Chicken Feed: What It Contains and How to Choose the Right Diet

By Dr Duncan Houston

A bag of chicken feed can look fairly simple. The decisions behind it are less obvious: is it for growing chicks, laying hens or meat birds? Does it provide a complete diet? And will adding grain or kitchen scraps improve it?

The right feed supports healthy growth, strong eggshells and good body condition. The wrong feed can leave birds short of essential nutrients or give them too much of something they do not need.

Quick answer: Standard chicken feed usually combines cereal grains, protein sources, fats, vitamins, minerals and added amino acids. Choose a complete feed labelled for your chickens’ age and purpose, with chick starter, grower, layer and meat-bird diets serving different needs. Laying hens require extra dietary calcium, while chicks must not be raised on high-calcium layer feed.

What is chicken feed made from?

Commercial feeds combine ingredients to deliver a particular nutrient balance.

Component	Common examples	What it provides
Cereal grains	Wheat, sorghum and maize	Energy for maintenance, growth and egg production.
Plant protein sources	Soybean meal, canola meal and suitable legumes	Amino acids for muscles, feathers, eggs and other tissues.
Processed animal protein sources, where included	Appropriately manufactured meat and bone meal or fishmeal	Protein and, depending on the ingredient, minerals.
Fats and oils	Suitable feed-grade oils and fats	Concentrated energy and essential fatty acids.
Mineral ingredients	Limestone, phosphate sources, salt and trace mineral premixes	Calcium, phosphorus and other essential minerals.
Vitamins and added amino acids	Vitamin premixes, methionine and lysine	Help balance nutrients that the other ingredients may not supply adequately.

Ingredients differ between manufacturers and regions. In Australia, wheat and sorghum are common energy sources, while soybean and canola meals are widely used plant protein ingredients. A different ingredient list does not automatically mean a poorer feed; the final nutritional balance matters.

Complete feed, scratch grain and supplements are different products.

A complete feed is formulated to meet the nutritional needs of the stated birds when fed as directed, with drinking water provided separately.

Scratch grain is a mixture of grains intended for occasional supplementary feeding. It does not supply the balance found in a complete ration.

A concentrate or premix needs to be combined with other specified ingredients at the correct rate. It should never be assumed to be ready to feed on its own.

For most backyard flocks, buying an appropriate complete feed is more practical than attempting to balance a homemade ration.

1. Match the feed to the birds you have.

Begin with age, whether the birds are laying, and whether they are being raised for eggs or meat.

Chicken group	Suitable feeding approach	Main consideration
Young chicks	Chick starter appropriate for their type	Supports early growth in a form small birds can eat.
Growing replacement pullets	Pullet grower or developer feed	Supports development before egg laying begins.
Hens approaching or entering lay	Transition to layer feed according to the supplier’s programme	Provides the calcium and other nutrients needed for egg production.
Meat chickens	Broiler starter, grower and finisher programme	Matches the demands of the strain and intended finishing weight.
Mature roosters and hens that are not laying	An appropriate maintenance ration	Avoids assuming every adult chicken needs a layer diet.
Breeding birds producing hatching eggs	A suitable breeder programme	Considers fertility, hatchability and chick development.

Use the product’s directions for transition ages and weights. Different breeds mature at different rates, and manufacturers do not all use identical feeding phases.

Meat chickens need particular care. Fast growth must be supported by appropriate nutrition, leg health and management. A broiler programme should match the birds being raised rather than simply aiming for the fastest possible weight gain.

Do not feed layer pellets to chicks simply because the adults already eat them. Excess calcium can damage growing birds’ kidneys and interfere with normal development. In mixed flocks, arrange separate feeding groups or obtain advice on a shared feeding programme that meets each group’s needs.

2. Read the nutrient information, not just the protein number.

Crude protein is useful, but it does not describe the entire diet.

Chickens need specific amino acids, particularly methionine and lysine, in suitable amounts. They also need enough energy and the correct mineral and vitamin balance.

A feed with a higher protein percentage is not automatically better for every flock. Nor does adding a handful of a protein-rich ingredient guarantee an improvement. The nutrients need to work together.

When comparing bags, check:

• The species, age group and production stage.

• Whether the product is complete or requires mixing.

• Protein, calcium and any listed amino acid specifications.

• Feeding directions and storage guidance.

• Whether medication is included.

• Any restrictions on feeding it to birds producing eggs or meat for consumption.

If the label leaves important details unclear, ask the manufacturer for the product specification.

3. Choose a feed form the chickens can eat without excessive waste.

Chicken feed commonly comes as:

• Mash: A ground mixture.

• Crumble: Pellets broken into smaller pieces.

• Pellets: Compressed pieces of feed.

Choose a particle size appropriate for the birds. Crumbles are often convenient for chicks, while many adult flocks manage pellets well.

Pellets reduce opportunities to select favourite ingredients and leave the rest. Mash can also work well, provided the formulation and feeding system are suitable.

Watch what remains in the feeder. Repeatedly leaving fine material behind can mean the birds are not eating the diet in its intended proportions.

4. Understand the difference between calcium and digestive grit.

The word “grit” causes plenty of confusion.

Product	Purpose	Important distinction
Insoluble poultry grit, such as appropriately sized granite	Helps the gizzard grind whole grains and fibrous material	Supports mechanical digestion.
Oyster shell or shell grit	Supplies calcium	Does not replace insoluble digestive grit.

Birds eating whole grains or foraging should have access to suitable insoluble grit. Birds eating only a properly manufactured complete mash, crumble or pellet generally do not need grit to break down that feed.

