Best Chicken Feed (2026): Layer, Starter and Organic Feeds

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The best chicken feed for most backyard laying hens is Purina Layena Pellets, a complete layer feed that Purina labels at 16% protein and 3.25% to 4.25% calcium, in line with the about 16 percent protein and 3 to 4 percent calcium that Oregon State University Extension gives for layer feed. A layer feed is for hens that are laying, though: the extension services we read warn that its calcium can harm young birds, so the right bag depends on who is in your flock.

For chicks and young birds not yet laying, Purina Start and Grow Non-Medicated carries them from hatch to laying age, by Purina's directions. The other picks cover a small bag for a few hens, an organic feed with no corn or soy, an all flock feed for a flock with roosters or mixed ages, and oyster shell for extra calcium. Below the picks we set out what extension services say about layer, starter and grower feeds, calcium and oyster shell, pellets versus mash, organic and medicated feeds, treats and grit, how long a bag lasts, feeders and coop bedding.

Jump to: Layer, starter or grower | Calcium and oyster shell | Pellets or mash | Organic and medicated | Treats and grit | How long a bag lasts | Feeders | Coop bedding

Start here: which chicken feed for your flock

• Laying hens, 18 weeks and older, no roosters: Purina Layena Pellets (pick 1).
• Just a few hens, or a first small bag: Manna Pro Layer Pellets (pick 2).
• Organic grains, no corn or soy: Scratch and Peck Organic Layer Mash (pick 3).
• Chicks and young birds not yet laying: Purina Start and Grow Non-Medicated (pick 4).
• A flock with roosters, ducks or birds of mixed ages: Manna Pro All Flock Crumbles, with oyster shell on the side for the layers (pick 5).
• Thin or rough eggshells, or an all flock feed: Small Pet Select Flaked Oyster Shell in its own dish (pick 6).

Before you buy, check the ages in your flock against what the extension services say about each feed: they agree that the feed should match the bird, and that layer feed waits for the first egg.

The best chicken feeds, by job

1. Purina Layena Pellets: best overall

Layena is Purina's standard layer feed, a complete feed for hens in lay that Purina labels at 16% protein, with calcium between 3.25% and 4.25%. Purina's directions make it the only ration for hens from 18 weeks on, kept in front of them at all times and making up no less than 90 percent of what they eat. Purina says the formula carries oyster shell, vitamin D and manganese, plus probiotics, prebiotics and yeast, and the listing adds marigold extract for yolk color and added lysine and methionine. It is linked here in the 50 pound bag; Purina says its crumbles and pellets give the same nutrition, and the same feed is sold in smaller bags.

Why it is the pick: its label lines up with what the extension services we read give for a layer feed, about 16 percent protein and 3 to 4 percent calcium by Oregon State, and 16 to 18 percent protein by Penn State. It is a complete feed, so there is nothing to mix in, and pellets are the form Purina's page calls "a great way to limit feed waste." If you would rather pick up a bag in person, Purina's page has a store locator, and the University of Maryland Extension notes that a good commercial feed can be bought at most local farm stores.

Good to know: Purina's label says not to feed it to birds under 18 weeks of age or to male birds, so a flock with chicks or a rooster needs a different plan (picks 4 and 5). Purina says most flocks on Layena should not need extra oyster shell, but that a dish of it during hot weather is good practice. A 50 pound bag lasts six hens about 24 to 32 days, inside Oregon State's two month storage limit; for three hens it runs past Penn State's four weeks (see how long a bag lasts). The probiotic, yolk and shell wording is Purina's, and no hands-on comparison of layer feeds we found covers this feed.

2. Manna Pro Layer Pellets: best small bag for a few hens

Manna Pro's layer pellets come in an 8 pound bag. The listing calls it a complete layer feed with 16% protein, added probiotics, omega-3 and extra calcium, and says it has no antibiotics and no artificial colors or flavors.

Why it is the pick: an 8 pound bag suits two or three hens, or a first bag to see how your birds take to pellets. At the feed rates in our bag table, three hens finish it in about 8 to 10 days, so it is always fresh, well inside every storage limit we read. Its protein matches pick 1's and the extension figures for layer feed.

Good to know: the listing does not give a calcium figure, only extra calcium, and we could not read Manna Pro's own product page on October 24, 2026; check the tag on the bag. For a bigger flock the small bag goes fast: six hens finish it in about 4 to 5 days (our arithmetic), so pick 1's 50 pound bag means fewer trips. The omega-3 and digestion wording is the listing's, and no hands-on comparison we found covers this feed.

