Whether you’re just starting out with keeping chickens, or you’ve been raising them your whole life, finding the best chicken feed for your flock always takes some research.
With hordes of brands, feed types and age brackets to consider, picking the perfect pellets of nourishment for your egg layers can often feel like a minefield. Getting it wrong can stunt bird growth, feather quality, egg standards and of course, impact the quality of life.
Chickens need a balanced diet with protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Protein, in particular, is vital for growth and egg production. Foragers can get protein from meaty insects such as worms, slugs and snails, but of course, these can be weather dependent. You may also not want your chickens digging up your plants.
Food with the wrong balance of nutrients is also dangerous. Gas and bloating, gut rot and bacterial infections are common in chickens who aren’t fed the correct food.
The feed you give your chicken can depend on their age, more of which you can read in our FAQs and our beginner’s guide to keeping chickens.
So to help you find the ideal choice to increase your bird’s health and allow better waste management, we’ve outlined the very best options for every type of chicken feed, from crumbs and mash to pellets and energy balls!