How to Make Your Own Chicken Feed

Homemade Layer Feed, Fermented Feed & Safe Treats

Making your own chicken feed sounds simple enough. Toss some grains in a bucket, add a handful of seeds, maybe sprinkle in a little “chicken magic,” and call it dinner, right?

Not quite.

Chickens may look like tiny feathered compost machines with strong opinions and zero table manners, but they still need a balanced diet. A good chicken feed gives them protein, energy, calcium, vitamins, minerals, grit, and clean water. If you are raising laying hens, the right feed can help support strong eggshells, steady laying, healthy feathers, and happy hens who are not glaring at you from the run like you personally ruined breakfast.

This guide will walk you through how to make your own chicken feed, what to add, what not to feed chickens, how to make fermented chicken feed, safe treats for extra flavor, and a favorite homemade layer feed recipe to use as a starting point. Toward the bottom, you’ll also find the biggest homemade chicken feed mistakes and common questions backyard chicken keepers ask.

Can You Make Your Own Chicken Feed?

Yes, you can make your own chicken feed, but it needs to be done carefully. Chickens need different nutrition depending on their age and stage of life.

Chicks need more protein and lower calcium. Growing pullets need steady nutrition without too much calcium. Laying hens need enough protein plus extra calcium to support eggshell production.

For many backyard chicken keepers, the safest option is to use a complete chicken feed as the main diet and add safe extras in small amounts. If you want to fully replace store-bought feed with homemade feed, it is smart to use a poultry vitamin and mineral premix and work with a local feed mill or poultry nutrition source.

Homemade chicken feed can be great, but it should not be a random scoop of grains and good intentions. Chickens will eat glittery-looking driveway gravel if given the chance. They are not qualified to be the nutrition department.

Homemade Chicken Feed for Laying Hens

This homemade feed breakdown is best for laying hens that are about 18 weeks or older, or hens that have already laid their first egg.

Laying hens need a feed that includes:

• Energy grains
• Protein
• Calcium
• Healthy fats
• Fiber
• Vitamins and minerals
• Grit
• Fresh water

A simple layer feed target may look something like this:

• Energy grains: about 69%
• Protein: about 16%
• Calcium: about 4%
• Fat: about 4%
• Fiber, vitamins, and minerals: about 7%

This is only an example. Exact formulas can vary by flock, breed, season, age, laying status, and available ingredients.

Think of it like baking. You can swap a few things, but if you replace all the flour with marshmallows and vibes, the cake is going to have questions. So will your hens.

Example Ingredients for Homemade Layer Feed

Here are common ingredients used in homemade chicken feed for laying hens.

Energy Grains

Energy grains give chickens calories and help fuel their daily activity. These ingredients often make up the largest part of the feed.

Good energy grain options include:

• Corn
• Wheat
• Oats
• Barley
• Millet
• Sorghum

Corn is fine in moderation, but it should not be the entire diet. Too much corn can lead to fat hens without giving them enough protein, vitamins, and minerals. Think of corn like chicken candy. Useful in the right amount, but not the whole menu.

If chickens ran the pantry, corn would be breakfast, lunch, dinner, and emotional support snack.

Protein Sources

Protein helps support egg production, feather growth, muscle condition, and overall flock health.

Good protein sources for chickens include:

• Soybean meal
• Field peas
• Fish meal
• Mealworms
• Black soldier fly larvae
• Lentils
• Sunflower seeds
• Alfalfa meal

Mealworms and sunflower seeds are fun extras, but they should not be the whole protein plan. Chickens need a balanced mix, not just the snacks they would vote for if they were in charge. And honestly, they would vote poorly.

Protein is especially important during molting, cold weather, and heavy laying seasons. If your hens look like they got into a bar fight with a pillow, they may need extra support while growing feathers back.

Calcium Sources

Laying hens need calcium to make strong eggshells. Without enough calcium, hens may lay thin-shelled or soft-shelled eggs.

Good calcium sources include:

• Crushed oyster shell
• Limestone
• Crushed eggshells that are clean, dried, and broken into small pieces

The best way to offer calcium is usually in a separate dish. This lets hens take what they need. It also helps prevent roosters, chicks, and young pullets from eating too much calcium.

Do not feed layer feed or high-calcium feed to young chicks. Their bodies are not ready for that much calcium.

