What to Feed Chickens (UK Guide 2026 – Evidence‑Based & Legally Compliant)

Introduction

If you’re wondering what to feed chickens in the UK, the simple answer is this: base their diet on a quality layers pellet, keep fresh water available at all times, and limit treats to around 10% of what your chickens eat each day.

However, feeding chickens properly is about more than simply throwing a few scraps into the run and hoping for the best. What your hens eat directly affects egg production, shell quality, overall health and long‑term flock wellbeing. Just as importantly, the way you feed chickens in the UK must also follow current UK poultry feeding regulations.

In other words, understanding what chickens can eat safely helps you raise healthier birds while also avoiding common feeding mistakes.

What This Chicken Feeding Guide Covers

In this updated 2026 UK chicken feeding guide, you’ll learn the essentials of feeding backyard chickens, including:

• What chickens eat daily and how their diet changes with age
• How much to feed chickens per day without overfeeding
• Safe foods chickens can eat and treats to offer in moderation
• Foods chickens should never eat and why they can be dangerous
• Whether you can legally feed kitchen scraps to chickens in the UK
• How winter feeding changes for backyard hens
• How nutrition supports steady, natural egg production

Whether you keep a few hens in the garden or manage a small backyard flock at the allotment, this guide focuses on practical, UK‑specific chicken feeding advice without unnecessary complication.

Start With the Basics

Before looking at treats, supplements or seasonal adjustments, it’s important to understand the fundamentals of feeding chickens properly.

A healthy flock always starts with:

• Balanced layers chicken feed as the main diet
• Fresh, clean drinking water available all day
• Treats offered in moderation rather than as a replacement for proper feed

Once these basics are in place, the rest of your chicken feeding routine becomes much easier to manage.

So, let’s start with the foundations: what chickens actually eat each day, and how to build a balanced diet that keeps your birds healthy, productive and well cared for.

What Do Chickens Eat? (Quick UK Answer)

If you’re looking for a quick answer to what chickens eat, the rule is fairly simple: build their diet around a complete commercial chicken feed, keep fresh water available at all times, provide insoluble grit, and offer only small amounts of safe treats.

In practical terms, for most backyard flocks in the UK, feeding chickens properly means:

• Layers pellets (16–18% protein) as the main daily chicken feed
• Fresh, clean water available at all times
• Insoluble grit to help chickens grind food in the gizzard
• Oyster shell offered separately to supply extra calcium
• Treats limited to around 10% of the total chicken diet

Chickens are natural foragers. Given the opportunity, they happily eat grass, weeds, seeds, insects and worms while exploring the garden or run. However, free‑ranging does not replace a balanced chicken feed. Even birds that roam all day still require a nutritionally complete diet to maintain egg production, shell quality and overall flock health.

Quick Chicken Feeding Guide

What Should Make Up Most of a Chicken’s Diet?

For laying hens, around 100–130g of layers pellets per chicken per day is typical. However, the exact amount varies slightly depending on breed, body size and activity levels.

A good‑quality layers chicken feed provides the correct balance of nutrients, including:

• Protein for egg development
• Energy for daily activity
• Vitamins and minerals for overall health
• Calcium (around 3.5–4%) for strong eggshells

Without this balanced diet, hens often begin to show problems over time. For example, they may:

• Lay thin‑ or soft‑shelled eggs
• Produce fewer eggs overall
• Gradually lose body condition

In other words, layers pellets provide the core nutrition chickens need every day, while everything else simply supports that nutritional base.

Why Treats Must Be Limited

It’s easy to overfeed treats because chickens always look hungry. Nevertheless, too many extras quickly dilute the nutrients in their main diet.

As a simple guideline:

Treats should make up no more than 10% of what your chickens eat each day.

This approach still gives your flock variety and enrichment, while ensuring their primary chicken feed remains balanced and complete.

Importantly, under current UK rules, kitchen scraps that have entered a domestic kitchen cannot legally be fed to poultry. The details of these UK chicken feeding laws are explained later in the guide.

For now, think of feeding chickens like building a house: start with a strong nutritional foundation, then add safe extras around the edges.

What Should Chickens Eat Every Day? (By Life Stage)

If you’re wondering what to feed chickens each day, the answer actually changes as birds grow. A fluffy chick developing feathers, a pullet approaching her first egg, and a mature laying hen all need slightly different levels of protein, calcium and energy.

Because of this, feeding the correct chicken feed for each life stage is one of the easiest ways to keep a flock healthy. When chickens receive the right nutrition early on, you can usually avoid many of the feeding problems that appear later.

What to Feed Chicks (0–6 Weeks)

Young chicks grow extremely quickly. During the first few weeks, they need a high‑protein chicken starter feed containing around 20–22% protein. This supports muscle growth, feather development and strong bones.

For most backyard flocks, the best option is:

• A good‑quality chick crumb or starter feed
• Fresh, clean water available at all times
• No oyster shell at this stage

At this age, chicks do not need treats. In fact, feeding extras too early can dilute the balanced nutrition found in starter feed. Therefore, it is best to keep things simple and allow the starter ration to support healthy growth.

What to Feed Growers or Pullets (6 Weeks to Point of Lay)

As chickens mature, their diet changes slightly. Pullets still need strong nutrition; however, their protein requirements drop to around 15–16%.

A balanced growers chicken feed supports steady development without encouraging birds to begin laying too early.

Typical feeding practice includes:

• Gradually transitioning from chick crumb to growers feed
• Avoiding high‑calcium layers pellets until hens begin laying
• Providing fresh water and access to insoluble grit

Feeding layers feed too early may place strain on a young bird’s kidneys because of the higher calcium levels. So, although it may seem harmless, waiting until birds reach point‑of‑lay is the safer approach.

What to Feed Laying Hens

Once hens begin producing eggs, their nutritional needs change again. In particular, calcium and protein become critical for egg production.

