The Complete Guide to Chicken Feed: What Your Flock Needs to Thrive

Are you staring at your chickens wondering what the heck to feed them? I’ve been there! When I first started raising my backyard flock, I was completely overwhelmed by all the different feeding options. Should I buy commercial feed? Make my own? What about treats? How much do they actually need?

After years of experience and plenty of research, I’m sharing everything you need to know about feeding your feathered friends properly. Let’s dig in!

Understanding What Chickens Naturally Eat

Before we dive into commercial feeds and feeding schedules, it’s important to understand what chickens eat in the wild. Chickens are natural omnivores – they’ll eat almost anything they can find!

In nature. chickens consume

• Insects and worms
• Seeds and grains
• Fresh greens and plants
• Small animals (even mice and lizards!)
• Fruits and berries

This varied diet provides them with a perfect balance of protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals Our job as chicken keepers is to replicate this balanced diet as closely as possible.

Basic Nutritional Requirements for Chickens

All chickens need these basic nutrients:

• Protein – Essential for growth, egg production, and feather development
• Carbohydrates – Provides energy
• Fats – Helps with vitamin absorption and provides energy
• Vitamins and Minerals – Especially vitamins A, D3, B12, E, and minerals like calcium and phosphorus
• Fiber – Aids in digestion
• Water – Often overlooked but absolutely crucial!

Different Types of Chicken Feed

The type of feed you choose depends on your chickens’ life stage. Commercial feeds are specifically formulated for different stages of development.

Chick Starter Feed (0-8 weeks)

Baby chicks need special nutrition! Chick starter contains about 20-24% protein to support rapid growth and development. You can choose between:

• Medicated starter – Contains a coccidiostat to prevent coccidiosis
• Non-medicated starter – Without medication, good if you’re using natural supplements

I personally use non-medicated chick crumble with my Baby Chick Care Kit which includes First Peep (a natural supplement). This gives my babies a great start without medication.

Grower Feed (8-20 weeks)

Once your chicks hit about 8 weeks, it’s time to switch to grower feed. This contains around 16-18% protein – still supporting growth but not as high as starter feed.

Layer Feed (20+ weeks)

When your pullets start laying eggs (usually around 20-24 weeks), switch to layer feed. This contains:

• About 16% protein
• Higher calcium content for eggshell development
• Balanced vitamins and minerals for egg production

Important: Don’t feed layer feed to chickens that aren’t laying yet! The extra calcium can damage their kidneys. Also, don’t feed it to roosters for the same reason.

Broiler/Meat Bird Feed

If you’re raising chickens for meat, they need special high-protein feed (22-24% protein) to support rapid growth. These birds grow incredibly fast and need the right nutrition to develop properly.

Feed Forms: Mash, Crumbles, and Pellets

Chicken feed comes in different textures:

• Mash – Fine, powdery texture (like soil). Great for chicks but can be messy.
• Crumbles – Coarser than mash but not as compact as pellets. Good middle ground.
• Pellets – Compressed feed that reduces waste. Most common for adult chickens.

I’ve found that pellets are much less messy and waste less feed. My chickens protested at first when I switched from crumbles to pellets, but now they love them just as much!

How Much Feed Do Chickens Need?

The average adult chicken eats about 1/4 to 1/2 pound of feed per day, or roughly 1.5 pounds per week. But this varies based on:

• Breed and size
• Age
• Activity level
• Weather (they eat more in cold weather)
• Access to forage
• Egg production (laying hens need more)

Most chicken keepers provide feed “free choice,” meaning food is available at all times. This works well because most chickens (except certain meat breeds) won’t overeat.

Feeding Schedule: How Often Should You Feed Chickens?

There are two main approaches:

Free Choice Feeding

This is what I do with my flock. Food is available 24/7, and chickens eat when they’re hungry. This is convenient and ensures all chickens get enough to eat, even those lower in the pecking order.

Scheduled Feeding

Some chicken owners prefer to put food out twice a day. This can help reduce pests in your coop since food isn’t always available. It’s great if you’re already in the habit of feeding farm animals twice daily.

Making Your Own Chicken Feed

If you want to save money or have more control over what your chickens eat, you can make your own feed. A basic homemade chicken feed recipe might include:

• Wheat (30%)
• Corn (30%)
• Peas (20%)
• Fish meal (10%)
• Oats (10%)
• Poultry Nutri-Balancer (2%)
• Free choice kelp and aragonite

Other ingredients you might include:

• Sunflower seeds
• Flaxseeds
• Millet
• Quinoa
• Buckwheat
• Sesame seeds
• Brewer’s yeast

Just be sure your homemade feed provides balanced nutrition with appropriate protein levels for your chickens’ stage of life.

Don’t Forget the Supplements!

