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Feeding ChickensSo you've decided to raise some chickens... Feeding Chickens Chickens, generally, aren't too picky, but they do better with a well-rounded diet. They love fruits and vegetables, they also eat meat and insects (it might be surprising to some to find out that chicken's aren't vegetarians!). All chickens need protein in their diets, although the protein level they need varies depending on the birds function (layer hens verses meat birds). Although chickens will eat most anything, it doesn't mean they should. You'll find they will probably have favorite things to eat (my girls love cracked corn), but they don't have too may sensibilities when it comes to eating a balanced diet. It's up to the chicken owner to help provide that balance as well as keeping them away from things that are harmful for them to eat. (Here's a list of things chickens should NOT eat.)
Feed Based on Age and Intended Use What you feed your chickens depends on their age and whether they'll be laying eggs or eaten for meat. Chicks should eat chick starter if they're being raised for layers and meat bird starter for those you intend to eat. If you have both kinds of chicks mixed together, feed them all meat bird starter, which is higher in protein. Starter food comes either with or without medication. If you choose the medication route, you'll need to stop feeding your chickens this food 4-5 months before they lay eggs or 2-4 weeks before you butcher the meat birds, to make sure the medication is completely out of their system. After the chicks graduate from the brooder, if you have a mixed flock, it's best to separate them at this point. Feed the layers a pullet food and the meat birds until they're about 20 weeks old. From that point, switch them to layer food, which contains more calcium, vitamins and minerals that a laying hen will need. For meat birds (known as 'broiler' birds), use a finisher-grower food after they leave the brooder. Even if you have a small city flock, consider getting your feed in 50 pound bags (you could split it with a friend if it feels like too much). It's WAY cheaper in the long run to buy your food in this quantity, as it's the normal size the feed store carries (if they carry smaller sizes, they've generally split and weighed the bags themselves, causing the price to rise significantly.) Depending on what kind of chickens you have and how much you're supplementing their diet (allowing them free range time or feeding them table scraps), will determine how fast you'll use that food. I find that with a flock of 8 chickens (who get some recess time out in the yard and some fruit and vegetable scraps) a 50 lb bag lasts about a month, give or take a few days either way. Other Food Stuff Another thing that needs to be part of a chicken's diet is grit. Since chickens don't have teeth, they need something to help them break their food down for digestion. Chickens seem to sense when they need grit (tiny pebbles and rocks), so just keeping a small bowl full for the chickens to eat at leisure works fine. If you're raising chickens for eggs, adding an additional small bowl of oyster shell is also a good idea. This helps them with the calcium they need to produce nice, hard-shelled eggs. Free Range and Fresh Food Any time your chickens can hang out in the yard is great. There might be restrictions to allowing your chickens 'recess' time if you're raising them in the city, but chickens are healthier if they have access to bugs, worms, plants, weeds, and other things found out in the 'wild' of the backyard. They will also happily eat your food scraps. Most of what you don't throw in the compost can be given to your girls (check here to make sure it's safe). Some chicken owners report having 'carb addicts' for hens who gobble up bread, rice and cereal as fast as they can. For some reason, I can't get my chickens to eat that kind of stuff, but they do love fruits, vegetables and clover. When out in the yard, they fight over worms pulled from the ground. I've even seen a hen leap and catch (and eat) a butterfly in mid-air. Treats Chickens can be fed a variety of 'treats', but treat them like treats, and don't over-do it. My girls love both cracked corn and bird seed mixes. I sprinkle a couple small handfuls out each day to give them something to scratch around in their chicken run for. They love to eat it and it gives them a bit of exercise in the process. There are also commercially made 'chicken treats' that you can buy such as mealie worms. Your chickens will love you forever if you feed them those things. Water Fresh water is super important to a chicken. They need a lot of it. Depending on the temperature, a chicken can drink from 2 to 4 cups of water per day, per chicken. Where they don't seem to be as picky in the eating department, they can be very picky about their water. They don't like it dirty or hot. Because of this, it's important to change the water frequently to insure your chickens drink as much water as they need. In the winter, make sure the water supply isn't frozen. If it freezes, thaw it out at least twice a day. If you live in a cold region, consider getting an heated dog dish or a heated base to set your chicken waterer on.
Other chicken information you might find helpful: How Much Space does a Chicken Need? How to Keep Your Chickens Happy Things Chickens SHOULD NOT eat How to Make an Automatic Chicken Waterer
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