A quality layers chicken feed or layers pellets should provide:

• 16–18% protein to support egg formation
• 3.5–4% calcium for strong eggshells
• Balanced vitamins and minerals for overall health

Alongside their main chicken feed, it also helps to:

• Provide oyster shell separately so hens can regulate calcium intake
• Offer insoluble grit to support digestion

If hens do not receive enough calcium, you may begin noticing thin eggshells, soft shells or reduced egg production. Over time, calcium deficiencies can also weaken bones. Therefore, maintaining a consistent layers diet is extremely important.

Feeding Broiler Chickens (For Context)

Broiler chickens — birds raised primarily for meat — follow a slightly different feeding strategy.

These chickens often receive higher‑protein poultry feed (around 20% or more in early stages) to support rapid growth.

However, unlike laying hens, broilers can easily overeat if feed remains unrestricted. As a result, managed feeding helps prevent excessive weight gain and related leg or heart problems.

While most backyard chicken keepers focus on egg‑laying hens, it is still useful to understand that chicken feeding strategies change depending on the bird’s purpose.

Water: The Overlooked Essential

When discussing what chickens eat, people often focus on feed alone. However, water plays an equally important role in flock health.

Chickens must always have constant access to fresh, clean drinking water. Intake naturally increases during:

• Hot summer weather
• Periods of heavy egg laying
• Moulting when feathers regrow

Even a short interruption in water supply can quickly reduce egg production. Therefore, maintaining a reliable water source is just as important as providing the correct chicken feed.

Does Free‑Ranging Replace Chicken Feed?

Free‑ranging hens happily eat grass, seeds, weeds, insects and worms while exploring the garden or pasture. Nevertheless, natural foraging only supplements their diet.

In the UK especially, insect populations drop sharply during autumn and winter, while pasture quality declines. As a result, even free‑range birds still require a balanced commercial chicken feed to meet their protein, energy and calcium needs.

So, think of free‑ranging as enrichment and bonus nutrition — not a replacement for a properly formulated chicken diet.

How Much Should You Feed Chickens?

One of the most common questions new keepers ask is: how much should I feed chickens each day?

For most backyard flocks, the simple answer is this:

A typical laying hen eats around 100–130 grams of layers pellets per day.

This guideline works well for the average chicken diet in the UK. However, the exact amount of chicken feed per hen can vary depending on breed, body size, weather conditions and whether birds are free‑ranging.

Nevertheless, the 100–130g range provides a reliable starting point for understanding how much chickens eat per day.

Free Feeding vs Measured Feeding

When feeding chickens, keepers generally follow one of two approaches. Both methods can work well; however, one tends to suit small backyard flocks better.

Free‑Access Feeding (Most Common)

With this method, layers pellets remain available throughout the day in a hopper feeder. Chickens naturally graze little and often, so free feeding mirrors their instinctive behaviour.

Because of this, free‑access feeding works well for most backyard flocks — especially when birds also spend time foraging outdoors for grass, insects and seeds.

Measured Feeding

Alternatively, some keepers provide a measured quantity of chicken feed once or twice daily. This approach can reduce feed waste. However, it requires closer monitoring to ensure timid birds still receive enough food.

For most small flocks, free‑access layers pellets remain the simplest and most reliable feeding method.

Adjusting Chicken Feed for Season and Condition

Chickens do not eat exactly the same amount every day. Instead, their appetite naturally changes with weather, activity levels and life stage.

For example, hens often eat slightly more during:

• Cold winter weather, because they burn extra energy staying warm
• Moulting periods, when feather regrowth requires additional nutrients

On the other hand, chickens may eat slightly less during very hot summer weather.

Therefore, rather than relying entirely on numbers, it helps to observe the birds themselves. A healthy hen should feel solid and well covered, but not overweight.

In other words, use the 100–130g guideline as a starting point, then adjust feeding based on body condition and behaviour.

Why Overfeeding Treats Causes Problems

In many cases, feeding problems do not begin with pellets — they begin with too many treats.

If hens regularly fill up on bread, corn or other extras, they naturally eat fewer balanced layers pellets. Over time, this imbalance in the chicken diet can lead to:

• Poor eggshell quality
• Reduced egg production
• Weight gain
• Nutritional deficiencies

Because of this, it helps to follow one simple rule:

Treats should make up no more than 10% of your chickens’ daily diet.

Layers pellets provide the core nutrition chickens need, while treats simply add variety and enrichment.

How Often Should You Feed Chickens?

Another common question is how often to feed chickens.

Unlike many animals, chickens prefer to graze throughout the day rather than eat large meals at fixed times.

For most backyard flocks in the UK, this usually means:

• Keeping layers pellets available during daylight hours
• Offering treats sparingly, ideally earlier in the day
• Avoiding leaving feed out overnight, which can attract rats and mice

Ultimately, consistency matters more than strict timing. A steady supply of balanced chicken feed supports reliable egg production and long‑term flock health.

If you’re unsure how much to feed your chickens, start with the 100–130g guideline, observe what your birds actually eat over several days, and then adjust gradually. That way, you’re feeding the flock in front of you — not just the numbers on a page.

What to Feed Chickens in Winter (UK Climate Guide)

Many keepers wonder what to feed chickens in winter, especially when grass stops growing and insects disappear. In reality, winter feeding does change slightly — although not as dramatically as some advice suggests.

In the UK, shorter days, colder temperatures and reduced natural forage all affect what chickens eat during winter. Nevertheless, the foundation of the diet should remain the same.

A balanced layers chicken feed or layers pellets should still provide the majority of your flock’s nutrition. In most cases, winter feeding simply involves small adjustments rather than completely changing the chicken diet.

Do Chickens Need More Food in Winter?

Yes — chickens often eat slightly more during winter.

Because birds burn extra energy maintaining body temperature, their appetite naturally increases in colder weather. As a result, you may notice hens eating a little more chicken feed per day during prolonged cold spells.