Soft eggs can happen once in a while, especially with young hens just starting out, but if it keeps happening, your hens may need more calcium support. Or they may just enjoy causing concern at 7 a.m. because chickens are tiny barnyard drama queens.

Healthy Fats

Healthy fats can add energy and help make feed more appealing.

Safe fat sources include:

• Sunflower seeds
• Flaxseed
• Black oil sunflower seeds
• Small amounts of mealworms or larvae

Use fatty ingredients in moderation. Too much fat can lead to overweight hens and may throw off the balance of the feed.

Fat is useful. Too much fat is how Henrietta ends up waddling to the feeder like she owns a timeshare in the dust bath.

Fiber, Vitamins, and Minerals

This is where many homemade feed recipes fall short. Chickens need more than grains and protein.

Helpful additions may include:

• Alfalfa meal
• Kelp
• Poultry vitamin and mineral premix
• Dried herbs
• Small amounts of greens

A poultry premix is especially important if you are trying to replace a complete commercial feed. It helps fill nutritional gaps that plain grains cannot cover.

Grains alone are not a balanced diet. They are the chicken version of living on crackers and confidence.

Our Favorite Homemade Layer Feed Recipe

Here is a simple favorite homemade layer feed recipe for laying hens. This is best for hens that are 18 weeks or older, or hens that have already started laying eggs.

This recipe is meant as a starting point, not a perfect formula for every flock. Your local grains, breed, season, egg production, and free-range access can all change what your birds need.

Favorite Homemade Layer Feed Mix

Use this as an example blend:

• 4 parts whole or cracked corn
• 3 parts wheat
• 2 parts oats or barley
• 2 parts field peas or soybean meal
• 1 part sunflower seeds
• 1 part alfalfa meal
• Poultry vitamin and mineral premix according to the label
• Oyster shell offered separately
• Poultry grit offered separately

Optional small add-ins:

• A small sprinkle of dried oregano
• A handful of mealworms as a treat
• A little kelp meal if included safely in your premix plan
• Flaxseed in small amounts

Why This Mix Works

The corn, wheat, oats, and barley provide energy. The peas, soybean meal, mealworms, or other protein sources help support laying and feather health. Sunflower seeds and flaxseed add healthy fat. Alfalfa meal, kelp, and poultry premix help round out vitamins and minerals.

The oyster shell should be offered separately so laying hens can take what they need. The grit should also be offered separately so birds can properly digest whole grains and extras.

Important Recipe Note

This is not a complete guaranteed nutrition formula unless it is balanced with the right poultry premix and ingredient amounts. If you are replacing commercial feed entirely, check with a local feed mill, poultry nutritionist, or extension resource.

Basically, this recipe is a good starting map. It is not a permission slip to let the hens design their own buffet, because they would absolutely build it around mealworms and bad decisions.

Chick Starter vs. Layer Feed: What Age Gets What?

One of the biggest chicken feed mistakes is feeding layer feed too early.

0 to 6 Weeks: Chick Starter

Baby chicks need chick starter. It usually has higher protein for fast growth and low calcium because chicks are not laying eggs.

6 to 18 Weeks: Grower or Developer Feed

Growing pullets need grower or developer feed. This supports steady growth without the extra calcium found in layer feed.

18+ Weeks or First Egg: Layer Feed

Once hens are around 18 weeks old or they lay their first egg, they can move to layer feed. Layer feed includes more calcium for eggshell production.

Any Age: Treats and Scratch

Treats and scratch grains are not complete feeds. They should be extras only and should usually stay at 10% or less of the diet.

A handful of scratch is fine. A mountain of scratch is how your chickens start acting like they have a snack lawyer.

What Is Fermented Chicken Feed?

Fermented chicken feed is feed that has been soaked in water long enough to begin natural fermentation. It becomes soft, moist, slightly bubbly, and tangy smelling.

Fermented feed is not rotten feed. Good fermented chicken feed should smell pleasantly sour, a little like sourdough or plain yogurt.

Bad fermented feed may smell rotten, moldy, musty, or slimy. If it smells like something crawled into the bucket and gave up, do not feed it.

