Feeding

Good feeding is the foundation of a healthy, productive flock, and it is simpler than many newcomers fear. Get a few basics right — the correct feed for the bird’s age, clean water, grit and sensible treats — and most of the rest follows.

Match the feed to the life stage

Poultry feed is formulated for different ages, and feeding the right type at the right time matters more than any supplement or treat. A complete feed is designed to provide everything a bird needs, so it should always make up the bulk of the diet.

• Chick crumb (often called starter crumb) for newly hatched chicks. It is finely ground so small beaks can manage it, and it is higher in protein to support rapid early growth. Choose a chick crumb appropriate to whether your chicks have been vaccinated against coccidiosis, and follow the supplier’s guidance.
• Growers pellets (or grower crumb) for the in-between stage, roughly from a few weeks old until just before laying. Protein is a little lower than chick crumb, supporting steady growth without pushing birds into lay too early.
• Layers pellets or layers mash once hens reach point of lay, usually around 18 to 20 weeks. Layers feed contains added calcium for strong eggshells. Pellets reduce waste and are tidy; mash takes longer to eat, which can keep birds occupied and reduce boredom, but it can be messier and is sometimes mixed with a little water into a crumbly porridge.

Avoid giving layers feed to chicks and young growers — the calcium level is too high for developing birds. Equally, growing pullets should move onto layers feed only as they approach lay. If you keep a mixed-age flock, a flock-raiser or all-in-one feed alongside separate oyster shell can be a practical compromise; ask your feed merchant what suits your birds.

Fresh water, always

Water is the single most important thing in the run, and a bird will suffer from a shortage of it far faster than from a shortage of feed. Hens drink a surprising amount, especially in warm weather and when laying well.

• Provide clean, fresh water at all times and refresh it daily; rinse drinkers regularly to stop a slimy film building up.
• In winter, check that water has not frozen — break ice morning and evening, or use an insulated or heated drinker during hard frosts.
• In summer, keep drinkers in the shade so the water stays cool, and consider a second drinker so birds always have access.
• Site drinkers slightly away from where birds perch or dust-bathe to keep droppings and litter out of the water.

Grit and oyster shell — two different jobs

These are often confused, but they do separate jobs and both have their place. Offer them in a small separate pot or hopper so birds can help themselves; they self-regulate well.

• Insoluble grit (flint or granite grit) is the bird’s teeth. Poultry have no teeth, so they swallow small hard stones that sit in the gizzard and grind food. Any bird eating grain, greens or treats needs access to grit. Free-ranging birds on stony ground may find some naturally, but it is wise to provide it regardless.
• Soluble grit (crushed oyster shell or limestone flour) is a slow-release source of calcium for laying hens, helping produce firm shells. Layers pellets already contain calcium, but offering oyster shell on the side lets individual hens top up as they need to. Thin, soft or shell-less eggs can be a sign of a calcium shortfall, though other causes are possible too.

Treats and greens in moderation

Treats and kitchen greens are a pleasure for keeper and bird alike, and a little foraging keeps a flock active and content. The key word is moderation. A common guide is that treats should make up no more than around a tenth of the daily diet — the rest should be complete feed. Too many treats dilute the nutrition in the balanced ration and can leave birds short of what they need to lay and stay healthy.

• Good options include leafy greens, cabbage hung up as a “pecking ball”, grated carrot, cucumber, sweetcorn and small amounts of mealworms or other suitable poultry treats.
• Mixed corn or scratch is enjoyed but is low in protein and fattening — scatter only a small handful, ideally in the afternoon.
• Avoid anything mouldy, very salty, very sugary, or heavily processed. Dried or raw beans, avocado, rhubarb leaves and green or sprouting potato are not suitable.
• Scattering greens and grain encourages natural scratching and foraging, which helps prevent boredom and feather-pecking.

A quick legal note for the UK and Ireland: it is against the law to feed poultry kitchen scraps that have passed through a domestic kitchen, including meat, or food from premises that handle meat. This rule exists to reduce disease risk. Garden greens and produce grown and prepared away from the kitchen are a safer way to offer variety; when in doubt, stick to proper feed and clean greens.

Schedules and how much to feed

Most keepers find free-feeding the simplest approach: keep a feeder topped up with complete feed so birds can eat little and often through the day, which is how poultry naturally graze. Hens are good at regulating their own intake.

• Fill or check feeders in the morning and again before dusk so birds go to roost with full crops, which helps them through cold nights.
• Lift feed indoors overnight, or use a treadle feeder, to avoid attracting rats, mice and wild birds.
• Watch body condition rather than counting exact grams — birds will eat more in cold weather and less in summer. Adjust treats first if a bird is carrying too much weight.
• Offer treats and scattered corn later in the day, once birds have eaten their fill of balanced feed.

Storing feed and avoiding mould

Feed is only as good as the way it is kept. Damp Irish and British winters make storage especially important, because mould and toxins can develop in feed that has got wet, and mouldy feed can make birds seriously ill.

• Store feed in a clean, dry, vermin-proof container with a tight lid — a metal or sturdy plastic bin works well and keeps rats out.
• Keep it off the floor and out of direct sun, somewhere cool and dry.
• Buy quantities you will use within a few weeks rather than stockpiling, and use older bags first.
• Check the best-before date, and discard any feed that smells musty, looks clumped, or shows mould. When in doubt, throw it out.

Choosing feeders and drinkers

The right equipment cuts waste, keeps feed clean and saves you work. There is no single “best” design; match it to your flock size and setup.

• Feeders: gravity or hopper feeders keep feed dry and let birds eat through the day. Rain-proof or covered feeders suit outdoor runs. Treadle feeders, which open only when a bird stands on them, are excellent for excluding rodents and wild birds.
• Drinkers: gravity drinkers and nipple-drinker systems both keep water cleaner than open bowls. Choose enough capacity for your flock and the weather, and provide more than one if you keep a larger group.
• Size up so birds are not crowded at feeding, clean equipment regularly, and place both feeder and drinker under cover where you can to keep wild birds away — useful for general hygiene and during avian-influenza housing measures.

Feeding well comes down to consistency: the right complete feed for the age of the bird, fresh water and grit always available, treats kept as a small extra, and everything stored clean and dry. For any sign of illness, poor condition or persistent egg-quality problems, consult a qualified vet rather than relying on diet changes alone.