What Do Chickens Eat? A Complete Feeding Guide for Backyard Chickens
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. One of the first questions new chicken keepers ask is “What do chickens eat?” Closely behind it is another important question: “How do you keep a backyard flock healthy and productive?” The good news is that chickens are not very picky. They can eat a wide range of foods, including commercial feed, grains, greens, insects, and some kitchen scraps. In this complete feeding guide, you’ll learn what chickens eat, which foods are safe, which foods to avoid, how feeding changes with the seasons, and how to choose the best feed for every stage of a chicken’s life. If you’re just starting out, our Complete Beginner Guide to Raising Chickens walks through everything from choosing breeds to setting up your first coop. What Do Chickens Eat? Chickens eat a wide variety of foods both in the wild and in backyard flocks. A healthy diet typically includes commercial feed, grains, insects, kitchen scraps, and fresh greens. A good chicken diet includes commercial feed, grains, insects, kitchen scraps, and fresh greens. Each of these plays a role in keeping your flock strong and productive. Commercial feed forms the backbone of most backyard chicken diets because it’s formulated to meet a chicken’s daily nutritional needs. Beyond that, chickens are natural foragers. They scratch the ground looking for bugs, seeds, and plant matter. Feeding chickens a mix of quality feed and natural forage produces the healthiest birds. Here’s a quick overview of the foods that make up a typical backyard chicken diet: 🐔 Food Type 🌾 Role in the Diet Commercial pellets or crumble Forms the bulk of a chicken’s daily diet and provides balanced nutrition. Grains (corn, oats, barley) Provide energy and carbohydrates for active birds. Insects and worms Deliver natural protein and encourage natural foraging behavior. Kitchen scraps Offer variety and nutrients when given in moderation. Leafy greens Provide vitamins and minerals while keeping chickens active. While chickens can eat many different foods, they still need the right balance of nutrients to stay healthy. The Basics of a Healthy Chicken Diet While chickens eat a wide variety of foods, they still need a balanced diet to stay healthy. A complete chicken diet covers four main nutritional areas. Protein Protein supports feather growth, muscle development, and egg production. Laying hens need about 16% protein in their diet. Good protein sources include mealworms, fish meal, and high-quality commercial feed. Free-ranging chickens also get extra protein from insects. Carbohydrates Carbohydrates give chickens energy. Corn, wheat, and oats are common sources. Don’t overdo it with corn, though. Too much corn can throw off the nutritional balance and lead to weight gain. Vitamins and Minerals Fresh greens, vegetables, and quality feed all contribute vitamins and minerals. Chickens that forage freely tend to get a good mix naturally. Confined birds may benefit from occasional vitamin supplements, especially if they have limited access to fresh forage. Calcium Laying hens require extra calcium to produce strong eggshells. Most layer feeds include calcium, but many keepers offer oyster shell as a free-choice supplement on the side. We’ll cover this more in a later section. Types of Chicken Feed Not all chicken feed is formulated the same way. The best chicken feed depends on your bird’s age and purpose. Starter Feed Starter feed is designed for chicks from hatch through about 8 weeks of age. It’s high in protein, usually around 20–22%, and supports rapid early growth. It typically comes as a fine crumble that young chicks can eat easily. Grower Feed Grower feed is used for pullets from about 8 weeks until they begin laying, usually around 18–20 weeks. Protein drops slightly, to around 16–18%, as growth slows and the body matures. Layer Feed Layer feed is formulated to support egg production and should make up the majority of the laying hen diet. Some breeds produce more eggs than others, which can affect how much feed they consume. Our guide to the Best Chicken Breeds for Beginners explains which breeds are known for reliable egg production. The best chicken feed for layers contains around 16% protein and added calcium. Switch your hens to layer feed when they start laying their first eggs. Feeding layer feed too early can stress young kidneys, so timing matters. What Chickens Can Eat (Safe Foods) Chickens can eat a surprisingly wide range of foods. Knowing what chickens can eat helps you use kitchen and garden scraps wisely. 