Chickens need three distinct types of feed as they grow: starter feed from hatch to 6 weeks, grower feed from 6 to 20 weeks, and layer feed from 20 weeks onward. Each phase has different protein and calcium levels matched to what a chicken’s body is doing at that stage. Getting the timing and nutrition right at each phase directly affects growth, egg production, and long-term health.
Hatch to 6 Weeks: Starter Feed
Baby chicks grow faster in their first weeks of life than at any other stage, and they need protein-dense feed to support that growth. Starter feed contains 18 to 20% protein and comes in a fine crumble texture that tiny beaks can handle. This is the only feed chicks should eat during their first six weeks. No treats, no scratch grains, no table scraps.
If you’re raising meat birds (broilers), they need even higher protein, typically 20 to 24%. A commercial broiler can weigh around 1,800 grams by six weeks old, which gives you a sense of how aggressively these birds grow and why they need the extra protein. For standard egg-laying breeds, 18 to 20% is the target.
Water matters just as much as feed from day one. Chicks need clean, room-temperature water available at all times. Water consumption increases in a straight line as chicks age, roughly 5.28 milliliters per bird per day of age. So a 10-day-old chick drinks about 53 ml per day, while a 6-week-old drinks closer to 220 ml. In warmer weather, expect that number to climb higher.
If you’re offering anything besides commercial starter feed (like chopped greens or a hard-boiled egg mashed up), you’ll also need to provide chick-sized grit, which are tiny stones that help grind food in the gizzard. Chicks eating only commercial crumble don’t need grit, since the feed dissolves on its own.
6 to 20 Weeks: Grower Feed
At six weeks, switch to grower feed. This drops the protein slightly to around 16 to 18% and keeps calcium low. The logic is simple: your birds are still growing but not as explosively as before, and they don’t yet need the calcium that egg production demands. Too much calcium at this age can damage developing kidneys.
Some feed brands sell a combined “starter/grower” formula designed to carry birds from hatch all the way to 20 weeks. This is a fine option, especially for small flocks where buying separate bags for a short window doesn’t make sense. These combination feeds typically sit at around 18% protein, which works across both stages.
This is the phase where you can start introducing small amounts of treats and kitchen scraps. Leafy greens, watermelon, cooked rice, and mealworms are all popular choices. The key rule: treats should make up no more than 10% of total daily intake. Anything beyond that dilutes the balanced nutrition in their main feed and can lead to deficiencies or obesity. Scratch grains (cracked corn, wheat, milo) fall into this same 10% limit. They’re low in protein and high in calories, essentially junk food for chickens.
If your birds are free-ranging or eating anything besides commercial feed, provide insoluble grit (small granite pieces) in a separate dish. Chickens don’t have teeth, so grit acts as their grinding mechanism. Let them take what they need rather than mixing it into feed.
20 Weeks and Beyond: Layer Feed
Once your hens reach about 20 weeks, or as soon as you see the first egg (whichever comes first), transition to layer feed. The big change here is calcium. Laying hens need 3.25 to 3.6% calcium in their diet to form strong eggshells, compared to less than 1% during the grower phase. Layer feed is formulated to hit this range, with protein levels around 16%.
Even with layer feed, many hens benefit from supplemental calcium offered separately. Crushed oyster shell in a free-choice dish lets each hen take what she needs. High-production hens often eat more oyster shell than lighter layers. Don’t start offering oyster shell before your birds are actually laying, as the excess calcium serves no purpose and stresses the kidneys. Most backyard chicken keepers wait until they see the first egg.
Brown-egg layers tend to have slightly higher protein and calcium needs than white-egg breeds, but commercial layer feeds are formulated to cover both types adequately. If you notice thin or soft shells, increasing oyster shell access is the first fix to try.
Feeding Roosters and Mixed Flocks
Roosters don’t lay eggs, so they don’t need the high calcium in layer feed. If you keep roosters with hens, the simplest approach is to feed everyone an all-flock or grower feed (16 to 18% protein, low calcium) and offer oyster shell on the side. The hens will eat the oyster shell to meet their calcium needs, and the roosters will generally ignore it.
This same strategy works for mixed-age flocks. If you have pullets and mature hens together, an all-flock feed plus free-choice oyster shell lets each bird self-regulate calcium without risking kidney damage in younger birds.
Meat Birds: A Different Schedule
Broilers follow a compressed timeline compared to laying breeds. They start on a high-protein starter (20 to 24%) for the first 6 weeks, then move to a finisher feed with slightly lower protein for the remaining weeks before processing, usually around 8 to 12 weeks total. Some producers keep broilers on the higher-protein starter for the entire grow-out period, especially for fast-growing breeds headed to processing at 8 weeks.
Meat birds eat significantly more than laying breeds and drink proportionally more water. Their feed-to-water ratio averages about 1 to 1.77, meaning for every gram of feed consumed, they drink nearly 1.8 grams of water. Restricting water even briefly can slow growth and cause health problems.
Foods That Are Toxic to Chickens
Most kitchen scraps are fine in moderation, but a handful of common foods are genuinely dangerous:
- Dried or raw beans contain a toxin that is almost always fatal to poultry. Fully cooked beans are safe.
- Green potatoes and green tomatoes contain solanine, a poison found in nightshade plants. Ripe tomatoes and cooked potatoes are fine. Sweet potatoes are safe at any stage since they’re not nightshades.
- Avocado skins and pits contain persin, which causes respiratory failure in chickens. The flesh is debated, but most keepers avoid avocado entirely.
- Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, both toxic to birds.
- Coffee grounds cause caffeine toxicity, which interferes with calcium absorption and can damage the heart and lungs.
- Apple seeds and cherry pits contain cyanide compounds. The fruit itself is perfectly safe.
- Moldy food of any kind can contain aflatoxins, which cause liver damage. If you wouldn’t eat it, don’t give it to your flock.
Quick Reference by Age
- 0 to 6 weeks: Starter feed, 18 to 20% protein (20 to 24% for broilers). No treats. Chick-sized grit only if feeding anything besides commercial crumble.
- 6 to 20 weeks: Grower feed, 16 to 18% protein. Treats limited to 10% of diet. Insoluble grit available free-choice. No oyster shell yet.
- 20 weeks onward (laying hens): Layer feed, 16% protein, 3.25 to 3.6% calcium. Oyster shell available free-choice once laying begins.
- Roosters and non-laying birds: All-flock or grower feed with no supplemental calcium.
- Meat birds: High-protein starter (20 to 24%) for 6 weeks, then finisher feed through processing at 8 to 12 weeks.