Laying hens can be offered an appropriate calcium source separately so they can take additional calcium when needed. Avoid mixing extra calcium throughout every bird’s ration, particularly where growing chicks are present.

Persistent soft shells deserve a review of the whole feeding and health picture, rather than endlessly adding more supplements.

5. Keep grain, scraps and treats from displacing the complete diet.

Chickens can be very persuasive around a bucket. Enthusiasm is not evidence of nutritional balance.

For adult laying hens, a practical guide is to keep scratch grain and treats to no more than about 10% of the daily feed offered by weight. This is a ceiling, not a target, and it does not make unsuitable foods safe.

Provide complete feed first. Free-ranging birds still need a balanced ration; pasture and insects provide a variable contribution and should not be relied on to fill an unknown nutritional gap.

Food-waste rules also depend on location. In Queensland, prohibited swill must not be fed to poultry, including backyard chickens. The restrictions include meat, eggs and food contaminated by prohibited animal material. Properly rendered ingredients in manufactured feed are treated differently.

Check your own state or territory’s current rules before feeding household or commercial leftovers. A permitted food can still be nutritionally unsuitable as a major part of the diet.

6. Make water, feeder access and storage part of the feeding plan.

Provide plentiful clean drinking water and check drinkers every day. Look for blocked nipples, overturned containers, dirty water and equipment positioned beyond the reach of smaller birds.

During hot weather, provide shade, ventilation and cool water, with more frequent checks. Heat can reduce appetite, so a decline in feed intake may reflect the environment rather than the feed itself.

Use enough feeding space to prevent dominant birds from excluding quieter flock members. Check that chicks can reach feed easily and that they are actually eating.

Keep feed dry and protected from rodents and wild birds. Use older stock first, follow the manufacturer’s storage period and discard mouldy or contaminated material. Do not repeatedly top up a dirty feeder with fresh feed.

7. Compare feeding cost with the result you achieve.

Price per bag tells you what you spend at the shop. Records show what that feed costs your flock.

For laying hens:

Feed cost per dozen eggs = feed cost during the recording period ÷ eggs collected during that period × 12

For example, suppose a flock uses 1.2 kg of feed daily at $0.90 per kilogram and produces eight usable eggs:

• Daily feed cost: 1.2 × $0.90 = $1.08.

• Feed cost per dozen eggs: $1.08 ÷ 8 × 12 = $1.62.

These are illustrative figures, not current prices or a recommended feeding allowance. Housing, bedding, replacement birds and veterinary costs are additional.

For meat chickens, compare feed used with liveweight gained:

Feed cost per kilogram of gain = feed price per kilogram × kilograms of feed used per kilogram of gain.

Use the same measurement basis and account for wastage. Poor leg health, mortality and time to reach market weight also affect the outcome.

For backyard pets, healthy body condition and welfare remain central even when the hens are taking a break from laying.

What about medicated chick feed?

Some chick feeds contain a coccidiostat to help prevent coccidiosis, an intestinal parasitic disease.

Ask the hatchery about the chicks’ vaccination programme and confirm the appropriate feed with your veterinarian or supplier. Medicated feed should fit the flock’s disease-prevention plan.

Read the actual product label for age restrictions, use in laying birds and any egg or meat withholding requirements. Do not assume the same rules apply to every medicated feed.

Poor laying or growth is not always a feed problem.

Reduced egg production can reflect shorter days, moulting, age, stress, heat, parasites or disease. Hens may also hide eggs, and broken or eaten eggs can make production appear lower than it is.

Review recent changes in feed, water, housing and flock behaviour before buying another supplement. Persistent problems warrant veterinary assessment.

What you notice	What to do
Fewer eggs, but birds remain bright and eat normally	Review season, moult, age, feed intake, water and hidden nests.
Weight loss, repeated abnormal shells, poor growth or reduced appetite	Arrange veterinary advice and bring feed labels and flock records.
Breathing difficulty, collapse, several sick birds or unexplained deaths	Seek urgent veterinary help. Call before transporting birds because an infectious disease may be involved.

An abrupt flock-wide production drop, particularly with illness or deaths, needs prompt investigation rather than a trial of different feed.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Feeding high-calcium layer feed to chicks.

• Treating scratch grain as a complete ration.

• Adding supplements without checking what the feed already supplies.

• Assuming free-ranging birds obtain everything they need outdoors.

• Buying more feed than can be stored fresh and dry.

• Changing feed repeatedly while overlooking disease, heat or poor access.

Frequently asked questions

Can chickens eat only wheat or corn?

No. These grains provide energy but do not supply a complete balance of protein, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. Use them only within a properly formulated feeding programme.

Do free-range chickens still need pellets?

They need a balanced ration, although it can be supplied as suitable mash, crumble or pellets. Foraging is a variable supplement and does not guarantee adequate nutrition.

Will higher-protein feed make hens lay more eggs?

Only if inadequate protein or amino acid intake is part of the problem. Extra protein cannot reliably overcome seasonal changes, ageing, stress or illness.

Should I add calcium to chick feed?

Do not routinely add it to a complete chick ration. Chicks need a carefully balanced calcium supply, and excess can be harmful. Shell supplements are intended for birds with an appropriate need, particularly laying hens.

If you are unsure which feed suits your flock, ASK A VET™ can help you understand the feeding questions and health concerns worth discussing with your poultry veterinarian or nutritionist. Keep the feed label, birds’ ages and a simple record of appetite, growth and egg production handy.