This week, let’s dive deep into the world of Chicken Food. If you’re new to raising backyard chickens, understanding their diet can feel overwhelming. With so many options available, it’s natural to have questions. Consider this your comprehensive guide, where I’ll share my own feeding strategies and insights on how often to feed your feathered friends. Let’s start by exploring the best practices for feeding chickens.
Best Practices for Feeding Your Chickens
Many chicken keepers adopt a feeding schedule of twice a day, and for good reason. This method can be incredibly effective in managing pests around your coop. By limiting the availability of food and water in the coop, you significantly reduce the attraction for mice, rats, and other unwelcome visitors. This approach is particularly convenient for those already accustomed to feeding other farm animals on a twice-daily routine. While this is a highly recommended practice, my approach is slightly different. I provide my flock with 24/7 access to both food and water, keeping it inside the coop. This is a system that works best for my setup.
My primary reason for continuous feeding is the size of my flock. I worry that a limited feeding schedule might not ensure that every bird gets adequate nutrition. With constant access to food, even the hens lower in the pecking order have ample opportunity to eat their fill after the more dominant birds have had their share. During pleasant weather, supplemental snacks, treats, and kitchen leftovers are always offered outdoors, enriching their diet and environment.
In the colder months, to keep things tidy, I usually place leftover food pans and treats inside the coop. Additionally, I scatter scratch grains directly onto their bedding. This encourages natural foraging behavior and turns my chickens into helpful coop-cleaning assistants as they scratch and turn the bedding – a true win-win situation!
Exploring Different Types of Chicken Food
Now, let’s explore the variety of chicken food available. When starting with baby chicks, I always opt for a non-medicated chick crumble. My preference for non-medicated feed stems from the effectiveness of my Baby Chick Care Kit, which includes First Peep. First Peep provides a fantastic natural start for chicks, using natural ingredients to support their health in the same way medicated feeds do. This choice aligns with my preference for natural approaches, especially as a supporter of Strong Animals Chicken Essentials.
Once your chickens reach approximately 8 weeks old, it’s time to transition from a non-medicated starter feed to a grower feed. This stage is crucial as your chickens develop into mature hens ready to lay eggs. Switching to grower feed at this point ensures they receive the specific nutrients needed to support their growth and overall health during this developmental phase.
When it’s time to switch to layer feed for my hens, I choose pellets. I’ve found that pellets are significantly less messy and result in less wasted food compared to crumble. Initially, the chickens showed some resistance to the change, but they quickly adapted and now consume pellets just as readily.
For those raising meat chickens, it’s essential to feed them meat bird food throughout their entire (and relatively short) life. This specialized feed is formulated to promote rapid growth, enabling them to reach market weight in approximately six weeks.
Determining How Much Chicken Food Per Chicken
Understanding the correct amount of chicken food to feed your flock is vital for their health and productivity. Nutritional balance is key. On average, a healthy adult chicken will eat around 1/4 to 1/2 pound of feed each day.
However, this is just an average. The exact amount can fluctuate based on several factors including age, weight, breed, and activity levels. For instance, young, rapidly growing chicks require feed that is richer in amino acids, protein, and phosphorus to support their development. Once hens begin laying eggs, their nutritional needs shift again. They require layer feed and often benefit from increased calcium to support strong eggshell formation. To supplement calcium intake and enhance eggshell quality, I incorporate Chicken E-lixir into their diet as an additional calcium source.
Integrating Flocks with Different Chicken Food Requirements
One of the biggest challenges in managing chickens, especially when expanding your flock, is accommodating different dietary needs. Ensuring chicks receive appropriate nutrition while adult hens have access to their specific feed can be tricky.
The first step is always to physically separate different age groups, providing distinct feeding areas for each. This guarantees that each group receives the correct nutrition without competition. When you’re ready to integrate the flocks, a gradual introduction is best. Start by placing the new chicks or birds in an area adjacent to the existing flock, but still separate.
Over several days, allow each group to explore the boundaries and acclimate to each other’s sights and sounds. Constant monitoring during this period is crucial to watch for any signs of aggression or bullying.
Once a comfortable dynamic is observed, you can begin to remove the barrier, allowing them to mingle freely. Remember that the newly introduced birds will need time to adjust to the new feed. Transition them gradually from their previous feed to the new one over a few weeks. Patience and careful observation are key to successfully integrating flocks with varying dietary needs, ultimately leading to a harmonious and healthy flock.
Understanding Chicken Scratch
It’s important to distinguish between chicken scratch and chicken food. Chickens absolutely adore scratch! If given the choice, they might pick scratch over their regular chicken food any day. While scratch is an excellent treat, it should never replace a high-quality chicken food. Chicken food is scientifically formulated to provide a complete and balanced diet essential for their health and well-being.
For my flock’s scratch, I love using Happy Tract and Golden Graze. These options ensure they enjoy a treat that is not only fun but also healthy and beneficial.
Foods to Avoid Feeding Chickens
When it comes to treats, knowing what chickens can safely eat and what foods chickens should avoid is crucial.
Chickens can safely enjoy a variety of fruits like apples, blueberries, strawberries, and watermelon, always in moderation. Vegetables such as carrots, cucumbers, green beans, and lettuce are also beneficial additions to their diet. Grains are another favorite, making corn and oatmeal suitable as occasional special snacks.
However, it’s important to avoid feeding them foods high in sugar, salt, or unhealthy fats, such as chocolate, avocado, and processed junk food. Additionally, tomato plants and raw potatoes can be toxic to chickens, so always research before introducing new items to their diet.
If you are just starting your journey with backyard chickens, welcome! It’s truly one of the best decisions I’ve made. And for seasoned chicken keepers, it’s always beneficial to refresh your knowledge on chicken nutrition, especially when considering expanding your flock.
Until next time,
–The Wing Lady
Baby Chick Care Kit – Chick Care Made Easy
Whether you’re a first-time chicken owner or experienced, the Baby Chick Care Kit offers an easy and natural way to give your baby chicks the best possible start.
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First Peep – Chick Feed Supplement
First Peep is a non-medicated supplement that naturally aids digestive health and encourages baby chicks to eat well from their first few weeks.
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Chicken E-lixir – Daily Vitamin for Chickens
Chicken E-lixir is designed to be added to drinking water as a daily vitamin supplement, promoting digestive health and overall wellness in chickens. Its unique formula includes organic oregano essential oil, prebiotics, calcium, vitamins D & E, and electrolytes, ideal for everyday use.
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Golden Graze – For Quality Eggs & Golden Yolks
Golden Graze serves as a daily chicken snack that enhances egg quality, promoting golden yolks and increasing Omega-3 fatty acids. This healthy treat combines oregano essential oils, multi-grains, cracked corn, oyster shells, marigold petals, and flaxseed. Treat your hens to Golden Graze and enjoy eggs-cellent results.
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Happy Tract – For Digestive Health & Immunity
Happy Tract is a daily chicken snack designed to support digestive health and boost immunity in your flock. It contains a blend of oregano, cinnamon, and thyme essential oils, along with prebiotics, multi-grains, cracked corn, and sunflower seeds. Spoil your feathered friends with this wholesome snack.
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