Grit

Since chickens don’t have teeth, they need grit (small stones) to help grind food in their gizzards. If your chickens free-range, they’ll find natural grit. If not, provide it separately from their feed.

Calcium Supplements

Laying hens need extra calcium for eggshells. You can provide:

• Oyster shell (offered separately in a dish)
• Crushed, baked eggshells
• Calcium supplements like Chicken E-lixir

Healthy Treats for Chickens

Treats should make up no more than 10% of your chickens’ diet, but they’re great for bonding with your flock and providing enrichment. Good options include:

• Fruits: Berries, apples (no seeds), melons, bananas
• Vegetables: Leafy greens, carrots, cucumbers, zucchini
• Proteins: Mealworms, crickets, cooked eggs
• Grains: Oats, popcorn (unsalted), cooked rice
• Scratch grain: A mix of cracked corn and grains (feed sparingly, especially in winter)

I like to use treats like Happy Tract and Golden Graze that contain beneficial ingredients along with the fun stuff my chickens love.

Foods to NEVER Feed Your Chickens

Keep these potentially harmful foods away from your flock:

• Avocado (contains persin, toxic to chickens)
• Chocolate (contains theobromine)
• Raw or green potatoes (contain solanine)
• Onions (can cause anemia)
• Raw beans (contain lectins)
• Moldy or spoiled food
• Citrus fruits (high acidity)
• Salty, sugary, or processed foods
• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Green tomatoes and tomato plants
• Rhubarb

Chicken Feeders: Which Type is Best?

There are two main types of feeders:

Gravity Feeders

These are the most common. Food drops down as chickens eat from the trough below. They can be:

• Hanging
• Wall-mounted
• Free-standing

Automatic Feeders

These cost more initially but can save money long-term by reducing waste. Many work with a pedal system where chickens step on a platform to access food.

Water: The Most Important Nutrient

Chickens need access to clean, fresh water at all times. An average chicken drinks about 2 cups of water daily, and more during hot weather. Laying hens that don’t get enough water will decrease egg production and may even go into molt.

Make sure to:

• Clean waterers regularly
• Provide enough waterers for your flock size
• Keep water from freezing in winter
• Place waterers in shade during summer

Money-Saving Tips for Feeding Chickens

1. Buy in bulk – Purchasing larger quantities usually costs less per pound
2. Allow foraging – Free-ranging chickens supplement their diet naturally
3. Grow feed ingredients – Consider growing sunflowers, corn, or other crops
4. Ferment feed – Fermentation increases nutrient availability and makes feed go further
5. Use kitchen scraps wisely – Leftover vegetables, fruits, and grains reduce feed costs
6. Reduce waste – Use feeders that prevent scratching and spilling

Special Considerations for Different Seasons

Summer Feeding

• Chickens eat less when it’s hot
• Provide cool, fresh water constantly
• Feed earlier in morning and later in evening when temperatures are lower

Winter Feeding

• Chickens need more calories to stay warm
• Consider feeding scratch grain before roosting (digestion generates heat)
• Ensure water doesn’t freeze

Integrating New Chickens with Different Feed Needs

If you’re adding new chickens to your flock, you might face the challenge of different feeding requirements. For example, chicks need starter feed while adult hens need layer feed.

The solution is to separate the groups initially, giving each their appropriate feed. Gradually introduce them while monitoring to ensure everyone gets proper nutrition.

My Personal Approach to Feeding Chickens

Every chicken keeper develops their own system. Here’s mine:

I keep my flock’s feed and water in the coop with 24/7 access. This works well for my large flock, ensuring everyone gets what they need regardless of pecking order. When weather permits, I give treats and leftovers outside. In winter, I toss scratch on their bedding, which encourages them to turn it (less work for me!).

Final Thoughts

Feeding your chickens properly doesn’t have to be complicated. Start with a quality commercial feed appropriate for your chickens’ life stage, provide necessary supplements, add some healthy treats, and ensure constant access to clean water.

Watch your flock closely – they’ll let you know if something’s not right with their diet through behavior, appearance, and egg production. And remember, happy chickens mean healthy eggs and meat for your family!

What feeding approach do you use with your flock? Have you found certain treats or techniques that work particularly well? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments!

Chickens should not eat toxic foods like chocolate, avocados, raw beans, apple seeds, green potatoes, rhubarb, and certain weeds. They should also avoid moldy food, excessively salty or sugary foods, alcohol, coffee grounds, and raw meat.

Yes, free-ranging chickens still require supplemental feeding from a complete, balanced chicken feed, as their foraging for insects, seeds, and plants is unlikely to provide all the essential nutrients for optimal health and productivity.

Chickens need a constant supply of food available at all times, but it’s also acceptable to provide feed in small amounts twice to four times a day, especially if they are free-range and forage for treats.