Benefits of Fermented Chicken Feed

Many backyard chicken keepers love fermented feed because it may:

• Make feed easier to digest
• Add moisture to the diet
• Help reduce feed waste
• Encourage chickens to eat the full ration
• Support beneficial bacteria
• Make dry feed more appealing
• Help stretch feed because birds spill less

Fermented feed can be especially helpful if your chickens waste dry feed by billing it out of the feeder like tiny feathered excavators.

It also makes them act like you have prepared a gourmet brunch, which is nice, considering they also drink from muddy puddles with the confidence of royalty.

How to Make Fermented Chicken Feed

Fermented chicken feed is simple to make.

You will need:

• Chicken feed
• Clean water
• A glass jar, crock, or food-safe bucket
• A loose lid or towel
• A spoon for stirring

Step 1: Add Feed

Place one day’s worth of feed into a clean container. Start with a small batch until you know how much your flock will eat.

Step 2: Cover With Water

Add enough clean water to cover the feed by 1 to 2 inches. The feed will swell as it absorbs water.

Step 3: Stir Well

Stir the feed so there are no dry pockets at the bottom.

Step 4: Cover Loosely

Cover the container loosely. Do not seal it tightly. Fermentation can create gas, and nobody wants a surprise feed volcano.

Step 5: Let It Sit

Let the feed sit at room temperature for about 24 to 48 hours. Stir once or twice a day.

Warm weather may speed up fermentation. Cooler weather may slow it down.

Step 6: Feed It Fresh

When it smells pleasantly tangy and looks slightly bubbly, it is ready. Feed only what your chickens will eat within the day.

Do not leave wet feed sitting in the run for days, especially in hot weather.

Fermented feed should be fresh, not “I forgot this behind the garage and now it has a personality.”

How Much Fermented Feed Per Chicken?

A laying hen often eats around 1/4 pound of feed per day, though this can vary by breed, weather, size, season, and free-range access.

Start by fermenting the same amount of feed your flock normally eats in a day. If they clean it up quickly and still seem hungry, make a little more next time. If there is a lot left over, make less.

Fermented feed should not sit around long enough to spoil.

Your goal is happy hens, not a bucket of haunted oatmeal.

Can You Ferment Scratch Grains?

You can ferment scratch grains, but scratch is still a treat. Fermenting it does not turn it into a balanced feed.

If you want to ferment feed regularly, it is better to ferment your flock’s normal balanced ration instead of fermenting scratch.

Fermented scratch is still scratch. A cupcake with a vitamin on top is still a cupcake.

Safe Treats for Chickens

Safe treats can add flavor and fun to your flock’s day.

Good chicken treats include:

• Mealworms
• Black soldier fly larvae
• Berries
• Pumpkin
• Squash
• Cucumbers
• Leafy greens
• Carrots
• Cooked eggs
• Plain oats
• Sprouted grains
• Sunflower seeds in small amounts
• Fresh herbs

Herbs chickens may enjoy include:

• Oregano
• Thyme
• Basil
• Parsley
• Mint
• Dill
• Cilantro
• Rosemary

Herbs can add variety, but they are not medicine and should not replace good feed, clean water, safe housing, or veterinary care when needed.

Basically, oregano is not a veterinarian in leaf form.

Can Chickens Live on Kitchen Scraps?

No, chickens should not live on kitchen scraps alone.

Kitchen scraps can be a fun treat, but they do not provide the balanced nutrition chickens need. A flock living mostly on scraps may miss out on protein, calcium, vitamins, and minerals.

Safe kitchen scraps can include:

• Leafy greens
• Squash
• Pumpkin
• Cucumbers
• Carrots
• Apples without seeds
• Berries
• Cooked eggs
• Plain cooked rice
• Plain oats

Keep scraps simple, fresh, and lightly offered. Chickens do not need a full leftover casserole with mystery sauce and three pounds of seasoning.

Yes, they will act like they do. No, they do not have the credentials.

What Not to Feed Chickens

Chickens are curious and will peck at almost anything, but not everything is safe.

Avoid feeding chickens:

• Moldy feed
• Rotten produce
• Spoiled leftovers
• Chocolate
• Avocado pits and skins
• Raw dried beans
• Green potato skins
• Very salty foods
• Sugary desserts
• Greasy fried foods
• Alcohol
• Coffee grounds
• Large amounts of onion
• Heavily seasoned foods
• Lawn clippings treated with chemicals
• Clumpy grass piles that can sour or mold

Moldy feed is especially dangerous. If feed smells rotten, musty, sour in a bad way, or looks fuzzy, throw it out.