3. Scratch and Peck Organic Layer Mash: best organic and soy-free

Scratch and Peck's layer mash is certified organic and Non-GMO Project Verified, by its listing, and free of corn and soy. The ingredient list on Scratch and Peck's own page starts with organic wheat, organic peas and organic flaxseed meal and includes fish meal, and the maker's label gives 16% protein and calcium between 3.9% and 4.9%. Scratch and Peck sells it as a complete diet for hens and ducks in lay, starting at 20 weeks or at the first egg, served dry, moistened or fermented. It is linked here in the 25 pound bag; Scratch and Peck also sells 16% layer pellets and crumbles.

Why it is the pick: for keepers who want organic grains and no soy, it carries the same 16% protein as pick 1 and a little more calcium, by its label. Oregon State notes that organic feeds are built to the same nutrient targets as conventional ones, with the ingredients from organic sources, and the University of Georgia notes that virtually all poultry feeds are built on corn and soybean meal, so a soy-free feed is a real change of recipe rather than a label tweak.

Good to know: it is a mash, the loose, unpelleted form. Maryland says pellets cut waste because birds cannot pick out the ingredients they like, so expect more on the floor; the listing suggests fermenting the mash to stop picky eaters selecting their favorites. Oregon State also warns that organic feeds are harder to formulate, often use imported ingredients and may fall short of ideal nutrition for laying hens, and advises buying from reputable sources. Scratch and Peck recommends its layer grit and free-choice oyster shell alongside the feed. The listing mentions grub protein while the maker's ingredient list names fish meal, and the maker says formulations may vary with grain sourcing, so read the tag on your bag. No hands-on comparison we found covers this feed.

4. Purina Start and Grow Non-Medicated: best for chicks and growing pullets

Start and Grow is a crumble for chicks that Purina labels at 18% protein, with calcium between 0.75% and 1.25%. Purina says to keep it out free choice as the chicks' only ration from hatch to laying age, 18 to 20 weeks, and then to move them to Layena, changing feeds gradually. The listing adds prebiotics and probiotics, vitamins A, D, E and K with B vitamins, and lysine and methionine. It is linked here in the 25 pound bag.

Why it is the pick: its protein sits inside the 18 to 20 percent that Oregon State and Penn State give for a starter feed, its calcium stays near the 1 percent the University of Georgia gives for pullet feed, and one bag carries chicks from day one to the start of lay, so you do not need a separate grower feed. The University of Georgia says a combined starter and grower ration, which many feed stores stock, works well for both stages.

Good to know: this is the non-medicated version. Purina recommends its Medicated version for chicks with no coccidiosis vaccination, or whose status you do not know, so ask the hatchery which yours had; we set out what the extension services say in organic and medicated feeds. It is not a feed for hens already laying: Maryland and the University of Georgia both say not to feed starter or grower rations to birds producing eggs. No hands-on comparison we found covers this feed.

5. Manna Pro All Flock Crumbles: best for mixed flocks and roosters

Manna Pro's All Flock is a crumble for chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese and other birds, in an 8 pound bag. The listing gives 16% protein and added probiotics, and says it has no added antibiotics or hormones.

Why it is the pick: a layer feed is made for hens in lay. Purina's Layena label says not to feed it to male birds, and Maryland warns that a layer diet's calcium is high enough to cause improper bone formation and kidney failure in a young chicken. Oregon State describes all-purpose feeds, made to be the only feed for chickens of every age, and says the layers on one need oyster shell offered free choice; that is the job this bag does.

Good to know: Oregon State says laying hens on an all-purpose feed will generally not get enough calcium for proper eggshells, so oyster shell in a separate feeder is required, not optional (pick 6). The listing gives no calcium figure and Manna Pro's site was not readable to us on October 24, 2026, so check the tag. The National Cooperative Extension lists an all-purpose feed for when only a single feed is available, and for a flock of laying hens only, we would use a layer feed instead. No hands-on comparison we found covers this feed.

6. Small Pet Select Flaked Oyster Shell: best calcium add-on

This is flaked oyster shell to put out on its own, made only of flaked oyster shell with no seashells or fillers, in a uniform flake size with little dust, by its listing. Small Pet Select's own page gives it 35% to 42% calcium and says to set it out free choice, in its own container, for laying hens, ducks and mixed flocks, starting at about 20 weeks. It is linked here in the 5 pound bag.