However, this does not mean dramatically increasing feed portions or switching to a completely different poultry feed. Instead, focus on maintaining a consistent and balanced feeding routine.

For example:

• Keep layers pellets freely available during daylight hours
• Monitor body condition regularly
• Ensure drinking water does not freeze

In most backyard flocks, hens regulate their own intake very well when balanced chicken feed remains available.

Should You Feed Corn to Chickens in Winter?

Many backyard keepers offer whole corn or cracked corn in winter because it provides a quick energy boost.

In moderation, corn can be helpful — particularly when offered late in the afternoon, so birds digest it overnight while roosting.

However, it’s important to keep things in perspective when feeding chickens corn:

• Corn is relatively low in protein
• It should never replace layers chicken feed
• Too much corn can dilute essential nutrients in the chicken diet

Therefore, think of corn as a small seasonal supplement, rather than the main chicken feed.

Reduced Foraging During Winter

During spring and summer, free‑range chickens naturally add insects, seeds and fresh greens to their diet. In winter, however, this natural protein source drops significantly.

Because of this reduced foraging:

• Layers pellets become even more important
• Protein intake should remain consistent
• Treats should still remain under 10% of the total chicken diet

If birds begin filling up on low‑nutrient fillers instead of balanced feed, egg production and shell quality often decline.

Therefore, winter is actually the time to focus more closely on a properly balanced chicken diet.

Winter Egg Production

Shorter daylight hours naturally reduce egg production in chickens. This seasonal slowdown is completely normal and forms part of a hen’s natural laying cycle.

Although good nutrition supports flock health, even the best chicken feed cannot override daylight changes without artificial lighting. For this reason, many small‑scale UK chicken keepers prefer to allow hens a natural winter rest.

During winter, focus on the essentials:

• Consistent layers chicken feed
• Clean drinking water that does not freeze
• Dry bedding and good coop ventilation

As daylight gradually increases in early spring, healthy hens usually return to stronger egg production naturally.

Preventing Frozen Water

While people often focus on feed, water is just as important as chicken feed during winter. Even mild dehydration can quickly reduce egg production and flock health.

To prevent frozen drinkers:

• Check water containers several times a day during freezing weather
• Use insulated or partially covered drinkers
• Replace frozen water as soon as possible

Although feed tends to receive most of the attention, reliable access to fresh water keeps the entire system working properly.

In short, feeding chickens in winter is about maintaining balance rather than making dramatic changes. Keep a steady supply of balanced chicken feed available, make small seasonal adjustments, and allow daylight — not diet — to guide the laying cycle.

Calcium, Grit & Eggshells – What’s the Difference?

Many new keepers become confused about grit for chickens and calcium for chickens, because both are often sold alongside chicken feed. However, they serve completely different roles in a balanced chicken diet.

Understanding the difference between grit, oyster shell and eggshell calcium helps prevent weak eggshells, poor digestion and long‑term health problems in laying hens.

Fortunately, once you understand how each supplement works, feeding chickens correctly becomes much simpler.

Insoluble Grit (Supports Digestion)

Chickens do not have teeth. Instead, they rely on a powerful muscular organ called the gizzard to grind food before digestion.

To help the gizzard do its job, chickens swallow small stones known as insoluble grit. These tiny particles of flint or granite sit in the gizzard and help break down tougher foods such as:

• Grains and seeds
• Fibrous plant material
• Tough forage gathered while free‑ranging

Because of this, grit for chickens becomes especially important when birds:

• Eat whole grains or mixed feed
• Forage regularly outdoors
• Receive vegetable scraps or garden greens

However, it’s important to remember that grit does not provide calcium.

If your chickens eat only layers pellets or a complete chicken feed, they may require slightly less grit. Nevertheless, most backyard flocks still benefit from having insoluble grit available at all times — particularly free‑range hens that consume a variety of foods throughout the day.

Oyster Shell (Provides Calcium for Eggshell Formation)

Unlike grit, oyster shell for chickens is purely a calcium supplement.

Laying hens require roughly 3.5–4% calcium in their diet to produce strong eggshells. Although quality layers chicken feed already contains calcium, offering oyster shell separately allows hens to regulate their own calcium intake naturally.

This matters because calcium needs vary between birds. For example:

• Some hens lay more frequently than others
• Calcium demand increases during peak egg production
• Older hens sometimes require additional calcium support

Without sufficient dietary calcium, hens may begin producing:

• Thin eggshells
• Soft shells
• Shell‑less eggs
• Egg binding in severe cases

When calcium intake drops too low, the hen’s body begins drawing calcium from her bones to compensate. Over time, this weakens skeletal strength. Therefore, maintaining a consistent calcium source for laying hens is essential.

Can Chickens Eat Eggshells?

Many keepers also ask whether chickens can eat eggshells.

The answer is yes — provided the shells are prepared properly. Feeding eggshells back to chickens can supply a small additional calcium source while helping recycle kitchen waste safely.

To prepare eggshells for chickens:

1. Rinse the shells thoroughly
2. Bake them briefly to kill bacteria
3. Crush them into small pieces before feeding

Crushing the shells is important because it prevents hens from recognising whole eggs as food, which could otherwise encourage egg eating.

However, even though eggshells contain calcium, they should only act as a supplement. A properly balanced layers chicken feed should always remain the primary source of nutrition.

Simple Rule to Remember

When feeding chickens, keep this simple guideline in mind:

• Grit supports digestion
• Oyster shell provides calcium for eggshells

Providing both alongside a balanced chicken feed supports strong digestion, consistent egg production and healthier laying hens overall.

Although these supplements are small additions, they can make a significant difference to long‑term flock health.

Healthy Treats for Chickens (Safe & Natural Foods Chickens Can Eat)

Many people ask what chickens can eat besides chicken feed. Fortunately, chickens enjoy a wide variety of natural foods. When offered correctly, safe treats provide enrichment, extra nutrients and mental stimulation for your flock.