Good chicken feed should never smell like a swamp with regrets.

Is Homemade Chicken Feed Cheaper?

Homemade chicken feed can be cheaper, but not always.

It may save money if you have access to bulk grains, local farms, feed mill ingredients, or wholesale protein sources. But once you add protein, calcium, vitamins, minerals, storage containers, and your time, homemade feed may cost as much as or more than store-bought feed.

The biggest benefit of homemade chicken feed is usually ingredient control, not guaranteed savings.

If your goal is to save money on chicken feed, you can also:

• Reduce feed waste with better feeders
• Store feed properly
• Use fermented feed
• Buy in bulk when practical
• Limit scratch and treats
• Keep rodents out of feed storage

Because nothing ruins the feed budget faster than realizing you have been feeding half the neighborhood mouse population and one raccoon named Gary.

How to Store Homemade Chicken Feed

Homemade chicken feed should be stored carefully so it stays fresh and dry.

Tips for storing chicken feed:

• Use sealed metal cans or heavy-duty feed bins
• Keep feed in a cool, dry place
• Keep moisture out
• Do not mix huge batches unless your flock will eat them quickly
• Watch for mold
• Keep rodents and insects out
• Label homemade mixes
• Rotate older feed first

Fresh feed matters. Old or moldy feed can cause health problems and may lose nutritional value.

If your feed bin has moisture, bugs, mold, or tiny footprints around it, congratulations, you are now running a wildlife buffet.

The Biggest Homemade Chicken Feed Mistakes

Homemade chicken feed can work beautifully, but there are a few mistakes that can turn a good idea into a flock problem.

Mistake 1: Using Too Much Corn

Corn is useful, affordable, and chickens love it. But corn alone is not chicken feed.

Too much corn can leave birds short on protein, calcium, vitamins, and minerals. It can also lead to overweight hens.

Corn is a sidekick, not the whole superhero team.

Mistake 2: Forgetting Protein

Low protein can lead to fewer eggs, poor feather quality, slow growth, and weak condition.

Protein matters most for chicks, laying hens, molting birds, and chickens growing feathers back.

If your hens look like they lost a pillow fight and the pillow won, check the protein.

Mistake 3: Feeding Layer Feed Too Early

Layer feed is for laying hens, not baby chicks.

Young birds do not need the higher calcium found in layer feed. Feeding it too early can create health problems.

Wait until hens are around 18 weeks old or until the first egg appears.

Mistake 4: Not Offering Oyster Shell

Layer feed usually has calcium, but some hens need extra. Free-choice oyster shell lets laying hens take what they need.

If shells are thin or soft, calcium may be part of the issue.

Or your hen may simply be new to laying and still figuring out how to operate the egg factory.

Mistake 5: Not Offering Grit

If chickens eat whole grains, scratch, kitchen scraps, grass, garden treats, or bugs, they need grit.

No grit means they may struggle to grind food properly.

Chickens do not have teeth, although a broody hen’s attitude may suggest otherwise.

Mistake 6: Feeding Too Many Treats

Treats should usually stay at 10% or less of the diet.

Too many treats can cause picky eating, weight gain, fewer eggs, and nutritional gaps.

The hens will pretend they are starving. They are lying. They are standing next to a full feeder and performing dinner theater.

Mistake 7: Skipping Vitamins and Minerals

Grain mixes need more than grain. A poultry vitamin and mineral premix helps balance homemade feed.

Without it, your flock may miss key nutrients.

A homemade feed without minerals is like building a coop with no screws and hoping vibes hold the roof on.

Mistake 8: Ignoring Mold

Never feed moldy grain, spoiled wet feed, or rotten scraps.

Mold can make birds sick. When in doubt, throw it out.

Your nose is a useful tool. If the bucket smells like regret, it is regret.

Mistake 9: Making Too Much at Once

Big batches can save time, but only if the feed stays fresh and dry.

If you mix too much and it spoils, you did not save money. You created expensive compost with trust issues.

Mistake 10: Letting Chickens Pick Through the Mix

If your birds only eat the “good stuff” and leave the rest, the feed is no longer balanced.

This is why pellets, crumbles, or finely mixed rations can be helpful.

