The most popular way to feed your hens is with a pellet ration, for your egg producing hens it will be layers pellets you require, Always check the label of the feed you are buying that it has a minimum of 16% protein listed, (our feed is 16.5%), dont forget what you put in is what you get out and at the end of the day you will be eating the eggs.

Also to remember chickens do not have teeth, they use grit in their gizzards to grind up food, There is two types of grit

HARD: for digestion
CALCIUM - which dissolves in the stomach and provides calcium for egg production - crushed oystershell is the most common.

When a chicken eats the food is stored in the crop, just beneath the neck against the breastbone. The food goes into the crop which extends to accomodate the food. Its a bit like a storage area. Food softens here and small amounts are passed through to the small stomach and gizzard where it is broken down and digested. This is where the grit comes into play to help break down the food.

You can also give mixed grain as a treat - Chickens are food-tame - they will come to you because you have a treat in your hand and will eat grain out of your hand. They also love vegetable, salad & fruit choppings, but not potato peelings and not too much bread, which gives them the runs!. They also love cooked pasta but be careful as it is loaded with carbs, which will make your hens fat. Chickens love and need greenery like grass - scientific studies have shown they prodce better eggs with less cholestrol and more Omega-3 fatty acids (currently good for you!).

There is no need to measure out your layers pellets, just fill you feeder and top up as required, Hens can only eat so much feed so the cannot over eat however they can eat too much of a bad thing, so save your treats til the afternoon. Make sure your hens have had a good fill on the layers pellets before giving them corn or veggies etc, ....think of it as they have to eat their dinner before they get dessert .......
Jo's Top Tip

Never mix up mix corn with the layers pellets as they will flick out the layers pellets to get to the corn and waste the layers pellets. It would be like hiding chocolate buttons under some carrots or cabbage on my sons plate, I know what would get eaten first.

Things not to feed your hens

Raw potatoe peelings. - unless you boil and mash them up.

Long grass - can form a ball inside their crop which may become impacted.

Bread - Again causes an impacted crop

Lettuce - too much gives them diarrhea

Any Kind of Meat

Let us know your hens favourite things to eat