we add affiliate partners, some links here may become affiliate links (we'll always mark them and only ever recommend things we'd buy again).
The essentials
A no-waste feeder
Chickens are champion food-flingers. A feeder with a rain cover and anti-scratch design pays for itself in saved feed within a season. Look for one that holds several days of feed and keeps it dry.
A quality waterer
Clean water is the single most important thing you provide. In summer, a larger waterer means fewer refills; in winter, a heated base keeps it from freezing. Whatever you choose, it needs to stay clean; hens won't drink fouled water.
½-inch hardware cloth
Not gear exactly, but the most important thing you'll buy. It's the difference between a coop and a raccoon buffet. Skip chicken wire entirely.
A simple coop thermometer/hygrometer
Handy for spotting when ventilation needs help; humidity is a bigger winter enemy than cold.
Nice-to-have (once you're hooked)
- A treat/mealworm dispenser, great for taming skittish birds and hand-feeding.
- An automatic coop door, closes at dusk so a late evening doesn't mean an open coop.
- A poultry-safe coop cleaner for the seasonal deep clean.
What you can skip at first
- Chicken "toys" and fancy perches: a sturdy branch works fine.
- Heat lamps for adult hens: cold-hardy breeds handle winter better than a fire risk in a wooden coop. (Chicks are different; they do need heat.)
- Automatic everything: learn the daily rhythm by hand first, then automate later.
The honest bottom line
Buy the feeder, the waterer, and the hardware cloth well. Everything else can wait until you know how you like to keep your flock. Start with our beginner's guide if you haven't picked your birds yet.