Why it is the pick: a separate dish of oyster shell is how the extension services we read add calcium. Oregon State says some high-producing hens may need the extra calcium even on a complete feed, and to offer it free choice in a separate feeder so the hen decides; Penn State lists oyster shell free choice in a separate feeder alongside a layer ration; and on an all-purpose feed, Oregon State says it is required.

Good to know: oyster shell is not grit. Oregon State and the National Cooperative Extension both say it is too soft to help grind food, so birds eating scratch grains need insoluble grit as well. Keep it away from chicks: the National Cooperative Extension says growing chickens need only 1.2% calcium and that high-calcium diets can damage their kidneys. Oregon State's sign that your hens could use it is eggs whose shells are thin and crack easily, or feel rough, almost like sandpaper.

How we chose these

We compared the chicken feeds in Amazon's catalog against what extension services say each kind of bird needs: the protein and calcium on each label, the age the maker says it is for, its form (pellets, crumbles or mash), and whether it is organic, soy-free or medicated. Labels come from each Amazon listing and, where the maker publishes one, its own page: Purina for picks 1 and 4, Scratch and Peck for pick 3 and Small Pet Select for pick 6. We found no hands-on comparison of bagged chicken feeds, so each pick says whose word it rests on.

For feeding, we read Oregon State University Extension's guide to feeding laying hens, Penn State Extension's laying flock and small flock guides, the University of Georgia's backyard flock guide, nutrition circular and a backyard flock tip on which feed a flock needs, the University of Maryland Extension's Feeding the Flock, the National Cooperative Extension's guides to feeding chickens for eggs and litter, and Utah State University Extension on rodents and backyard chickens.

Our rules: each pick was in stock on Amazon on November 6, 2026, with a new offer in the buy box. Each feed pick is a complete feed for the birds its maker names, and its protein falls within the range at least one extension service we read gives for that stage. We make no health promise for any feed; the feeding advice on this page is the extension services', and every claim about what a feed does is its maker's, named where it appears.

Also considered: feeds that missed the list and why

New Country Organics corn-free layer feed. A certified organic, corn-free and soy-free layer feed at 17% protein, by its listing, and in stock on November 6, 2026. It does the same job as pick 3, and its listing notes that the maker mills its feeds on shared equipment, so it does not promise the feed is entirely corn-free. It is the first feed we would add if pick 3 drops out.

Nutrena NatureWise layer feeds. On November 6, 2026 every NatureWise layer listing we found on Amazon was out of stock or showed a low-stock warning, so none is a pick.

Purina Start and Grow Medicated. The medicated version of pick 4, which Purina recommends for chicks with no coccidiosis vaccination or an unknown vaccination record. We link the non-medicated version because the choice turns on your chicks' vaccination, which only you and your hatchery know; the medicated version is sold where pick 4 is.

Layer, starter or grower: what extension services say about each feed

Chicken feeds are sold by the age and job of the bird, and the bag says which. Oregon State describes the ingredients as similar from one to the next, common grains for carbohydrates and soybean or canola meal for protein, with the proportions changed for each stage. Here is what each service gives for each stage, in its own terms.

What it shows: all four describe the same shape, a higher-protein starter, a lower-protein grower, then a layer feed with several times the calcium, switched at about 18 to 20 weeks. They differ on the grower. Penn State would move chicks to a 14 to 15 percent grower at 6 to 8 weeks, while Purina's Start and Grow (pick 4) stays at 18% until laying age, which is the combination starter and grower the University of Georgia says works for both stages. Oregon State treats grower and developer feeds as close to interchangeable from 6 weeks to the start of lay.

Two warnings run through all of them. Do not give layer feed to young birds: Maryland says that a chick fed a layer diet gets so much calcium that it can suffer poor bone formation, kidney failure and even death, and the National Cooperative Extension says high-calcium diets can damage a growing chicken's kidneys. And do not keep laying hens on a starter or grower: the University of Georgia says that without a layer feed's calcium the hen must pull calcium from her bones to make eggshells. Oregon State also advises against meat-bird starter for young layers, at about 22 percent protein, which it calls "neither necessary nor desirable for egg-laying chickens"; the University of Georgia's tip, by contrast, sees no harm in a broiler starter for pullets' first several weeks.

