What to Feed Chickens: A Chicken Feed Nutrition Guide

If you ever look at your local chicken feed store shelves, you might’ve noticed that there isn’t a lot of variety regarding poultry feeds. Because of this, it can be difficult to discern which products are right for your flock. Today, we will discuss the specific nutrient requirements of laying hens, and how to pick the best feed option for your flock.

Stages of Chicken Growth

First, you need to consider how old your birds are and what production stage they’re in. Most people who keep backyard birds are familiar with the three main stages: starter, grower, and layer phases. Oftentimes, it’s typical for starter and grower feeds to be combined. If your birds are less than 4 months old, they should be fed a complete starter/grower feed; these feeds contain all the nutrients required for your young birds to create feathers, grow, and develop their immune systems. In contrast, if you have laying hens 4 months old or older, your birds should be given the best chicken feed available. If you have laying hens in different stages all in one flock or have roosters, keep reading, and we’ll get into how to care for them.

Chicken Nutrition

The laying phase is the most popular phase for people who keep backyard poultry.  People keep backyard poultry for numerous reasons and fresh eggs is usually a significant one. A high-quality, complete layer feed is a must-have for keeping your birds healthy and producing high-quality, nutritious eggs for you and your family.

If you read our previous article on The Lowdown on Leftovers, you might know a “complete feed” is a feed that your birds could solely eat and still be healthy, because it contains all the nutrients, in the correct proportions, needed to perform well.

If you compare the tags on starter/grower feed and layer feed, it shouldn’t be shocking to see they’re different. However, there should be one nutrient that stands out: CALCIUM! The calcium in a complete layer feed should be 3-4 times higher than in a starter/grower feed as calcium is a crucial nutrient for hens if you want to produce high-quality egg shells. Overall, a single egg takes a little over 24 hours to form, and 15 of those are spent solely on eggshell formation! Eggshell formation is a crucial part of the process for laying hens, and, after all is said and done, the eggshell is composed of over 94% calcium carbonate. A hen in peak production produces one egg per day, every day, so of course, her calcium needs are through the roof! Luckily, all of our Kalmbach Feeds complete layer feeds contain ALL the nutrients needed for laying hens to stay in peak physical condition and produce high-quality eggs.

However, laying hens aren’t the only backyard chickens kept anymore. Nowadays, chickens are seen as more than just a food source; they’re part of your family. Because of this, roosters aren’t just along for the ride and destined for dinner -- they’re valued members of the flock. So today, as more and more people consider their chickens pets, we need to consider the nutrient needs of all the chickens, as opposed to just the egg-producing hens. 

If you have any retired hens or roosters in your flock, they have different needs that need to be met, for example, roosters and non-producing poultry don’t require the same amount of calcium as a laying hen. Because of this, having these birds as part of your flock can complicate your feed choices, but there are options. Backyard poultry keepers commonly use a flock feed like 20% Flock Maker® or 16% Flock Maintainer® and use a separate calcium source, such as oyster shells or limestone chips. Some poultry keepers will use two feeds for their flock, a high-quality complete layer feed for producing hens and a 16% flock maintainer for the others. These are both excellent options, however, they require more space and effort from you.

If you love using a complete layer feed for producing hens but are worried about your other poultry consuming the excess calcium, Henhouse Reserve® could be the right fit for your flock. Henhouse Reserve® is a unique, textured, complete feed composed of vegetables, grains, seeds and nutrient-rich pellets. It also contains a variety of independent sources of calcium. With this feeding strategy, you can give your hens all the calcium they need while still allowing your other poultry to self-regulate how much calcium they consume.  Henhouse Reserve® is an excellent option for poultry keepers who are low on space or don’t want to manage the use of two different types of feed.

What Else Can Chickens Eat Other Than Chicken Feed?

Chickens can eat various things, so if you’re looking for a way to treat them, you can consider poultry blocks, and even leftovers and kitchen scraps. However, remember that all treats and extra food should be limited to 10-15% of your flock's total feed intake. Chickens can eat virtually anything – however there are a few things to look out for, which we’ll touch base on later in this article.