However, treats should always support — not replace — a balanced layers chicken feed. The bulk of a chicken’s diet should still come from a complete commercial feed designed for laying hens.

As a simple rule when feeding treats to chickens:

Treats should make up no more than 10% of your chickens’ total daily diet.

In other words, layers pellets provide the core nutrition chickens need, while treats simply add variety and enrichment.

Safe Vegetables & Greens Chickens Can Eat

Many common garden vegetables are excellent safe foods for chickens when fed in moderation. In addition, fresh greens encourage natural pecking and foraging behaviour, which helps keep birds active and engaged.

Some of the best vegetables to feed chickens include:

• Cabbage (hung whole as a boredom buster)
• Kale and other brassicas
• Lettuce (although iceberg should not be a staple)
• Courgette and marrow
• Carrot tops
• Squash flesh

Dark leafy greens are particularly valuable because they contain vitamins, minerals and natural pigments that support chicken health. As a result, they are among the best natural treats for backyard hens.

Fruit Chickens Can Eat (In Moderation)

Many fruits are also safe treats for chickens. However, fruit contains natural sugars, so it should always be fed in small amounts.

Suitable fruits chickens can eat include:

• Blackberries
• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Chopped apple (ensure there is no mould)
• Melon, which can also help with hydration during hot weather

Although fruit often seems like a healthy snack, feeding too much can lead to excess sugar intake and weight gain. Therefore, fruit works best as an occasional treat rather than a regular part of the chicken diet.

High‑Protein Treats for Chickens

Protein supports feather growth, muscle health and egg production. Because of this, many keepers occasionally offer high‑protein treats for chickens.

Common options include:

• Dried or live mealworms for chickens (very high in protein, so feed sparingly)
• Cooked scrambled egg as an occasional protein boost
• Natural insects and worms found while free‑ranging

Nevertheless, too many protein treats can upset the balance of the chicken diet. For that reason, they should always remain a supplement to a complete layers chicken feed.

Pumpkin & Squash for Chickens

Pumpkin and squash are nutritious additions to a flock’s diet. Chickens can eat the flesh, seeds and skin, and most birds enjoy pecking at them.

You may also hear that pumpkin seeds for chickens act as a natural dewormer. While pumpkin seeds contain a compound called cucurbitacin, scientific evidence for reliable parasite control remains limited.

Therefore, although pumpkin is a healthy treat, it should not replace proper worming management when necessary.

Bread, Rice & Oats for Chickens

Some common kitchen foods can also be fed occasionally in small amounts. For example, chickens can eat:

• Plain cooked rice
• Dry oats
• Small pieces of bread

However, these foods provide far fewer nutrients than balanced chicken feed or layers pellets.

If hens regularly fill up on bread, porridge or other starchy foods, they naturally eat fewer pellets. Over time, this imbalance in the chicken diet can:

• Reduce egg production
• Affect eggshell quality
• Lead to weight gain

Therefore, if you offer these foods at all, keep portions small and occasional.

A Balanced Approach to Feeding Chicken Treats

Ultimately, the best approach to feeding chickens treats is balance.

Offer a variety of safe foods, monitor body condition and always prioritise a complete layers chicken feed as the main diet.

If you are ever unsure whether chickens can eat a particular food, it is usually safer to leave it out. A steady, balanced chicken diet will support healthier birds and more reliable egg production over time.

Foods Chickens Should Never Eat (Toxic Foods for Chickens)

When people ask what chickens can eat, it is just as important to understand what chickens should not eat. Chickens may peck at almost anything. However, that does not mean every food is safe for a balanced chicken diet.

Some foods can cause digestive problems, organ damage, reduced egg production, or even death. Therefore, recognising toxic foods for chickens is an important part of feeding backyard hens responsibly.

Below are some of the most common foods chickens should never eat, along with the reasons they can be dangerous.

Avocado (Skin & Stone)

Avocado is often listed among the most well‑known foods toxic to chickens.

Although a very small amount of avocado flesh may not cause immediate harm, the skin and stone contain a toxin called persin. Persin affects birds far more severely than humans.

Possible symptoms include:

• Respiratory distress
• Weakness or lethargy
• Heart complications in severe cases

Because separating the flesh safely is difficult, it is generally safest to avoid feeding avocado to chickens entirely.

Chocolate

Chocolate contains theobromine, a stimulant that birds cannot process properly.

Even small amounts may cause:

• Hyperactivity
• Digestive upset
• Irregular heart rhythm

For this reason, chocolate should never be included in a chicken’s diet.

Green Potatoes & Potato Peelings

Potatoes that have turned green contain solanine, a natural toxin produced when potatoes are exposed to light.

Solanine can affect the nervous system and digestive system in chickens. Although cooked non‑green potatoes may occasionally be fed in small amounts, green potatoes, sprouts and green peelings should always be avoided.

Therefore, when feeding vegetables to chickens, remove any green sections before offering them.

Raw or Undercooked Dried Beans

Raw dried beans contain phytohaemagglutinin, a compound that is highly toxic to birds.

Proper cooking destroys this toxin. However, raw or undercooked beans can cause serious digestive problems in chickens. Because of this risk, raw dried beans should never be fed to chickens.

Mouldy or Spoiled Chicken Feed

Mouldy grain or spoiled feed can contain mycotoxins, which are harmful fungal toxins that affect poultry health.

Exposure may lead to:

• Liver damage
• Reduced egg production
• Weakness or sudden illness

For that reason, always store chicken feed in sealed, dry containers. In addition, discard any feed that smells musty or appears damp or mouldy.

Highly Salted or Processed Foods

Chickens are sensitive to high levels of salt. Consequently, processed foods, crisps, salty leftovers and heavily seasoned foods can upset the balance of a chicken’s diet.

Too much salt may lead to:

• Electrolyte imbalance
• Dehydration
• Kidney stress

Instead, focus on natural foods chickens can eat safely and avoid heavily processed items whenever possible.