Calcium and oyster shell: who needs it and how to give it

A layer feed already carries the calcium a hen needs for most eggs: Maryland says a layer diet should already supply all the calcium a hen needs. Oyster shell is the top-up, and every source we read that covers it gives it the same way: free choice, in its own dish.

• When to put it out. Oregon State says some high-producing hens may need it even on a complete feed, and that shells which are thin and crack easily, or feel rough like sandpaper, are the sign. Purina says most flocks on Layena should not need it, but that a dish during hot weather is good practice.
• Always on an all-purpose feed. Oregon State says laying hens on an all-purpose feed generally do not get enough calcium for proper eggshells, so free-choice oyster shell is required there (pick 5 with pick 6).
• In a separate feeder. Oregon State says to give oyster shell its own feeder so the hen decides whether she needs it, and Penn State says the same. Maryland adds calcite or limestone as other free-choice sources.
• Not for chicks or growing birds. The National Cooperative Extension says growing chickens need only 1.2% calcium, and Small Pet Select says to start its oyster shell at about 20 weeks.
• Not a substitute for grit. Oregon State says oyster shell is too soft to help birds grind their food (see treats and grit).

A flock with a rooster is the case layer feed labels do not cover: Purina's Layena label says not to feed it to male birds. None of the extension pages we read gives a separate feed for roosters, so for a flock with one we follow Oregon State's all-purpose feed for everyone, with oyster shell on the side for the hens.

Pellets, crumbles or mash

The same feed is often sold three ways. Mash is unpelleted feed, pellets are pressed, and crumbles, the University of Georgia explains, are pellets passed through a roller mill. Maryland says that a pellet is a complete unit of feed, so birds cannot pick out the ingredients they like, and that pelleting can reduce feed wastage. Purina calls the choice a personal preference and says pellets are "a great way to limit feed waste." The University of Georgia notes that layer feed is most often sold as a mash, and that crumbles can help hens eat more in hot months.

Among the picks, 1 and 2 are pellets, 4 and 5 are crumbles, and 3 is a mash. If you came looking for a whole grain blend, pick 3 is one by its maker's word: Scratch and Peck calls it "a bountiful blend of raw whole grains, vitamins, and minerals," to be fed as a complete diet, and recommends its layer grit with it. Scratch and Peck sells its mash to be fed dry, moistened or fermented, and its listing says fermenting keeps picky eaters from choosing only their favorites. If your hens leave a lot of fines in the bottom of the feeder, pellets are the form the sources above tie to less waste.

Organic, soy-free and medicated feeds: what the labels mean

Organic. Oregon State says organic feeds are built to the same nutrient targets as conventional ones, with ingredients from organic sources, grain grown without commercial fertilizers or pesticides and seed stock that is not genetically modified. Certain additives are not allowed, including medications and synthetic amino acids, with an exception for limited methionine and for the vitamin and mineral premix. That makes organic feeds harder to formulate, Oregon State says, and they often rely on imported ingredients and may fall short of ideal nutrition for laying hens, so it advises careful shopping from reputable sources.

Soy-free and corn-free. The University of Georgia's backyard flock tip says virtually all poultry feeds are about 60 percent corn and 25 to 30 percent soybean meal, with the soybean meal supplying most of the protein. A soy-free feed has to find that protein elsewhere: pick 3's ingredient list names peas, flaxseed meal and fish meal. The University of Georgia's nutrition circular adds that methionine and lysine are the amino acids most likely to run short in a corn and soy diet, which is why labels list them; picks 1, 3 and 4 name both.

Medicated. A medicated feed is a starter or grower feed that carries a coccidiostat, a drug against coccidiosis, which Oregon State calls "a common yet serious disease in young chickens." The sources differ on how long to use it, so here is each in its own terms:

• Oregon State: some starter diets are medicated to prevent coccidiosis, while grower and layer feeds usually carry no medication; read the label for warnings and withdrawal dates. In some cases, it says, deaths among young chicks on non-medicated feed can climb too high, so you have to decide whether non-medicated feed is justified in your situation.
• The National Cooperative Extension: replacement pullets can have a coccidiostat feed for their first 16 weeks, then move to non-medicated feed; laying hens do not usually get medicated feed. It also warns that some feed medications can be toxic to horses, so check the label.
• The University of Georgia: many starter and grower feeds are medicated at a mild strength that lets immunity develop gradually; layer rations are usually not medicated.
• Penn State: medicated feed against coccidiosis is for chicks younger than 4 weeks only.
• Purina: recommends its Medicated Start and Grow for chicks with no coccidiosis vaccination or an unknown vaccination record; pick 4 is the non-medicated version.

