Chickens are fascinating creatures with unique eating habits. You might spot them pecking at grains one moment and nibbling on insects the next. Understanding what chickens eat is essential for anyone who raises them or simply loves learning about these feathered friends.
In this post, we’ll explore the dietary habits of chickens, their natural instincts, and what makes them thrive. By the end, you’ll have a clear picture of their eating preferences and why their diet is so versatile. Let’s uncover the truth about chickens and their omnivorous nature!
Are chickens omnivores?
Chickens are natural omnivores that thrive on both plant and animal matter in their diet. They’ll keenly consume insects, worms, and grubs while also enjoying grains, fresh greens, fruits, and vegetables. In fact, chickens spend up to 60% of their day foraging for this diverse mix of foods, which provides them with essential proteins, vitamins, and minerals. A balanced diet of 16-20% protein is indispensable for healthy birds, with laying hens needing extra calcium for egg production. Understanding your flock’s omnivorous nature will help you provide the perfect nutrition they need to flourish.
The Natural Diet of Chickens

In their natural habitat, chickens are omnivorous foragers who spend their days scratching and pecking for a diverse array of food sources. They’ll eagerly consume insects, worms, grubs, and other small invertebrates they find while scratching through soil and leaf litter. Your chickens also naturally seek out seeds, grasses, tender plant shoots, berries, and fallen fruit.
This varied diet reflects their ancestors’ eating habits in the jungles of Southeast Asia, where Red Junglefowl developed their foraging behaviors. Your chickens’ sharp beaks and strong feet aren’t just for show – they’re specialized tools that help them uncover and process both plant and animal matter. They’ll use their feet to scratch away surface debris and their beaks to dig, grip, and tear their food.
You’ll notice your chickens display natural foraging behaviors even in captivity. They instinctively prefer to eat throughout the day rather than all at once, and they’re particularly drawn to moving prey. This natural diet provides them with essential proteins, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients they need for ideal health, egg production, and growth.
Animal Protein Sources
Beyond commercial feeds, your chickens need diverse animal protein sources to thrive. In nature, chickens actively hunt insects, worms, and other small creatures that provide essential amino acids and nutrients. You can supplement their diet with mealworms, either live or dried, which are rich in protein and highly appealing to chickens.
Black soldier fly larvae offer another excellent protein source, containing up to 45% protein by weight. You’ll find that your chickens also enthusiastically consume earthworms, crickets, and grasshoppers. During warmer months, they’ll naturally forage for these insects if given the opportunity to free-range.
You can also provide your flock with higher-protein treats like scrambled eggs, which won’t promote egg-eating behavior when cooked. Small amounts of lean meat scraps, such as leftover chicken or turkey, can boost their protein intake. If you’re raising meat chickens, they’ll particularly benefit from these additional protein sources to support their rapid growth.
Remember to maintain a balanced approach – animal proteins should complement, not replace, their regular feed. In winter, when insects are scarce, you’ll need to increase supplemental protein sources to maintain ideal health.
Plant-Based Foods Chickens Eat

While animal proteins provide important nutrients, plant-based foods make up a significant portion of a chicken’s daily diet. Your chickens will keenly consume various grains, including corn, wheat, oats, and barley, which provide essential carbohydrates for energy. They’ll also benefit from leafy greens like lettuce, kale, and spinach, which deliver critical vitamins and minerals.
Your flock won’t hesitate to feast on vegetables such as carrots, peas, and cucumbers, along with fruits like apples, berries, and melons. These foods offer additional nutrients and help maintain proper hydration. You’ll notice your chickens particularly enjoy pecking at fresh grass and clover when free-ranging, which provides both nutrition and natural foraging behavior.
Seeds and legumes should also be part of their plant-based diet. Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and dried beans (when cooked) offer healthy fats and protein. Remember to introduce new plant foods gradually and make them manageable sizes to prevent choking. While these plant-based options are excellent for your chickens’ health, you’ll want to offer them as part of a balanced diet that includes commercial feed for complete nutrition.
Foraging Behaviors in the Wild
Chickens’ natural foraging instincts drive them to scratch, peck, and explore their environment throughout the day. You’ll notice your birds using their feet to scratch away soil and leaf litter, exposing insects, seeds, and small creatures hiding underneath. This scratching behavior is so ingrained that chickens will perform it even on hard surfaces where they’re unlikely to find food.
In the wild, chickens spend up to 60% of their time foraging, usually starting at dawn and continuing until dusk. They’ll search for protein-rich insects like grasshoppers, beetles, and worms, while also consuming tender grass shoots, berries, and fallen fruits. Your chickens have excellent color vision and can spot the smallest movement, helping them detect potential food sources.
When free-ranging, chickens establish regular foraging patterns, revisiting productive areas while avoiding spots where they’ve already thoroughly searched. They’ll also engage in dust bathing during their foraging activities, which helps maintain their well-being. Understanding these natural behaviors can help you create better feeding schedules and facilitate your chickens’ environment to support their instinctive foraging needs.
Essential Nutrients for Chickens