A Simple Rule for Safe Chicken Feeding

If a food is:

• Mouldy
• Highly processed
• Heavily salted
• Artificially sweetened

…it is safest to keep it out of the chicken run.

Whenever you are unsure whether a food is safe, it is better to rely on a complete layers chicken feed and known safe treats. Over time, a balanced chicken diet will keep your flock healthier and help maintain consistent egg production.

Can You Feed Chickens Kitchen Scraps in the UK? (2026 Law Explained)

Many new keepers ask can chickens eat kitchen scraps in the UK. The answer often surprises people, because UK poultry feeding rules are stricter than much of the advice circulating online.

Here is the simple explanation:

Under UK law, it is illegal to feed poultry catering waste — including most kitchen scraps that have entered your home kitchen.

This rule applies whether you keep two backyard hens or a larger flock of chickens. In other words, the law treats all poultry keepers the same.

Understanding the UK rules on feeding chickens kitchen scraps helps protect both your flock and the wider poultry industry.

What Is “Catering Waste”?

Under current UK poultry feeding regulations, catering waste includes any food that has entered a domestic kitchen.

Examples include:

• Plate scrapings
• Vegetable peelings prepared indoors
• Leftovers from household meals
• Food handled or prepared in the kitchen

In simple terms, once food enters the kitchen it legally becomes catering waste.

Importantly, this rule still applies even if the scraps are:

• Vegetarian
• Plant‑based
• From a vegan household

Therefore, there is no exemption for vegetable scraps or plant‑only foods once they cross the kitchen threshold.

Why Does the UK Ban Feeding Kitchen Scraps to Chickens?

At first glance, the rule can seem overly strict. However, the law exists to reduce the risk of livestock disease transmission.

Historically, outbreaks such as Foot and Mouth Disease showed how contaminated food waste can spread infection rapidly between animals.

Although backyard chickens may seem far removed from commercial farming, UK biosecurity rules apply to all poultry keepers.

By restricting catering waste, the risk of:

• Disease spreading between flocks
• Contamination from imported food products
• Exposure to animal by‑products

is significantly reduced.

For this reason, DEFRA guidance clearly prohibits feeding catering waste to poultry and other farm animals.

What Can You Legally Feed Chickens in the UK?

Although kitchen scraps are restricted, there are still plenty of safe foods chickens can eat legally.

Permitted options include:

• Commercial layers chicken feed or poultry pellets
• Whole vegetables or greens harvested directly from the garden
• Approved poultry feed products
• Natural forage in a secure run or pasture

The key point is timing.

For example, you can harvest kale from the garden and place it directly in the chicken run. However, if that same kale enters the kitchen first and is trimmed on the counter, the peelings legally become catering waste and cannot be fed to chickens.

So, in practice, the rule is straightforward: once food crosses the kitchen threshold, it cannot go back to the chickens.

Practical Biosecurity Tips for Backyard Chickens

Following a few simple habits helps keep your flock healthy while remaining compliant with UK poultry feeding laws:

• Store chicken feed in sealed rodent‑proof containers
• Avoid feeding household leftovers
• Limit contact with wild birds where possible
• Clean feeders and drinkers regularly

Although the restriction on kitchen scraps may feel inconvenient at first, it ultimately protects the wider poultry population and reduces disease risk.

If you are ever unsure, follow this simple rule:

Feed a complete layers chicken feed, offer garden‑grown produce before it enters the kitchen, and avoid household scraps.

By sticking to this approach, you keep your chickens healthy while also staying on the right side of UK poultry feeding regulations.

What to Feed Chickens to Make Yolks Orange

Many backyard chicken keepers notice that egg yolk colour changes throughout the year. Deep orange yolks are often associated with healthy, free‑range hens. However, the main factor that determines egg yolk colour in chickens is actually diet.

If you’re wondering what to feed chickens to make yolks orange, the answer lies in natural plant pigments called carotenoids.

These pigments come from the foods chickens eat. As a result, the more carotenoid‑rich foods hens consume, the deeper the colour of their egg yolks tends to become.

What Makes Egg Yolks Orange?

Carotenoids are natural pigments found in many plants and vegetables. When chickens eat these foods, the pigments are deposited into the yolk during egg formation.

Common foods that deepen egg yolk colour include:

• Dark leafy greens such as kale and spinach
• Fresh grass and pasture plants
• Orange or yellow vegetables
• Marigold petals, which are naturally rich in carotenoids

Because of this, chickens that forage outdoors often produce darker orange egg yolks than birds fed only basic feed indoors.

However, it is important to remember that yolk colour does not necessarily mean the egg is more nutritious. Instead, it mainly reflects what the hen has been eating.

Natural Ways to Make Egg Yolks More Orange

If you would like to naturally deepen egg yolk colour, the best approach is to improve the variety of foods in your chickens’ diet.

Effective options include:

• Allowing safe free‑ranging, so chickens can eat grass and insects
• Feeding dark leafy greens such as kale, cabbage or spinach
• Growing chicken‑friendly forage crops in the garden
• Maintaining a balanced layers chicken feed as the base diet

Together, these foods increase carotenoid intake, which gradually produces richer yellow or orange yolks.

Season also plays an important role. During winter, egg yolks often become paler, because hens have less access to fresh greens, pasture plants and insects. Therefore, seasonal changes in egg yolk colour are completely normal.

Should You Use Artificial Yolk Colour Boosters?

Some commercial poultry feeds contain added pigments designed to standardise egg yolk colour. Large egg producers often use these additives so supermarket eggs appear more consistent.

However, most backyard chicken keepers prefer to rely on natural feeding methods instead.

If yolks become lighter during winter, this usually reflects seasonal diet changes rather than poor nutrition. As fresh forage returns in spring, yolk colour typically deepens again naturally.

A Balanced Perspective on Egg Yolk Colour

While deep orange egg yolks can look appealing, they are not the most important indicator of a healthy chicken.

