Your Complete Guide to Chicken Feed

Learn about the different varieties of poultry feed available for your chickens.

When raising backyard chickens, the amount of care you provide is often reflected in your flock’s overall health and well-being.

One of the most important factors in keeping your birds happy and healthy is the type of poultry feed you use. However, choosing what to feed them can be a bit overwhelming with all the types of chicken feed that are out there.

Blain’s Farm & Fleet understands how difficult this can be, which is why we’ve made this guide to chicken feed to help make the decision a little bit easier.

Chick Feed

You should give chicks up to 11 to 15 weeks old feed specifically designed for chicks. This will ensure they get the nourishment they need to properly develop. Chick feed comes in a few different varieties.

Chick Starter Feed

This feed is typically meant for chicks that are zero to six weeks of age. But you can feed it to chicks up to 15 weeks old. It contains high amounts of protein, vitamins, and minerals to help the chicks grow at a rapid yet healthy rate.

Medicated Chick Starter Feed

This feed is similar to chick starter. The only difference is it’s treated with coccidiostat, which is a medication that helps chicks overcome coccidian protozoa, a poultry disease that often infects baby chicks.

Grower Feed

This feed is designed for chicks that are between seven and 15 weeks old. It has slightly lower protein than starter feed but higher protein than layer feed. It also has lower amounts of calcium. High amounts of calcium can be detrimental to your chick’s growing process at this stage in their life.

Layer Feed for Hens

Complete layer feeds are suitable for egg-laying hens that are 16 weeks and older. There are high amounts of calcium in layer feed to support egg production and quality, and low amounts of protein. Layer feed comes in several different forms.

Layer Feed Crumbles

Crumble feed is feed that been reduced to tiny, gravel-like granules to allow for easy consumption. This is a complete feed that provides your hens with the nutrition they need.

Layer Feed Pellets

Pellet feed is a food chickens can eat that has been pelletized to reduce waste and to make it easier to distribute.

Layer Feed Mash

Mash is unprocessed feed that is finely ground down to a powder-like consistency and is sometimes mixed with water. This choice offers easy consumption but tends to produce higher amounts of waste.

Fermented Layer Feed

Some chicken owners prefer fermented feed. This is generally healthier for chickens because the fermentation process adds beneficial bacteria to the food. This bacteria helps boost your chickens’ immune and digestive health.

The type of layer feed you choose is up to you and your hens’ personal preferences. Layer feed also comes with different levels of protein, such as 16% or 18%. The amount of protein you will want is dependent on the needs of your hens.

Meat-Bird Feed

Meat-bird feed is typically fed to birds that are being raised for butchering purposes. Because the lives of meat birds tend to be relatively short, you should give this feed to meat birds right away when they are chicks.

Broiler Feed

Broiler feed has high amounts of protein that is made for rapid growth. This is typically fed to commercial meat birds or birds being raised for meat. This is because it makes the birds ready for butchering in as soon as eight weeks of age.

The amount of protein in this feed is too high to give to layer hens. Feeding them broiler feed can potentially lead to liver damage.

Game-Bird Feed

Game-bird feed is typically fed to show birds or senior birds. This is because it contains higher amounts of protein that can make the bird a bit weightier. Plus, it helps improve the quality and shine of their feathers. It has significantly less protein than broiler feed, so it is safe to feed to non-meat birds.

Other Varieties of Chicken Feed

In addition to the standard chick feeds, layer feeds, and meat-bird feeds, you have a few more poultry feed options.

All-Flock/Flock Raiser Feed

This feed is meant for a flock that contains a mixture of layers and non-layers, young and old chickens, hens and roosters, or different species of poultry.

This feed contains enough protein for growing birds. But it does not have the calcium levels that could be bad for roosters, chicks, or elderly birds. However, since it doesn’t have high levels of protein, calcium supplements may be required if you have layers in the flock.

Organic Feed

Organic feed can come in chick, layer, and meat-bird feed. It’s made with non-GMO, organic ingredients that ensure your chickens get a wholesome meal. Organic feed is more expensive than regular feed, but for chicken raisers who want to go the organic route, it’s a must.

Chicken Treats and Supplements

Treats and supplements can provide your chickens with an extra boost of nutrients. But they are not meant as a meal replacement, so it’s important to feed them in moderation along with their regular feed.

Scratch Grains

Scratch is a composite of different grains that makes for a good treat to sprinkle on the ground while the chickens are foraging.

Oyster Shell

Oyster shell is a great way to help your birds get some extra calcium in their diet. It’s important not to mix it into their regular feed, as the hens will only eat it if it’s needed. And you want them to have the option to not eat it.

Grit

Grit is crucial for the breakdown of food in your bird’s gizzard. While chickens can find natural grit when foraging, it’s still helpful to have extra grit available for your birds.

Mealworms

Freeze-dried mealworms are a favorite treat among chickens, and they’re a great way to provide them with some extra protein. However, you’ll want to feed these in moderation because you don’t want your chickens to fill up on just mealworms.

Cracked Corn

While corn is cheap, it is very high in fat and low in any nutritional value. Cracked corn is good for an occasional treat. But most people use it during the cold, winter months as a way to keep their chickens warm. The empty calories of the corn can help chickens retain heat in bitter-cold temperatures.

Deciding what to feed your chickens can be intimidating with all the varieties. But we hope that this guide made the process a bit easier. Blain’s Farm & Fleet has a large variety of chicken feed and supplies to ensure that your chickens get the best, no matter what kind of feed you choose.

For more tips and guides on raising your backyard flock, check out our Chickens & Poultry Blog.