We make no call on medication for your chicks: the label, your hatchery's vaccination record and, if you are unsure, your local extension office or a veterinarian are the people to ask.

Scratch, treats and grit: how much the sources allow

A complete feed is meant to be nearly all of what the birds eat, and every source we read keeps scratch grains and kitchen scraps small, though not by the same measure.

What it shows: the services that allow scratch hold it to about a tenth of the diet or a 20 minute window, and Penn State would skip it. Oregon State explains why: scratch grains are low in protein and dilute a carefully formulated feed. Grit matters when the birds eat scratch or forage on pasture, because it lets them grind and digest the grains, Oregon State says; birds on the ground usually find enough small stones, and oyster shell will not do the job.

How long a bag lasts, and how to store it

The National Cooperative Extension puts layer feed intake at 18 to 24 pounds a week for 10 birds, which is 1.8 to 2.4 pounds a hen a week, or about a quarter to a third of a pound a day (our arithmetic). Maryland's table, from Vest and Dale, gives 104 pounds for a brown egg layer from 19 to 70 weeks of age, about 2 pounds a week, and 80 pounds for a white egg layer, about 1.5. The National Cooperative Extension adds that hens eat more in cold weather and less in hot weather. Here is how long each linked layer feed bag lasts at that rate.

Our arithmetic: bag weight divided by the number of hens and by 0.26 to 0.34 pounds a hen a day. At the middle of the range, 2.1 pounds a hen a week, six hens finish a 50 pound bag in about 28 days, a 25 pound bag in about 14 and an 8 pound bag in about 4.

How long feed keeps is where the sources part ways. Oregon State and the National Cooperative Extension say to store feed for no more than two months, in a cool, dry place, because old feed loses some of its nutritional value and damp feed can grow molds that are dangerous for chickens. Penn State is stricter, at up to 4 weeks in a dry, dark metal container. Scratch and Peck gives its whole grain mash feeds a nine month shelf life if kept cool and dry, which is the maker's figure. Read against the table, a 50 pound bag suits about six hens or more; three hens finish it after Penn State's four weeks and near Oregon State's two months, so a 25 pound bag is the closer fit for them, or pick 2's 8 pound bag for buying little and often.

• Keep it sealed. Oregon State says to keep feed in a closed, solid container, a lidded trash can for example, so rodents cannot get at it. Utah State says rodents, raccoons and skunks get through wood more readily than plastic, and through plastic more readily than metal.
• Keep it off concrete. Maryland says feed picks up moisture from a concrete floor, and suggests covered plastic trash cans or wooden pallets that let air circulate under the bags.
• Throw out moldy feed. Purina's label says not to feed moldy or insect-infested feed, and to keep it somewhere dry and airy, away from rodents and insects.

Chicken feeders: how much space, how high, how full

A feeder decides how much of the bag ends up in the birds rather than on the floor. The extension services we read agree on the basics.

• Enough room for every bird at once. Oregon State says to give the whole flock room to eat at once: an inch of feeder per chick at minimum, rising to 4 inches or more for each adult. Penn State gives 3 inches per bird, and the University of Georgia 4 to 6 inches. For six hens that is 18 inches of feeder edge by Penn State's figure, 24 by Oregon State's and 24 to 36 by the University of Georgia's (our arithmetic).
• At the height of their backs. Oregon State says to set the trough level with the birds' backs, which reduces spillage and so discourages rodents; Penn State says the same of the feeder's lip. If bantams and large fowl share a feeder, Oregon State and the National Cooperative Extension both say to set it for the bantams.
• Only partly full. Penn State says to fill a trough only a third to half full to cut waste.
• Feed always on hand by day, put away by night. Oregon State says to make sure feed is always available to the birds, and Penn State says to feed free choice. Utah State adds that rats come out at night, so take feeders and waterers in at night, set them out again in the morning and clean up spilled feed.
• Clean when soiled. The University of Georgia says to clean feeders when they appear soiled.