Overall flock health depends far more on:

• Consistent protein intake
• Adequate calcium for strong eggshells
• Fresh, clean water
• A balanced layers chicken feed

So, although diet certainly influences yolk colour, the priority should always be providing a balanced chicken diet. When hens eat well and have access to natural forage, egg yolk colour will usually improve on its own.

What to Feed Chickens to Improve Egg Production (Naturally)

Many backyard keepers eventually ask what to feed chickens for better egg production. Feed certainly plays a major role in how reliably hens lay. However, nutrition always works alongside other factors such as daylight hours, stress levels and overall flock health.

For that reason, the aim is not to force hens to lay beyond their natural cycle. Instead, the goal is to support healthy egg production naturally with the right chicken feed, balanced nutrition and good flock management.

When chickens receive a consistent layers chicken feed designed for laying hens, they usually produce eggs reliably within their natural rhythm.

Protein & Egg Size

Protein is one of the most important nutrients for egg production in chickens, because it helps form both the yolk and the albumen (egg white).

For laying hens, poultry nutrition guidelines generally recommend 16–18% protein in layers chicken feed. When protein intake drops below this level, several problems can appear over time.

For example:

• Eggs may become smaller
• Egg production may slow down
• Feather condition can deteriorate

Because of this, a high‑quality layers pellet or layers chicken feed should always form the foundation of the diet.

Some keepers also offer high‑protein treats for chickens, such as mealworms, especially during moulting, when hens need extra nutrients to regrow feathers. Nevertheless, treats should remain limited.

Too many extras dilute the balanced nutrients found in layers pellets. Therefore, complete chicken feed should remain the main source of protein and nutrition.

Calcium & Eggshell Quality

Calcium is just as important as protein when it comes to strong eggshell production.

A typical laying hen requires roughly 3.5–4% calcium in her diet to produce firm shells. If calcium levels fall, shell quality often declines quickly.

You may begin to see:

• Thin eggshells
• Soft shells
• Shell‑less eggs
• Egg binding in severe cases

Providing oyster shell for chickens alongside regular feed works well because hens can regulate their own calcium intake naturally.

In other words, birds that need more calcium will simply eat more oyster shell. This system supports healthy eggshell formation without disrupting the rest of the chicken diet.

If hens cannot access enough calcium, their bodies begin drawing it from their bones. Over time, this weakens skeletal strength. Therefore, consistent calcium for laying hens is essential.

Energy Balance & Treat Control

One of the most common reasons egg production drops is actually too many treats.

Foods such as corn, bread or other starchy snacks can quickly fill hens up. As a result, they eat fewer layers pellets, which means they miss out on the balanced nutrients required for egg formation.

Over time, this nutritional imbalance can lead to:

• Reduced egg production
• Poorer shell quality
• Weight gain in hens

A simple feeding guideline helps prevent this problem:

Treats should make up no more than 10% of a chicken’s daily diet.

By keeping treats limited, hens continue eating enough balanced chicken feed to maintain healthy laying.

Light, Stress & Environment

Although nutrition is essential, egg production in chickens also responds strongly to environmental factors.

Laying patterns often change due to:

• Daylight length
• Seasonal temperature changes
• Stress within the flock
• Parasites or illness

During winter, shorter daylight hours naturally slow egg production. This seasonal pause is completely normal and forms part of a hen’s biological laying cycle.

Some commercial poultry systems use artificial lighting to maintain year‑round laying. However, many backyard chicken keepers in the UK prefer to allow hens a natural winter rest period instead.

A Sustainable Approach to Better Egg Production

If your goal is consistent egg production from backyard chickens, the approach is usually straightforward.

Focus on the fundamentals:

• Feed a high‑quality layers chicken feed or layers pellets
• Provide oyster shell for calcium
• Limit treats to small amounts
• Ensure fresh, clean water is always available
• Reduce stress through good housing and flock management

Healthy hens that receive balanced nutrition typically lay reliably within their natural cycle. So rather than trying to force higher output, it is far better to support egg production naturally through proper feeding and care.

What to Feed a Sick Chicken (Supportive Care Guide)

When a hen becomes unwell, one of the first symptoms keepers notice is a loss of appetite. Naturally, many people start asking what to feed a sick chicken to help it recover.

However, while the right food can support recovery, it is important to remember that diet alone will not cure infections or serious illness in chickens. Instead, supportive feeding helps the bird maintain energy and hydration while the underlying issue improves or receives treatment.

Therefore, if symptoms are severe, persistent or getting worse, veterinary advice is always the safest option.

Hydration Comes First

When caring for a sick bird, hydration is far more important than food at first. If a hen stops drinking, her condition can deteriorate surprisingly quickly.

For that reason, always focus on ensuring the chicken continues to drink regularly.

Make sure:

• Fresh, clean water is easily accessible
• The drinker sits somewhere the bird does not need to compete with the rest of the flock
• Poultry electrolytes are added if dehydration is suspected

Commercial electrolyte solutions for chickens help replace fluids and minerals during illness, heat stress or recovery. Nevertheless, the most important priority is simply making sure the hen keeps drinking.

Offer Easy‑to‑Digest Feed

If appetite drops, offering soft and easy‑to‑digest foods can sometimes encourage a sick hen to start eating again.

Gentle options include:

• Slightly moistened layers pellets or chicken feed
• A small portion of cooked scrambled egg for protein
• Soft foods offered in small, manageable portions

Moistening pellets makes them easier for weak birds to eat while still providing the balanced nutrition found in layers chicken feed.

However, avoid introducing too many new foods at once. Sudden diet changes can upset digestion, which is the last thing a sick chicken needs.

Apple Cider Vinegar & Garlic for Chickens

Many backyard keepers recommend apple cider vinegar for chickens or garlic for chickens as natural immune support.

Both ingredients contain mild antimicrobial properties, and smallholders sometimes add them to drinking water occasionally. However, it is important to keep expectations realistic.

