Chicken nutrition

Feed them correctly and half your “health problems” disappear.

Chicken nutrition is boring — and that’s why people mess it up. This guide covers feed types, treats, supplements, grit, water hygiene, and common UK backyard mistakes.

Principle: balanced feed + clean water beats “magic supplements” every time.

Feed types Treats Grit & oyster shell Water hygiene

The core diet (what to buy)

Your main feed should do the heavy lifting. Everything else is optional.

Life stage	Recommended feed	Notes
0–6/8 weeks	Chick crumb / starter	Higher protein. Keep feeders clean and dry.
Growers	Grower pellets	Used until point-of-lay (follow your feed brand guidance).
Laying hens	Layers pellets	Formulated calcium for laying. If they’re laying, this is usually the base.
Mixed flock	All-flock feed + free-choice calcium	Useful if you have non-layers (cockerels, juveniles, moulting birds).

Common mistake: feeding lots of grain/treats and then wondering why egg production drops or birds get overweight.

Treats (the 10% rule)

Treats should be “interest”, not calories.

Keep treats to ~10% of the diet (as a rough rule).
Greens and vegetable scraps are better than endless corn.
Protein treats are useful during moult, but don’t turn them into junk food.
Never feed anything mouldy. Ever.

Brutal truth: if your birds “won’t eat their pellets”, you trained them not to. Reduce treats, keep pellets available, and they’ll come back to basics.

Grit vs oyster shell (don’t mix these up)

Grit helps digestion (especially if they eat greens, forage, or whole grains).
Oyster shell / calcium supports egg shell formation.
Many hens self-regulate calcium, but you need to make it available.

Simple setup: offer grit and oyster shell separately, free-choice.

If you’re using a complete layers feed and your hens free-range on soil, their grit needs may be lower — observe and adjust.

Water hygiene (quietly crucial)

Dirty water is a disease accelerator.

Provide clean water daily (more in summer).
Position drinkers away from scratching areas to reduce contamination.
In freezing weather, plan for ice — chickens can dehydrate fast.
Regularly scrub drinkers; “topping up” isn’t cleaning.

Reality: in a run, they will kick bedding into everything you thought was “protected”.

Supplements: what’s helpful vs what’s marketing

Useful sometimes

Electrolytes during heat stress, probiotics after antibiotics (vet-directed), extra protein during moult, extra calcium if shells are thin.

Usually unnecessary

Daily “tonics” when birds are healthy and on balanced feed. Save your money for proper housing and parasite control.

Danger zone

Random medicated products without diagnosis. If a bird is sick, identify the problem — don’t throw powders at it.

If you want one “supplement” that works: better run design. Less stress = better immunity = fewer problems.

Raising happy, healthy chickens

Routine checks, parasites, and flock management.

The things no one tells you

The time, cost, and holiday reality — with mitigation.