Why is Chicken Feed Nutrition Important?

• Main source of nutrition
  

Your chicken feed is your flock's primary source of nutrition and where they get all of the things required for them to flourish under your care. Without good chicken feed, your chickens won’t be very healthy or happy. 

• Immune system
  

The nutrients in your chicken feed are essential for them to develop and maintain a healthy immune system. Just like people, if they don’t have the necessary nutrients in their feed, they won’t be able to fight off diseases. 

• Growth
  

In order for your flock to grow and be healthy in your care, they need nutrients. A good chicken feed will ensure that they’re healthy and able to grow to a healthy size. Without a good feed, your chickens won’t grow correctly and be healthy.

• Reproduction
  

If you plan to have your chickens reproduce, they need the nutrients to do so. Without a proper feed, your flock won’t be able to produce healthy eggs or chicks.

Types of Chicken Feed

• Starter/Grower 
  

Starter/Grower chicken feed is designed specifically for chicks. In their first six weeks, chicks can safely consume only starter/grower feed, crumbles, and water. 

• Layer
  

Layer rations are meant for birds who are 20-22 weeks old and at egg-laying maturity. This feed is specifically designed to help hens get the necessary nutrients to produce healthy eggs. Other birds shouldn’t consume this feed due to the high calcium levels, so make sure to keep it away from any chicks or non-producing chickens.

• Chicken Scratch
  

Chicken Scratch isn’t a complete feed– it is primarily used as a snack, and shouldn’t make up more than 10% of your flock's diet. It's a great treat and fun for the birds, but chickens cannot survive solely on chicken scratch.

What Not to Feed Chickens

As a general rule of thumb, when thinking of what not to feed chickens, always ask, “Should I eat this?” If the answer is no, then you shouldn’t feed it to your chickens. However, although that is a good starter question, there are specific foods that you should avoid giving to your poultry.

• Potato peels should be avoided. While it is safe for them to consume most of the time, if you accidentally feed your chickens green potato peels, it can cause major health issues with your flock, so it’s best to avoid them altogether. 
  
• High-fat foods are generally bad for you, and also your chickens.
  
• Avoid foods that are high in salt. An excess of salty foods can cause dehydration, diarrhea, kidney damage, and death. 
  

Best Practices for Feeding Chickens

• Age
  

Depending on their age, your chickens should be eating different feeds.. A combination starter-grower feed can be used, such as our 18% All Natural Start Right® Chick Feed and Chickhouse Reserve®. Once your chickens reach 16 weeks of age, they can switch to a layer feed. 

• Feed Type
  

There are multiple feeding types, but we recommend a complete feed containing all the nutrients your flock needs to sustain itself. With a complete feed, your chickens will get all the protein, calcium, and other essential nutrients and vitamins required for them to be healthy.

• Feeding Frequency
  

When feeding chickens without an automatic feeder, it's a good practice to feed them in small amounts, roughly 2-4 times a day. If you have an automatic feeder, your chickens can eat as much as they want when they want. While you may be worried about this approach, chickens rarely overeat, so this is usually not a concern.

• Treats
  

When feeding your birds treats, you should be careful not to let them take over your flock's diet. Treats should only make up 10% of your chicken's diet. Also, always ensure that what you’re giving your chickens isn’t harmful to them.

• Storage
  

Chicken feed and treats can be stored inside the original container, and put in a metal or plastic bin to keep it dry and safe from insects and rodents.

Find the Best Chicken Feed for Your Flock with Kalmbach Feeds®

Kalmbach Feeds offers a variety of different feed options that can be a good fit for any flock, from starter/grower, to grower, layer, and all-inclusive feeds, that are offered in a variety of textures and types to meet your needs.

Keeping poultry is a wonderful and rewarding experience. At Kalmbach Feeds, we’re always here to help. If you have any questions about your birds' nutrient needs, feed options, or general poultry keeping, please let us know via our contact page.