Chickens are not above eating dessert first and pretending the vegetables never existed.

Common Questions About Homemade Chicken Feed

Can I make chicken feed without corn?

Yes. Corn is common because it is affordable and provides energy, but you can use other grains such as wheat, oats, barley, millet, or sorghum.

Just make sure the full feed is still balanced.

Can laying hens eat chick starter?

Laying hens can eat chick starter for a short time if needed, but it does not have the extra calcium laying hens need for eggshells. If adult hens are eating starter, offer oyster shell separately.

This can be useful in mixed flocks where chicks and hens are together, but calcium still needs to be available for the laying hens.

Can chicks eat layer feed?

No, chicks should not eat layer feed. Layer feed has higher calcium for egg-laying hens, and young chicks do not need that much calcium.

Chicks should eat chick starter.

When should I switch to layer feed?

Switch to layer feed when hens are around 18 weeks old or when you see the first egg.

If one overachiever starts laying early while the rest of the flock is still emotionally immature, you can offer oyster shell separately until everyone catches up.

Do roosters need layer feed?

Roosters do not need the extra calcium in layer feed because they are not laying eggs. In a mixed backyard flock, many people still feed layer feed because the hens need it. Another option is to feed an all-flock feed and offer oyster shell separately for the hens.

Can chickens eat eggs?

Yes, chickens can eat cooked eggs. Eggs are a good protein treat.

To avoid encouraging egg eating in the nest box, serve eggs cooked and chopped or scrambled, not as whole raw eggs that look like the ones they just laid.

No need to give the flock any ideas. They already have enough questionable hobbies.

Can chickens eat oats?

Yes, chickens can eat oats in moderation. Oats can be part of a homemade feed mix or offered as an occasional treat.

Plain oats are best. Skip sugary flavored oatmeal packets.

Your hens do not need maple brown sugar breakfast packets, even if they would like to speak to a manager about that.

Can chickens eat rice?

Yes, chickens can eat plain cooked rice in small amounts. It should be a treat, not the main diet.

Avoid heavily seasoned rice, salty rice, or rice mixed with sauces.

Can chickens eat bread?

Chickens can eat small amounts of plain bread, but it is not very nutritious. Too much bread can fill them up without giving them what they need.

Bread is basically chicken junk food. They will love it. That does not make it a life plan.

Can chickens eat mealworms every day?

Mealworms are a great protein treat, but they should still be fed in moderation. Too many treats can unbalance the diet.

Mealworms are a snack, not a retirement plan.

How do I know if my homemade feed is working?

Watch your flock.

Good signs include:

• Steady egg production
• Strong eggshells
• Healthy feathers
• Good body condition
• Normal droppings
• Active behavior
• Bright eyes and alert birds

Possible warning signs include:

• Fewer eggs
• Thin or soft eggshells
• Weight loss
• Obesity
• Poor feathering
• Loose droppings
• Picky eating
• Weakness or low energy

If something changes after a feed switch, look at the feed first. Chickens are dramatic, but they are also excellent at showing when something is off.

Is fermented feed better than dry feed?

Fermented feed can be helpful, especially for reducing waste and adding moisture. Some chickens also seem to digest it well and enjoy it more than dry feed.

But fermented feed still needs to start with a balanced ration. Fermenting poor feed does not make it magically balanced.

It is fermentation, not wizardry.

Can fermented feed go bad?

Yes. Fermented feed can spoil if it sits too long, gets contaminated, grows mold, or is left in the heat.

Good fermented feed smells tangy and pleasant. Bad fermented feed smells rotten, musty, or moldy.

If you have to ask, “Should it smell like that?” the answer is usually no.

Final Pecking Order

Making your own chicken feed can be a great way to have more control over what your flock eats. But homemade feed needs balance. Laying hens need energy, protein, calcium, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, grit, and clean water to stay healthy and keep laying strong eggs.

Fermented chicken feed can be a helpful way to reduce waste, add moisture, and make feed more exciting. Safe treats can add variety too, as long as they stay in treat territory and do not take over the whole diet.

When in doubt, start with a quality complete feed, add safe extras in small amounts, and remember: chickens may act like they know best, but these are the same birds who will try to fight a tomato and then panic when it rolls away.

Balanced feed first. Fun snacks second. Happy hens all around.