What Food Can Chickens Eat?

Feeding chickens might appear straightforward, but providing a varied and balanced diet is essential for their health, egg production, and overall wellbeing. Whether you keep a few hens in your garden, manage a small flock on a smallholding, or are new to chicken keeping altogether, knowing what chickens can and can’t eat will help them thrive.

Why Diet Matters for Chickens

Chickens are omnivores and natural foragers. In the wild they spend much of their day scratching and pecking for seeds, insects, plants, and small invertebrates. A proper diet supports:

• Strong bones and healthy growth
• Good feather condition
• Reliable egg laying with strong shells
• A healthy digestive system
• A robust immune response

An unbalanced or inappropriate diet can lead to nutritional deficiencies, obesity, soft-shelled eggs, poor laying, and long-term health issues.

What Chickens Should Eat

A Balanced Commercial Feed

The foundation of a chicken’s diet should always be a high-quality commercial poultry feed designed for their life stage.

Common options include:

• Layers pellets or mash – for laying hens, with added calcium
• Grower pellets – for young chickens not yet laying
• Chick crumb – for chicks, finely milled for easy eating

Pellets help reduce waste, while mash allows slower feeding. Choose what suits your flock best.

Avoid medicated feeds unless advised by a vet, especially if your chickens also produce eggs for consumption.

Fresh Vegetables and Greens

Vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, and enrichment.

Safe vegetables include:

• Cabbage, kale, spinach, spring greens
• Lettuce (avoid iceberg)
• Carrots (grated or chopped)
• Courgette, cucumber, pumpkin
• Broccoli, cauliflower, green beans
• Peas and sweetcorn

Hang leafy greens from a string or scatter chopped veg to encourage natural foraging behaviour.

Fruit (As an Occasional Treat)

Fruit is enjoyed by chickens but should be limited due to its sugar content.

Safe fruits include:

• Apples (no seeds)
• Pears
• Grapes (cut in half)
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Bananas
• Melon

Fruit should be fed in moderation and should not replace their main feed.

Protein Sources

Extra protein is beneficial during moulting, for growing birds, or during colder months.

Suitable protein sources include:

• Mealworms (live or dried)
• Earthworms and insects
• Scrambled or boiled eggs (plain, no seasoning)
• Cooked fish (unseasoned)

Protein treats should be occasional, as excess protein can cause health problems.

Grains and Seeds

Grains are best offered as treats rather than staples.

Suitable options include:

• Wheat
• Barley
• Oats
• Maize (cracked or whole)
• Sunflower seeds (unsalted)

Scatter grains to encourage scratching and exercise.

Kitchen Scraps (With Care)

Many household leftovers can be safely fed if they are fresh and unseasoned.

Acceptable scraps include:

• Plain cooked rice or pasta
• Cooked potatoes (never raw)
• Vegetable peelings
• Bread crusts (very occasionally)

Scraps should make up only a small part of the diet.

What Chickens Shouldn’t Eat

Foods Toxic to Chickens

Some foods are dangerous and should never be fed:

• Avocado (especially the skin and stone)
• Onions and garlic
• Chocolate
• Caffeine
• Apple seeds
• Raw beans
• Green potato skins

These can cause serious illness or poisoning.

Salty, Sugary, or Processed Foods

Chickens are sensitive to salt and additives. Avoid feeding:

• Crisps
• Chips
• Processed meats
• Takeaways
• Biscuits, cakes, or sweets

These provide no nutritional benefit and can harm their health.

Mouldy or Spoiled Food

Never feed food that is mouldy or gone off, as it can contain toxins that are fatal to chickens.

Feeding Chicks: Special Considerations

Chicks have very specific nutritional needs.

Suitable foods for chicks:

• Chick crumb (unmedicated)
• Finely chopped greens (after the first week)
• Small insects
• Clean, fresh water at all times

What to avoid for chicks:

• Layer feed (too much calcium)
• Large or hard foods
• Bread
• Treats in excess

Grit is not needed for chicks unless they are eating foods other than chick crumb.

Grit, Calcium, and Supplements

Grit

Chickens need grit to help grind food in their gizzard.

• Insoluble grit: needed if chickens eat anything other than pellets
• Offer free-choice in a separate container

Calcium

Laying hens need extra calcium for strong eggshells.

• Provide crushed oyster shell or limestone grit separately
• Never mix extra calcium into feed for non-laying birds

How Much and How Often Should Chickens Eat?

Most adult chickens should have constant access to their main feed.

General guidelines:

• Pellets/mash: available all day
• Greens: daily or several times a week
• Treats: no more than 10% of their diet

Overfeeding treats can reduce egg production and lead to obesity.

Water Requirements

Chickens must always have access to:

• Clean, fresh water
• Containers that cannot be easily tipped over
• Water that is refreshed daily

In winter, check regularly for frozen water.

Final Tips for Healthy, Happy Chickens

• Keep feeding areas clean to deter rodents
• Store feed in sealed containers
• Introduce new foods gradually
• Observe droppings and behaviour for signs of dietary issues

Conclusion

Chickens do best on a diet centred around quality commercial feed, supplemented with vegetables, occasional fruit, and protein treats. Avoid toxic, salty, or processed foods, and always provide clean water and appropriate supplements. With the right diet, your chickens will be healthier, happier, and more productive.