The Best Chicken Feed
Providing your chicken with the right nutrients and proper feed for their life stage is of the utmost importance. Whether you need layer feed for your general flock, grower feed for your chooks, or starter feed for your babies, we've got you covered. Searching for the right chicken feed can be overwhelming, with so many options like mash, crumble, pellets, shell grit, and more. To help you find the best option for you and your chickens, we've curated a wide array of chicken feed options. When searching for the perfect feed, we considered three factors, including life stage, ingredients, and type of feed. Selecting the right feed for your chickens is dependent upon their life stage. While many feeds are created for mature hens, we found Purina's crumble feed to be a great option for chicks. This feed provides your peeps the nutrition they need to grow healthy and strong. Nutrients and ingredients are a chief concern when picking feed for your chickens. While there are many organic, non-GMO options for feed, we found Amzey's mealworms to stand out. Protein-packed and non-GMO, your chickens will be healthy and happy with this flavorful treat. While different types of feeds are beneficial in their own way, we found Manna Pro's layer feed to be a step above the rest. Since it is pellet feed, less waste is produced, and the chickens receive a more consistent level of nutrition. Beneficial for your wallet and your chickens, we loved this feed type. Read on to see the rest of our picks and find the right feed for you and your chickens.
Manna Pro Organic Layer Feed
Healthy pellets
If you have laying chickens, this layer feed is for you. Since the feed is USDA-certified organic and non-GMO, the eggs your hen produces are organic as well. This bodes well for selling the eggs, or just for your family’s health if you consume the eggs. Crafted with protein, this feed will encourage optimal egg production from your hens. Made in pellet form, this feed will make you and your chickens happy. Since the pellets are eaten whole, your chickens will be less likely to scratch through the feed and create a mess; also, the pellet form allows for a more even consumption of nutrition. Your layers will be producing quality eggs in no time with this feed.
Pros:
- This feed seems to help chickens stay healthy and produce delicious eggs.
- We love how easy this feed is to store, without smells or dust.
- Waste is reduced with this feed since the whole pellets are simple to clean up and are not ground up as easily as other types.
Cons:
- This feed is more expensive than others, but organic feed tends to be more costly.
Scratch and Peck Feeds Organic Layer
Raw and unprocessed
Corn and soy are common additives to feed. However, these ingredients are not necessary and do not provide the proper fatty acids, vitamins, and other nutritional value that chickens need to grow and thrive. Since it is high in calories, corn simply fattens your chickens up faster. Soy can cause elevated hormones and mineral deficiencies. Scratch and Peck provides soy and corn-free feed, so you can rest easy knowing your chickens are eating healthy. The feed contains whole grain, allowing for better nutritional absorption. Certified Organic and non-GMO, you can’t go wrong with this healthy feed.
Pros
- We noted that layers seem to produce excellent eggs while eating this feed, with large, bright yolks and strong shells.
- For chickens that love to scratch and peck, this feed lives up to the company name.
- We found that chickens who refuse to eat pellets seem to love this feed.
Cons
- This feed can create a mess, since your chickens will scratch through it.
Amzey Mealworms
Mealworms are chock full of protein, vitamins, fiber, and other nutritional benefits. If your chicken is molting or laying, supplementing their diet with mealworms can add the additional protein they need. Non-GMO, without preservatives or additives, this is a feed that’s hard to beat. Mealworms are also known to boost the immune systems of chickens, keeping your babies healthy and happy. Your chickens won’t be able to get enough of these delicious, juicy mealworms.
Pros
- Many chickens seem to love the long, thick mealworms as a treat.
- We like that the mealworms seem to arrive fresh, making them even more enticing for chickens.
- The mealworms are whole, giving your chickens something natural and new to peck at.
Cons
- Due to the high protein content, mealworms should not be the sole source of feed for your chickens.
Purina Start and Grow Crumbles Feed
Chicks need lots of nutritious food to grow healthy and strong. Purina packs their feed with probiotics and probiotics, so your peeps will have healthy immune and digestive systems. Balanced with a multitude of necessary nutrients, vitamins, and amino acids, the chicks will be set up for success. The amino acids support muscle and skeletal development, and the vitamins aid the peeps’ growth. Ensuring your peeps grow at a proper pace is a high priority for you, and this crumbles feed can help.
Pros
- We noticed that chicks’ beaks and plumage were bright and healthy in color after eating this feed.
- We love this feed as a transitional food for pullets, before starting them on layer feed.
- This feed is unmedicated, which is beneficial for vaccinated chicks.
Cons
- The crumbles may create powder, which may require screening the feed to prevent clogs in your feeders.
Purina Layena Crumbles Premium Layer Feed
Your layers deserve the best so they can do what they do best. Vitamins A, D, and E aids in reproductive health, so your chickens will produce eggs properly. This feed has a high level of xanthophyll, which produces rich, yellow egg yolks. The calcium manganese and mineral content will improve the strength of the shells, too. Beyond benefits for egg production, the nutrients will give your chickens beautiful plumage, healthy and bright. Sunny side-up, scrambled, or poached, you won’t be able to get enough of your chickens’ eggs after this feed.
Pros
- This feed creates a properly rationed diet, so your chickens are sure to be healthy and happy.
- We found that molting chickens may start laying again after a week on this feed, due to the high protein content.
- While some crumble feed tends to be powdery, this feed seems to be of high quality and properly sized.
Cons
- Crumble feed may create more of a mess than pellets, since it has smaller particles.
How often should I feed my chickens?
While there are no standard rules for feeding your chickens, you need to keep in mind that chickens eat all day long. So ensure there is ample food for them to eat in their pens, and consider feeding them twice a day. You might stick to a morning and night ritual. Chicks require much more frequent feeding, roughly every two hours.
Is it possible to overfeed chickens?
As long as your chickens have a healthy diet, it is not likely that you will overfeed them. Chickens will stop eating when they are full. Just be sure you aren’t filling them up on treats, as that will impact their appetite for feed.
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