The Best Chicken Feed
Whether you just brought a new chicken home or have years of experience raising chickens, ensuring they get the right nutrients is a top priority. Quality chicken feed will help them stay in tip-top condition and lay healthy eggs with strong shells. With so many feeds on the market, choosing the right feed for your chicken's unique needs isn't always easy. To help you with your search, we've rounded up some of the best chicken feeds the internet has to offer.
What to Look For
We recommend keeping the following questions while shopping for the best chicken feeds: Does it provide balanced nutrition? Is the food appropriate for your chicken’s life stage? Does your chicken prefer mash, crumble, or pellet feed? Our top choice was from Manna Pro, which provides complete nutrition and is certified non-GMO. We were also impressed by LuckyQworms, which is made from all-natural mealworm feed designed to keep chickens healthy. Keep reading to learn more about our top picks and discover the best feed for your chicken.
Manna Pro Organic High Protein Chicken Feed
Balanced nutrition
Help keep your chickens strong and satisfied with this chicken feed from Manna Pro. The organic feed’s high protein content is designed to maximize your flock’s health while helping them produce nutritious, organic eggs. That’s not all; it doesn’t contain artificial flavors or colors, so you can rest assured your feathered friends are only eating wholesome ingredients.
Pros:
- We love that this feed produces eggs with hard shells, orange yolks, and a delicious flavor.
- Since this feed comes in pellets, it’s suitable for not only chickens but also ducks, geese, and other birds.
Cons:
- There’s a lot of dust in the feed.
LuckyQworms High Protein Mealworm Chicken Feed
Tasty and nutritious
These mealworms from LuckyQworms provide chickens with a healthy snack they can enjoy year-round. The protein-rich treats supply your chickens with the daily nutrients they need to stay strong and active. Plus, they’re non-GMO and preservative-free, helping to ensure they lay eggs that are good for you and your family too.
Pros:
- We were thrilled by how enthusiastic chickens were about this feed, gobbling it up and asking for more.
- This product supports chickens throughout their lifespan, giving them the nutrients they need to thrive.
Cons:
- The plastic bag the product comes in isn’t very durable.
Scratch and Peck Organic Mash Chicken Feed
Naturally wholesome
If you’re searching for organic chicken feed with balanced nutrition and high-quality ingredients, this chicken feed from Scratch and Peck is worth considering. The protein-rich feed is made with organic grains and flax meal. Plus, it contains the essential vitamins chickens need to grow strong and healthy. Feeding your flock this feed will help them produce nutritious eggs with strong shells.
Pros:
- We were impressed that many of the ingredients in this feed are grown sustainably, including the larvae used for protein.
- Chickens seem to like that this feed has a thick consistency and contains chunks of corn, seeds, and other grains.
Cons:
- The bag isn’t waterproof, so keep it away from moisture.
Manna Pro Chick Starter Medicated Crumbles
Healthy beginnings
Baby chicks need a special diet with nutrients tailored to meet their needs. This chicken feed from Manna Pro helps ensure they have everything they need to grow into strong, healthy chickens. It contains a higher protein content than feed for adult chickens, which supports muscle development and weight gain. Plus, it’s easier for chicks to eat because it comes in a crumble form.
Pros:
- We especially liked that this feed is medicated, which helps chicks fight off diseases like coccidiosis.
- This feed is fortified with the essential vitamins and minerals chicks need.
Cons:
- The crumbles may be too large for some chicks.
Purina Layena Crumbles Premium Layer Feed
The right stuff
This chicken feed from Purina proves there’s no need to break the bank to ensure your flock gets the nutrition they need to grow strong and produce healthy eggs. This feed is designed to deliver essential nutrients to your chickens that help enhance egg production. It also contains prebiotics and probiotics to support your feathered friends’ digestive system and immune health.
Pros:
- We found that this feed provides chickens with a properly balanced diet that supports them throughout all stages of their adult lives.
- Chickens seem to enjoy this food, and it helps them maintain their weight and produce eggs with bright yolks.
Cons:
- The feed is dustier than we’d like.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most important ingredients to look for in chicken feed?
The types of chickens you have and their age are the most important factors to consider when analyzing a chicken feed’s ingredients. Your chicken will also have different needs depending on whether you raise them for meat, eggs, or as a pet. As a rule of thumb, looking for feeds that have calcium, amino acids, prebiotics, and probiotics is a good idea.
How much feed do chickens eat in a day?
How much food a chicken eats will depend on its life stage and the time of year. Most adult chickens will consume about half a cup of chicken a day. When the weather is sunny and warm, chickens may eat more grass, bugs, and weeds, decreasing the amount of feed they need. In colder months, they may eat more feed because they use a lot of energy trying to stay warm.
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