Water goes with feed: Oregon State says chickens drink two to three times their feed's weight in water, and the University of Georgia says a bird that cannot drink will not eat. For keeping that water open through a freeze, our heated chicken waterer guide compares heated waterers and bases.

Coop bedding: what the extension services put on the floor

Bedding, or litter, soaks up droppings, spilled water and spilled feed. The National Cooperative Extension says good litter should be nontoxic, free of contaminants, very absorbent and quick to dry, and it compares the other materials against wood shavings.

• Pine shavings. The National Cooperative Extension says softwood shavings, from pine, spruce or hemlock, are generally the best litter, and pine is its first choice, and Penn State says pine shavings provide the best litter. The University of Georgia lists pine shavings with rice hulls, peanut shells and ground corncobs as absorbent bedding.
• Not hardwood shavings. The University of Georgia says hardwood shavings are not recommended, because mold that grows in hardwood shavings composted in storage can cause a serious brain infection when chicks or their keepers breathe it in.
• Straw, chopped short. The National Cooperative Extension says straw is difficult to manage and prone to caking, and that it should be cut to an inch or shorter if used, and it calls pine straw a poor choice because it caked over quickly.
• Sand and other options. It reports that broilers raised on sand in Auburn University's research matched or beat broilers on pine shavings, that rice hulls are low in dust, that shredded paper tends to compact in its first two weeks and that some small flock keepers use leaves as a seasonal bedding.
• How deep, and how often. Penn State says to keep 3 to 4 inches of litter and take out wet patches as they appear, with nests lined with 3 inches of clean pine shavings, and the University of Georgia says to replace soiled litter from time to time to lower the risk of disease. Penn State also says to keep chicks off slick footing such as newspaper, which can cause leg problems.

Related guides

For the rest of the coop: our chicken coop heater guide covers radiant panels, heated pads and perches and when a flock needs heat at all, our heated chicken waterer guide keeps the water open through a freeze, and our automatic chicken coop door guide compares doors that shut the pop hole at dusk and what extension services say about predators. For the person doing the morning chores, our gifts for homesteaders guide gathers gear for the garden, the kitchen and the barn.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best feed for laying hens?

A complete layer feed with about 16 percent protein and 3 to 4 percent calcium, the figures Oregon State University Extension gives, fed as nearly all of the diet. Our pick for most backyard hens is Purina Layena Pellets, labeled at 16% protein and 3.25% to 4.25% calcium. For organic grains and no soy, Scratch and Peck Organic Layer Mash carries similar figures on its label.

When should chickens switch to layer feed?

At about 18 to 20 weeks, or at the first egg if that comes sooner, by Oregon State University Extension. Penn State Extension gives layer feed from 18 weeks, the National Cooperative Extension from around 20 weeks, and Purina says to change feeds gradually.

Can roosters and chicks eat layer feed?

Chicks should not: the University of Maryland Extension warns that a layer diet's calcium can cause improper bone formation and kidney failure in young chickens. Purina's Layena label also says not to feed it to birds under 18 weeks or to male birds. For a flock with a rooster or mixed ages, we follow Oregon State's all-purpose feed for everyone, with oyster shell on the side for the hens.

Do chickens need oyster shell if they eat layer feed?

Not always. Oregon State University Extension says some high-producing hens may need extra calcium even on a complete feed, and that thin or rough eggshells are the sign; it says to offer oyster shell free choice in a separate feeder. Purina says most flocks on Layena should not need it, but suggests a dish in hot weather. Hens on an all-purpose feed do need it, by Oregon State.

How much feed does a chicken eat a day?

About a quarter to a third of a pound, from the National Cooperative Extension's figure of 18 to 24 pounds a week for 10 laying hens (our arithmetic). Hens eat more in cold weather and less in hot weather, it says, so a bag goes faster in winter.

Is organic chicken feed better?

It is different, not automatically better. Oregon State University Extension says organic feeds are built to the same nutrient targets as conventional ones, with organic ingredients and no medications or synthetic amino acids beyond a limited allowance, but that they are harder to formulate and may fall short of ideal nutrition, so buy from reputable sources.

Do chickens need grit?

When they eat scratch grains or forage on pasture, yes: Oregon State University Extension and the National Cooperative Extension both say to provide insoluble grit then, though birds on the ground can usually find enough small stones. Penn State Extension lists grit with the layer ration. Oyster shell does not count, because it is too soft to grind food.

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