Six essential nutrients form the foundation of a healthy chicken’s diet: proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and water. Proteins are pivotal for muscle development, egg production, and feather growth, with chickens requiring about 16-20% protein in their diet. Your flock needs carbohydrates for energy, which they’ll get from grains like corn and wheat.
Fats provide concentrated energy and help absorb fat-soluble vitamins. Your chickens need vitamins A, D, E, and K, along with B-complex vitamins for proper metabolism and egg production. Essential minerals include calcium (especially for laying hens), phosphorus, and trace minerals like zinc and selenium.
Water is often overlooked but remains the most indispensable nutrient. Your chickens will drink twice as much water as the food they eat, and they can’t survive more than 48 hours without it. During hot weather or peak laying periods, water consumption increases dramatically.
You’ll find most of these nutrients in quality commercial feed, but free-range chickens can supplement their diet through foraging. If you’re using a commercial feed, it’s formulated to provide the right balance of these essential nutrients for your flock’s specific life stage.
Common Dietary Misconceptions
Backyard chicken owners often fall prey to well-meaning but misguided feeding advice. One common myth is that chickens can’t eat meat, but they’re natural omnivores who readily consume insects, worms, and even small rodents in the wild. Another misconception is that table scraps alone can provide adequate nutrition – while some kitchen leftovers are safe, they shouldn’t make up more than 10% of your flock’s diet.
You might’ve heard that crushed eggshells are dangerous because they encourage egg-eating behavior. However, when properly prepared and offered, eggshells are an excellent calcium source. Don’t believe that chickens can regulate their nutrient intake perfectly on their own – they’ll often overeat treats at the expense of their base feed.
The myth that medicated feed creates antibiotic-resistant chickens or affects egg safety is also false. Medicated starter feeds contain coccidiostats, not antibiotics, and help prevent deadly parasitic infections in chicks. Ultimately, while free-ranging provides excellent supplemental nutrition, it shouldn’t replace commercial feed, as foraged food alone can’t meet all your chickens’ nutritional requirements.
Optimal Feed Selection

The cornerstone of a healthy chicken diet begins with selecting the right commercial feed. You’ll want to choose a feed that matches your chickens’ life stage – starter feed for chicks, grower feed for pullets, and layer feed for egg-laying hens. These specially formulated feeds contain precise ratios of protein, vitamins, and minerals your birds need.
For laying hens, you’ll need feed with 16-18% protein content and added calcium for robust eggshells. Your meat birds require higher protein levels, typically 20-24%, to support rapid growth. If you’re raising dual-purpose breeds, stick with layer feed once they reach maturity.
Look for feeds that list corn and soybean meal as primary ingredients, as they provide essential energy and protein. You’ll also want to check that the feed contains crucial nutrients like methionine, lysine, and vitamin D3. Consider pelleted feeds over crumbles, as they reduce waste and prevent selective eating. If you’re going organic, guarantee the feed is certified by a recognized organization. Remember to store your feed in a cool, dry place to prevent mold growth and maintain nutrient quality.
Seasonal Diet Changes
While maintaining a consistent base feed is important, your chickens’ nutritional needs shift with the changing seasons. During winter months, your flock requires more calories to maintain body heat, so you’ll need to increase their feed portions by 10-15%. Adding cracked corn in the evening can provide extra warmth as chickens digest it overnight.
In spring, your hens need additional calcium and protein to support increased egg production. You’ll want to boost their protein intake to 16-18% and guarantee they’ve constant access to oyster shells or limestone.
Summer brings heat stress concerns, so you’ll need to provide cooling, water-rich treats like cucumber and watermelon, while maintaining regular feed intake.
Fall is when your chickens naturally eat more to prepare for winter. You can supplement their diet with fallen leaves, which contain beneficial minerals, and autumn treats like pumpkin seeds. During molting season, which typically occurs in fall, increase protein levels to 20-22% to support feather regrowth.
Throughout all seasons, assure your flock has access to fresh water and grit to aid digestion regardless of dietary changes.
Feeding Times and Amounts

