Food & NutritionWhat's the healthiest food for my chickens, roosters, and laying hens?
A commercially prepared laying formula (pellet or crumble) that is 16-18% protein is the best nutritional diet for hens that are laying or of laying age, as well as roosters. If a commercially available diet is not available, you can put together a decent ration with these grains and dried vegetables: cracked corn, lentils, split peas and whole or rolled oats. The homemade ration may be better suited for free-range chickens that can also eat live plants and bugs to supplement their diet. I do not recommend a commercial diet that contains any medications (such as a Coccidiostat) for hens that are laying as people should not be ingesting this in the eggs that are laid.
Updated on November 25th, 2025
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