🐔 Food ✅ Safe for Chickens? 📝 Notes Lettuce Yes Great hydration source Berries (strawberries, blueberries) Yes High in antioxidants Oats (cooked or raw) Yes Good energy source Corn Yes Feed in moderation Mealworms Yes Excellent protein boost Cooked rice Yes Plain only, no salt or seasoning Watermelon Yes A favorite summer treat Pumpkin Yes Seeds act as a natural dewormer Cooked vegetables Yes Avoid heavily seasoned leftovers Apples Yes Remove seeds before feeding Sunflower seeds Yes High in fat, feed sparingly Eggs (cooked) Yes Do not feed raw or whole Keep treats and scraps to less than 10% of your flock’s total daily intake. Too many extras push balanced nutrition out of commercial feed. If you’re new to keeping chickens, you may also want to read 10 Questions Every New Chicken Keeper Asks, which covers many of the most common beginner concerns. What Not to Feed Chickens Some foods are toxic to chickens. Knowing what not to feed chickens can help keep your birds healthy and prevent serious illness or death. ⚠️ Food 🚫 Why It’s Unsafe Avocado Contains persin, which is toxic to birds. Chocolate Theobromine causes heart and nervous system damage. Moldy food Mold produces mycotoxins that can kill chickens. Raw beans Contain phytohemagglutinins, a deadly toxin. Salty foods Salt poisoning causes neurological symptoms. Green potatoes or peels Contain solanine, a toxic compound. Onions Can cause hemolytic anemia in large amounts. Citrus fruit May reduce egg production and cause digestive upset. Rhubarb
Best Chicken Breeds for Beginners: 7 Easy Chickens for Your Backyard Flock
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Choosing the best chicken breeds for beginners can make raising backyard chickens easier and more enjoyable. If you’re just starting out, our Complete Beginner Guide to Raising Backyard Chickens walks through everything from choosing breeds to building your first coop. Pick the wrong breed, and you may end up with a flock that is flighty, noisy, or unpredictable, but pick the right one, and you get calm birds that lay eggs consistently. Breed choice shapes your daily experience in many ways. A docile hen accepts handling without protest, a hardy bird survives cold snaps without extra heat, and a productive layer puts eggs on your counter three to five times a week. For beginner chicken keepers, these traits matter more than looks or novelty. In this article, I discuss the seven backyard chicken breeds that experts and experienced hobbyists most often recommend. I’ll also show you which breeds to skip at first, how to match a breed to your climate and space, and how many birds to start with. By the end, you will have a clear plan for your first flock. Quick Comparison of the Best Chicken Breeds for Beginners The following breeds are widely considered the best chicken breeds for beginners because they are hardy, friendly, and dependable egg layers. 🐔 Breed 🥚 Eggs Per Year 😊 Temperament 🌤️ Climate Tolerance Rhode Island Red 250–300 Calm, confident Very cold-hardy Plymouth Rock 200–280 Gentle, docile Cold-hardy Australorp 250–300+ Quiet, calm Adaptable Buff Orpington 175–200 Very gentle Cold-hardy Sussex 200–250 Curious, friendly Heat-tolerant Easter Egger 200–280 Friendly, active Adaptable What Makes a Chicken Breed Good for Beginners? Not all chicken breeds are equally suited to beginners. Some are calm, hardy, and productive, while others require more experience to manage. The easiest chicken breeds for beginners tend to share a few important traits that make them easier and more enjoyable to raise. Temperament is one of the most important characteristics to consider. Friendly chicken breeds tolerate handling, stay calm around children, and integrate well with other hens in the flock. Nervous or aggressive birds can create constant stress for both the flock and the keeper. Egg production also matters to many beginners because eggs are often the main reason people raise chickens. The best backyard breeds typically produce at least 200 eggs per year. That works out to roughly four eggs per hen each week, meaning a small flock of four hens can easily supply a household with fresh eggs. Hardiness refers to how well a breed handles weather conditions. Cold-hardy chickens tolerate freezing winters without extra heating, while heat-tolerant breeds cope better with hot summers. Choosing a breed suited to your climate reduces the amount of extra care your flock will need. Ease of care includes practical considerations such as noise