Successful chicken keepers know that timing and portion control play essential roles in flock nutrition. Your chickens need consistent feeding schedules to maintain healthy digestion and ideal egg production. Most flocks do well with two main feeding times: early morning and late afternoon.
You’ll want to provide about 1/4 pound of feed per chicken daily, adjusting this amount based on their size, breed, and activity level. Layer hens require more food during peak egg production, while meat birds need increased portions during their growth phase. Don’t leave feed out all day, as this can attract pests and lead to waste.
In the morning, offer your chickens their main feed portion when they first emerge from the coop. For the afternoon feeding, plan to distribute food about two hours before sunset. This timing guarantees they’ll have full crops before roosting, helping them stay warm through the night. If you’re using automatic feeders, set them to dispense at these key times.
Remember to monitor your flock’s consumption patterns and adjust portions accordingly. Chickens that appear too thin or overweight signal that you need to modify their feeding schedule or amounts.
Health Benefits of Mixed Diets
Providing chickens with varied feed options delivers multiple health advantages that support their growth, immunity, and egg production. When you offer your flock a mix of grains, proteins, vegetables, and insects, you’re ensuring they receive a complete spectrum of essential nutrients. This diverse diet helps maintain strong bones, healthy feathers, and robust immune systems.
You’ll notice improved egg quality when your chickens consume a balanced diet rich in calcium, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids. Insects and worms provide pivotal amino acids, while leafy greens supply indispensable vitamins A and K. Grains offer the necessary carbohydrates for energy, and scattered seeds encourage natural foraging behaviors.
A varied diet also helps prevent nutritional deficiencies that can lead to health issues like brittle eggs, reduced laying, or compromised immunity. When you include kitchen scraps like vegetable trimmings and fruit pieces, you’re supplementing their commercial feed with additional nutrients. Your chickens will benefit from enhanced digestive health through increased fiber intake and improved gut flora diversity. This all-encompassing approach to feeding supports their overall well-being and helps maintain peak productivity throughout their laying cycle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Chickens Eat Moldy or Spoiled Food in Emergencies?
You shouldn’t feed your chickens moldy or spoiled food, even in emergencies. It’s dangerous and can make them seriously ill or cause death through toxic compounds. Always provide fresh, uncontaminated food for your flock.
Do Chickens Need Different Diets Based on Their Breed?
While breed differences aren’t major, you’ll need to adjust feed based on your chicken’s purpose. Layer breeds need more calcium, while meat birds require higher protein. Most breeds thrive on standard commercial feed.
How Long Can Chickens Survive Without Food?
Your chickens can survive 4-5 days without food, but they’ll become weak after 24 hours. Don’t let them go without food – it’s dangerous and stressful. Always guarantee they have constant access to feed.
Will Chickens Stop Laying if They Eat the Wrong Foods?
Yes, if you feed your chickens an imbalanced diet, they’ll likely stop laying eggs. You’ll need to provide proper protein, calcium, and nutrients to maintain healthy egg production in your laying hens.
Can Backyard Chickens Share Food With Other Domestic Birds Like Ducks?
You can share some foods between chickens and ducks, but they’ve got different nutritional needs. Don’t feed your ducks chicken layer feed – it’s too high in calcium. Stick to specific feeds for each species.
Conclusion
You’ll get the best results from your chickens by embracing their omnivorous nature. Provide them with a balanced mix of commercial feed, insects, plants, and kitchen scraps that mirror their natural foraging diet. Remember to adjust their food according to the seasons and always guarantee they’ve got access to fresh water. When you understand and support their diverse dietary needs, you’ll have healthier, happier birds.