Chickens eat a complete commercial feed as the base of their diet, plus clean water, a small amount of treats, and some grit and oyster shell on the side. The exact feed depends on age. This guide is a clear, beginner-friendly walkthrough of what to feed, what to skip, and how to keep daily feeding simple.
The short answer
Most of what your chickens eat should be a complete chicken feed formulated for their life stage. Treats and kitchen scraps are fine in small amounts, but they should stay under about 10 percent of the daily diet. Hens that lay eggs also need calcium, usually from free-choice oyster shell.
For more on which feed to buy and when to switch, see our chicken feed guides.
Complete chicken feed by life stage
- Chicks (0 to 8 weeks): Starter feed, around 18 to 20 percent protein. Available medicated or unmedicated.
- Pullets (8 to 18 weeks): Grower feed, around 16 to 18 percent protein with lower calcium than layer feed.
- Laying hens (18 weeks and up): Layer feed, around 16 percent protein with added calcium for strong shells.
- Mixed-age flocks: All-flock or flock-raiser feed, with free-choice oyster shell on the side for laying hens.
For the full breakdown, including transitions and medicated starter, see our chicken feed guide by age.
Grit and oyster shell
These are both small dishes you set on the side of the feeder. They are not the same thing.
- Grit: Small stones that help chickens grind food in their gizzard. Any chicken eating treats, scraps, or forage needs access to grit. Free-range birds usually find their own.
- Oyster shell: A calcium supplement for laying hens only. Provided free-choice in a separate dish so hens can self-regulate. Chicks and roosters do not need it.
Water
Clean water at all times is non-negotiable. A laying hen drinks roughly two cups a day, more in heat. A hen that loses water access for even a few hours can stop laying for a day or longer.
Refill or top up at least daily, and rinse the waterer when you see algae, droppings, or feed scraps in it. For waterer choices, see our chicken waterer guide.
Safe treats and kitchen scraps
Common safe treats and scraps include:
- Leafy greens like kale, lettuce, and chard
- Cooked oats, plain rice, and cooked pasta in small amounts
- Cucumbers, tomatoes (ripe), and zucchini
- Apple flesh, berries, and melon (no apple seeds)
- Cooked beans and lentils
- Mealworms or black soldier fly larvae
- Pumpkin and squash, including the seeds
- Plain yogurt in tiny amounts
Most fresh garden produce is safe in moderation. Variety helps, but any single treat should still stay a small part of the day.
Foods to avoid
- Avocado pits and skin. Toxic to chickens.
- Raw or green potato peels. Contain solanine.
- Dry uncooked beans. Toxic until cooked through.
- Chocolate, coffee, and tea. Toxic to most poultry.
- Moldy or spoiled food. Mold toxins are serious.
- Heavily salted, sugary, or fried food. Hard on their digestion.
- Onion in large amounts. Small bits in scraps are fine, large amounts are not.
- Raw eggs in their original shell. Crushed and cooked is fine, but feeding raw whole eggs can teach hens to eat their own eggs.
Why treats should not replace feed
Complete chicken feed is balanced for protein, calcium, vitamins, and minerals. Bread, scratch, and table scraps are not. When treats start to make up too much of the diet, hens often lay fewer or weaker eggs, lose feather quality, or gain unhealthy weight.
A good rule is the 90 to 10 split. About 90 percent complete feed, around 10 percent treats and scraps. Treats are excellent for training and bonding when used in small amounts.
A simple daily feeding routine
- Top up the feeder with fresh complete feed in the morning.
- Refill or rinse and refill the waterer.
- Check that grit and oyster shell dishes are not empty.
- Give a small handful of treats or scraps in the afternoon, if you like.
- Lock the coop at sundown after a quick visual flock check.
That is the whole daily feeding routine. Pair it with a clean, well-set-up coop. See what should be inside a chicken coop for the inside layout.
FAQ
How much feed does a hen eat per day?
Roughly a quarter pound, or about half a cup, of complete feed per laying hen per day. A 50-pound bag lasts six hens around a month. Use our chicken feed calculator to estimate weekly and monthly amounts for your flock.
Can chickens eat bread?
A small amount of plain bread is fine occasionally, but it has little nutritional value. Skip moldy bread and skip heavily processed or sweetened bread.
Do chickens need scratch grain?
No. Scratch is a treat, not a feed. It is fun for training and good for cold-weather warmth, but it should not replace complete feed.
Can chickens free-range and skip feed?
Most backyards do not have enough forage to fully feed a flock. Free-range birds still need access to complete feed, even if they eat less of it on good foraging days.
Match feed to life stage, keep treats under ten percent of the diet, and offer free-choice oyster shell to laying hens. If you want printable feeding routines and a daily care list to pin near the coop, the Chicken Homestead Checklist Bundle includes a feeding guide checklist alongside daily and seasonal routines.
Disclosure
Some links on Chicken Homestead may be affiliate links. We only recommend products we’d use ourselves. See our affiliate disclosure for details.