level, space requirements, and tolerance for confinement. Some breeds adapt well to smaller backyard runs, while others prefer wide open spaces. Some hens are quiet neighbors, while others announce every egg with enthusiastic cackling. When you combine the traits of temperament, egg production, hardiness, and ease of care, you get the characteristics that define the best chicken breeds for beginners. The breeds listed below meet most or all of these standards. Best Chicken Breeds for Beginners These backyard chicken breeds are widely recommended for their combination of friendliness, productivity, and hardiness. Rhode Island Red The Rhode Island Red is one of the most recommended egg-laying chickens in the United States. A healthy hen lays 250 to 300 brown eggs per year. If you want to understand production differences between breeds, see our guide on How Many Eggs Do Chickens Lay. Temperament runs calm and confident. Rhode Island Reds are not pushovers, but they are not aggressive either. They tolerate handling and adapt well to new situations. Most beginners find them easy to work with from day one. These are hardy chicken breeds in cold climates. Their single comb is somewhat cold-sensitive, but the rest of the bird handles freezing temperatures without trouble. I recommend applying a protective coating to the comb, such as a moisture-resistant ointment specifically made for poultry. Reds are active foragers and do well with space to roam, though they also manage in a well-sized run. Beginners who want reliable egg production and low drama will find Rhode Island Reds a solid first choice. Plymouth Rock Plymouth Rocks, often called Barred Rocks, are a beautiful bird with striking black-and-white striped feathers. These are among the friendliest chicken breeds you can raise, and they actively seek out human interaction, often following their owners around the yard. I can’t go outside without an entourage of clucking black and white hens. This is one of the best backyard chicken breeds for families. Plymouth Rocks tolerate children well and rarely peck or scratch. They stay calm during handling, which makes routine health checks simple. Egg production is reliable. Expect 200 to 280 brown eggs per year from a good hen. Plymouth Rocks also lay through winter better than many breeds, so your production stays steady when daylight drops. These are genuine backyard chicken breeds built for small farms and suburban coops. They adapt to confinement without becoming stressed and do well in both warm and cold climates. Australorp The Australorp holds a world record for egg production. In 1923, one Australorp hen laid 364 eggs in 365 days (Livestock Conservancy). Modern production averages 250 to 300 eggs per year, making these some of the best egg-laying chickens available to backyard keepers. Australorps are quiet and calm. They rarely cause problems within the flock and accept new birds more easily than many breeds. Their temperament makes them a good fit if you plan to expand your flock over time. Adaptability is another strong point as the Australorps handle both cold winters and warm summers better than most dual-purpose breeds. Originating in Australia, the Australorps easily handle
Complete Beginner Guide to Raising Backyard Chickens
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Backyard chickens have gone from a rural tradition to a suburban staple. Across the United States, millions of households now keep small flocks in their yards. The reasons are practical: fresh eggs every morning, natural pest control, and a surprising amount of entertainment from birds with their own personalities. Believe me, just the idea of raising backyard chickens for the first time feels like a daunting task. If you’re wondering how to raise backyard chickens successfully, the process is actually simpler than most beginners expect. There are breeds to choose, coops to build, feed to buy, and local rules to research. This guide covers every step so you can start with confidence. Chickens are forgiving animals. Most beginners get it right, and the ones who struggle early usually do so for avoidable reasons that this guide will help you skip. Why Raise Backyard Chickens? The most obvious reason people start raising chickens for eggs is the steady supply they get from their own backyard flock. This is possibly one of the best reasons for having a productive backyard flock. A healthy hen lays roughly 250 to 300 eggs per year during her peak years, and you can’t beat food that goes directly from source to