Although these ingredients may support general flock health, they do not cure infections or respiratory disease.

Keep in mind:

• Apple cider vinegar will not treat bacterial or viral illness
• Garlic should never replace proper poultry medication
• Too much ACV can make water unpleasant to drink, which may reduce hydration

If you decide to use them, keep quantities modest and always prioritise clean water and balanced chicken feed.

Supporting Chickens With Respiratory Symptoms

Respiratory problems are among the most common illnesses in backyard flocks. Typical symptoms include:

• Sneezing
• Wheezing
• Open‑mouth breathing
• Discharge from the eyes or nostrils

If possible, isolate the sick chicken from the flock. This reduces stress, helps you monitor the bird more closely and limits the spread of disease.

At the same time, focus on improving the bird’s environment and living conditions:

• Keep bedding clean and dry
• Ensure good ventilation without cold drafts
• Clean feeders and drinkers regularly

If respiratory symptoms persist or spread to multiple birds, veterinary advice is strongly recommended.

When to Call a Vet

Although many minor issues resolve quickly, certain symptoms indicate a more serious health problem.

Contact a poultry vet if you notice:

• Rapid or ongoing weight loss in chickens
• Severe lethargy
• Swelling or injury
• Persistent breathing difficulty
• Multiple birds becoming ill

Early treatment can often prevent illness spreading through the flock.

A Sensible Approach to Feeding Sick Chickens

Overall, the best approach when feeding a sick chicken is to focus on simple supportive care.

Prioritise:

• Hydration and electrolytes
• Soft, easy‑to‑digest chicken feed
• Reduced stress and isolation if needed
• Clean housing and good ventilation

Good nutrition helps a bird regain strength and energy, but it cannot replace proper diagnosis or treatment. Therefore, when in doubt, seek veterinary advice and continue providing balanced layers chicken feed and clean water to support recovery.

Cost-Effective & Sustainable Feeding Ideas

Feeding chickens does not have to mean constant trips to the feed store. With a little planning, you can reduce waste, grow some of your own supplements and still keep your flock healthy.

However, one rule should always stay the same: a complete layers pellet or layers chicken feed must form the foundation of the diet. Everything else should simply support that balanced base feed.

Sprouting Barley or Wheat (Chicken Fodder Systems)

Sprouting grains is a popular smallholder method for producing fresh green chicken feed at home.

When grains such as barley or wheat are soaked and allowed to sprout:

• Digestibility improves slightly
• Some vitamin levels increase
• Chickens usually find the fresh shoots very appealing

However, it is important to keep expectations realistic.

Sprouted fodder:

• Does not dramatically increase protein levels
• Should never replace layers pellets or balanced chicken feed
• Can develop mould if hygiene slips

Therefore, fodder works best as a supplement rather than a main chicken feed. In particular, it can be useful during winter months, when grass growth slows and natural forage becomes limited.

Growing Chicken Greens in the Garden

If you have a little spare garden space, growing crops specifically for your flock can reduce the need for shop‑bought chicken treats.

For example, good chicken‑friendly plants include:

• Kale
• Swiss chard
• Perennial spinach
• Mixed forage patches

Not only are these plants easy to grow, but they also provide fresh greens for chickens throughout the growing season.

However, remember the UK kitchen scraps rule for feeding chickens. To stay compliant with UK poultry regulations, offer greens directly from the garden before they enter the kitchen.

Once food crosses the kitchen threshold, it legally becomes catering waste and should not go back to the chickens.

So, harvesting greens straight from the garden to the chicken run keeps the process simple and legal.

Reducing Waste Safely When Feeding Chickens

Chickens are brilliant little natural recyclers. Even so, there are both legal and nutritional limits to what they should eat.

Instead of feeding household leftovers, try:

• Offering garden trimmings before they reach the kitchen
• Rotating grazing areas where possible
• Maintaining healthy pasture or forage in the chicken run

This approach still helps reduce waste while remaining within UK poultry feeding regulations.

By contrast, plate scrapings and cooked leftovers fall under catering waste rules and should always be avoided.

Store Chicken Feed Properly

Saving money is not just about what you feed — it is also about protecting the feed you already have.

To prevent spoilage:

• Store feed in sealed, rodent‑proof containers
• Keep bags dry and raised off the ground
• Buy quantities you can realistically use within a few weeks

Damp or mouldy feed not only wastes money, but it can also expose chickens to harmful mycotoxins. These toxins may negatively affect flock health, digestion and egg production.

A Balanced Approach to Saving Money on Chicken Feed

In the long run, the most economical chicken feeding strategy is actually quite simple:

• Use a reliable layers chicken feed or layers pellets as the base diet
• Supplement with home‑grown greens or forage when possible
• Avoid replacing balanced feed with cheap filler foods

Healthy hens usually lay more consistently, experience fewer health problems and require fewer interventions overall.

Therefore, although cutting corners on feed may appear cheaper at first, maintaining proper chicken nutrition typically saves money in the long run.

Common Chicken Feeding Myths (UK Context)

Search online for what to feed chickens and you will quickly find thousands of tips, tricks and home remedies. However, not all chicken-feeding advice is accurate. Some myths are harmless enough, while others can slowly undermine your flock’s health without you realising.

Understanding the difference between reliable chicken feeding advice and common poultry myths helps keep your birds healthy, productive and laying consistently.

So, let’s clear up a few of the most common chicken feeding myths backyard keepers encounter.

Myth: “Chickens Can Eat Anything.”

You will often hear people say that chickens can eat anything. In reality, chickens are opportunistic eaters, which means they happily peck at almost any food placed in front of them.

However, that does not mean every food is safe for a balanced chicken diet.

Some foods are genuinely toxic to chickens, including avocado skin, chocolate and mouldy feed. Others are simply nutritionally poor choices that lack the balanced nutrients hens need for good health and consistent egg production.

Because of this, a complete layers chicken feed or layers pellets should always form the foundation of a chicken’s diet. Treats and scraps should only ever supplement that base diet, not replace it.

Myth: “Free‑Range Chickens Don’t Need Pellets.”

Free‑ranging hens certainly benefit from access to grass, seeds and insects. In fact, natural foraging is one of the best forms of enrichment you can provide for backyard chickens.

Even so, UK pasture rarely provides enough consistent protein and calcium for laying hens, particularly during autumn and winter, when natural forage declines.

For that reason, even free‑range chickens still require balanced chicken feed, such as layers pellets, to maintain:

• Strong eggshell formation
• Reliable egg production
• Overall flock health

Therefore, free‑ranging should supplement a balanced chicken diet, rather than replace a complete poultry feed.

Myth: “Pumpkin Seeds Cure Worms.”

Pumpkin and squash seeds contain a compound called cucurbitacin, which is often promoted as a natural poultry dewormer.

Although traditional smallholder practice sometimes supports this claim, scientific evidence remains limited when it comes to controlling parasites in chickens.

That said, pumpkin and squash remain healthy treats for chickens. Chickens can safely eat the flesh, skin and seeds as part of a varied diet.

Nevertheless, pumpkin seeds should never replace proper worming strategies or veterinary advice when parasite problems occur.

Myth: “Apple Cider Vinegar Cures Respiratory Disease.”

Another common claim is that apple cider vinegar for chickens can cure respiratory illness.

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) does contain mild antimicrobial properties, and many keepers occasionally add small amounts to drinking water as a general supplement.

However, ACV cannot cure bacterial or viral respiratory infections in chickens.

If birds show ongoing symptoms such as:

• Sneezing
• Wheezing
• Open‑mouth breathing
• Discharge from the eyes or nostrils

it is far safer to seek veterinary advice than rely on home remedies alone.

In short, ACV may support general flock health, but it should never replace proper treatment for sick chickens.

Myth: “Kitchen Scraps Are Fine If They’re Vegetarian.”

This myth catches many UK chicken keepers out.

Under UK poultry feeding regulations, once food enters a domestic kitchen it becomes catering waste. Because of this, it cannot legally be fed to poultry — even if the scraps are vegetarian or plant‑based.

However, vegetables or greens harvested directly from the garden can still be fed to chickens before entering the kitchen.

So although the rule may seem small, that kitchen threshold makes a major difference when it comes to UK chicken feeding laws.

The Takeaway

Ultimately, feeding chickens properly is not complicated, but it does require reliable information and balanced nutrition.

Focus on the fundamentals of a healthy chicken diet:

• A consistent layers chicken feed or poultry pellets
• Fresh, clean drinking water
• Separate oyster shell for calcium
• Treats kept in sensible moderation
• Following UK poultry feeding regulations

Whenever advice sounds overly simple — or promises miracle results — it is worth pausing and checking reliable poultry sources before changing how you feed your flock.

FAQs: Feeding Chickens in the UK

Below are some of the most common questions backyard keepers ask about what to feed chickens in the UK. These quick answers summarise the most important points from the guide above.

What do chickens eat daily?

In simple terms, chickens should eat a complete commercial feed as the base of their diet. For laying hens, that usually means layers pellets containing around 16–18% protein and roughly 3.5–4% calcium. This balance supports steady egg production and strong eggshells.

Alongside feed, always provide fresh, clean drinking water. You can also offer occasional treats; however, they should make up no more than about 10% of the overall diet.

How much should I feed my chickens?

Most laying hens eat roughly 100–130 grams of layers pellets per day. However, the exact amount varies depending on breed, body size and activity levels.

For example, larger breeds may eat slightly more, while bantams usually eat less. Therefore, rather than relying on numbers alone, keep an eye on body condition and feeding behaviour. If birds regularly leave feed behind or start gaining excess weight, adjust portions accordingly.

How often should I feed chickens?

Most backyard keepers provide free access to layers pellets during daylight hours. Chickens naturally graze throughout the day, so this feeding method suits their behaviour well.

However, it is best not to leave feed out overnight. Otherwise, you may attract rats, mice or other pests to the coop area.

Can chickens eat bread?

Yes, chickens can eat small amounts of plain bread occasionally. Nevertheless, bread provides very little nutritional value compared with balanced layers pellets.

Therefore, although it is fine as an occasional treat, too much bread can dilute protein intake and gradually reduce egg production.

Can chickens eat rice?

Chickens can eat plain cooked rice in moderation. However, it should remain an occasional treat rather than a regular part of the diet.

As always, a balanced layers chicken feed should still make up the majority of what hens eat.

Can you feed chickens kitchen scraps in the UK?

In most cases, no. UK law prohibits feeding poultry catering waste, which includes food that has entered a domestic kitchen.

Even vegetarian or vegan leftovers fall under this rule. However, vegetables harvested from the garden and offered before entering the kitchen are still allowed.

So the simple rule is this: once food crosses the kitchen threshold, it should not go back to the chickens.

What should I feed chickens in winter?

During winter, keep layers pellets as the foundation of the diet. Chickens often eat slightly more in cold weather because they burn extra energy to stay warm.

You can offer small amounts of whole corn in the afternoon during very cold spells. However, this should only supplement balanced feed, not replace it.

At the same time, always ensure drinking water remains available and does not freeze.

What makes egg yolks more orange?

Egg yolk colour mainly reflects what the hen eats. Foods rich in natural pigments called carotenoids deepen yolk colour.

For example, dark leafy greens, fresh grass and natural forage often produce richer yellow or orange yolks. Nevertheless, seasonal changes are normal, and paler yolks during winter do not necessarily indicate poor health.

What foods are toxic to chickens?

Certain foods should always be avoided. The most common toxic foods for chickens include:

• Avocado skin and stone
• Chocolate
• Green potatoes
• Raw dried beans
• Mouldy feed
• Highly salted or processed foods

If you are ever unsure about a food, it is usually safest to stick with a complete layers chicken feed and known safe treats.