kitchen. Store-bought eggs spend days in transit before even reaching a shelf. Backyard eggs go from nest to kitchen the same day. Then there’s the plus side of the rich, dark yolks, because you control what your birds eat. The benefits of owning backyard chickens go far beyond the breakfast table. Chickens are your own personal pest control, eating beetles, grubs, ticks, and fly larvae. A small flock working through a garden bed significantly reduces pest control pressures. Plus, you have the added benefit of mixing their droppings with bedding material like straw, along with vegetables and other plant materials. These break down into one of the best garden fertilizers available. Gardeners who keep chickens often stop buying fertilizer entirely. We’ve owned chickens for years, and our children have always found them to be engaging pets. Each bird behaves differently and has a very distinct personality. Some breeds are calm and easy to handle, others are bold and curious. Children who help care for your flock learn responsibility in a concrete way, while the chickens provide a tangible return on the feed you buy. Just another reason to own a backyard flock. Check Local Laws Before Getting Chickens Before buying a single chick, spend an hour checking your local rules. Many cities and counties allow backyard chickens with restrictions, and some ban them outright. Getting this wrong means rehoming birds you have already bonded with. Here is what to look for: Your city or county website usually lists this information under zoning or animal control. A quick call to your local zoning office confirms anything unclear. This step takes less than an hour and prevents serious problems later. ⬆ Back to top How Many Chickens Should Beginners Start With? Three to six chickens is the right range for most beginners. A flock of three gives you enough eggs for a small household and enough social dynamics to observe. Six birds produce more eggs and give you a buffer if one hen stops laying or gets sick. Chickens are social animals. A single chicken kept alone will be stressed and unhappy. Two is a minimum. Three or more is better. If you want enough eggs to share with neighbors or family, four to six hens is a practical target. Here is a rough guide to weekly egg output based on flock size, assuming healthy hens of good laying breeds: 🐔 Number of Chickens 🐔 Estimated Eggs Per Week 3 12 to 15 4 16 to 20 6 24 to 30 These numbers reflect prime laying years. Production drops in winter, during molting, and as hens age past three or four years. Start with the number that fits your household needs, and plan your coop space around your target flock size. Best Chicken Breeds for Beginners 🐔 Chicken Breed 🥚 Eggs Per Year 🐔 Temperament Rhode Island Red 250–300 Hardy, confident, sometimes assertive Plymouth Rock 200–250 Friendly, calm, family-friendly Australorp 250–300 Quiet, gentle, excellent layers Buff Orpington 180–220 Very friendly, docile, great for children Sussex 230–250 Curious, active, adaptable Breed choice is a key factor in building a backyard flock. Some breeds are docile and easy to handle, while others are flighty or aggressive. For a first flock, know what the best chicken breeds for beginners are, and pick breeds known for calm temperament, consistent egg production, and adaptability to your climate. Rhode Island Red Rhode Island Reds are among the most popular backyard breeds in America. They lay large brown eggs reliably, often 250 to 300 per year. They tolerate cold well and adapt to both confinement and free-ranging. They can be assertive in the flock hierarchy but are generally manageable for beginners. I do not recommend keeping Rhode Island Red roosters, as they can be bullies in the pen. The hens can sometimes have aggressive spells, but they are worth any extra work of separating them if that happens. You just can’t beat this breed for their ability to lay large, brown eggs. Plymouth Rock Plymouth Rocks, often called Barred Rocks, are calm, friendly, and dependable. They lay around 200 brown eggs per year and handle cold weather well. They are one of the best breeds for families with children because they tolerate handling without much fuss. Australorp Australorps hold the world record for egg production: 364 eggs in 365 days from one bird, but on average, the Australorps lay 250 or more eggs per year. They are gentle, quiet, and do well in small backyards. Buff Orpington Orpingtons are the golden retrievers of the chicken world, and another favorite of mine. They are large, fluffy, calm, and friendly. And