How Often to Feed Chickens for Optimal Health (A Practical Guide)
How Often to Feed Chickens for Optimal Health (A Practical Guide)
When I started keeping Light Sussex and Orpingtons here in Devon, I thought feeding chickens was simple: throw some grain, refill the feeder when it's empty, and done.
I was wrong. Overfeeding made hens fat and unproductive. Underfeeding dropped egg production. And getting the timing wrong caused stress and wasted feed.
Let me walk you through what actually worked for me — for chicks, pullets, and laying hens — based on years of trial and error.
🐔 Quick summary
🐥 Chicks (0‑6 weeks): food and water available at all times.
🌿 Young birds (6+ weeks, outdoor access): I prefer switching to two measured feedings per day.
🐔 Laying hens: twice‑a‑day feed (morning pellets, afternoon grain), water always available.
❄️ Winter: increase portions (less foraging, more calories needed).
⚖️ Don't let hens get fat — obesity reduces egg production.
Feeding chicks (0 to 6 weeks): constant access
For the first six weeks, keep starter crumb and fresh water available at all times. Chicks grow fast, and they need a steady supply of protein and energy. Their digestive systems are small, so they eat little and often.
With the right feeder — chick‑sized, with small openings — waste is minimal. Check it mid‑day to make sure they haven't spilled or pooped in it.
During this stage, a chick eats less than 100g of feed per day. That's not much. But consistency matters. Empty feeders for even a few hours can stress them and slow growth.
Transitioning to outdoor access (around 6 weeks)
Once chicks are fully feathered — usually around 6 weeks for Light Sussex — they can go outside. At this point, I change the feeding routine.
Water stays available at all times. But I prefer switching to two measured feedings per day once young birds begin foraging outdoors. Some keepers free‑feed for longer, but this worked best for me.
Why? Because now they can forage. Grass, insects, worms, small leaves — they'll find a surprising amount of their own food. If I leave a full feeder out all day, they ignore the garden and just eat from the trough.
What to feed during the day
If you want to give them grains during daylight hours, offer them dry. Wheat, corn, barley, even rice — at 3 months old, they can handle whole grains without soaking.
But this only works if they also have access to good foraging ground. Grass, weeds, insects, and worms provide the variety they need. If your run is bare dirt, they'll need more from you.
Feeding pullets and laying hens
Once hens start laying, don't rely solely on foraging and grains. Layers pellets (or mash) provide balanced calcium and protein that grain alone can't match.
Here's what worked for my flock:
- Morning (around 8am): layers pellets or mash (around 110-150g per hen per day, adjust based on how much they eat)
- Late afternoon (about an hour before dusk): a handful of grain (wheat, corn, or barley)
Why the afternoon grain? It digests slowly and keeps them warm through the night. A hen that goes to bed hungry will be stressed and less likely to lay the next day.
Water should be available at all times, both in the coop and in the run. Dehydration stops egg production fast.
The problem with overfeeding
Some hens with constant access to feed may overeat, particularly less active birds. In my experience, switching to measured portions worked better.
I learned this the hard way. One winter, I left a large feeder full all day, every day. By spring, some of my hens were noticeably overweight — and their egg production had dropped by nearly half.
What I changed: Twice‑a‑day feedings, measured portions, and no free‑access feeder. Within a few weeks, they slimmed down and started laying properly again.
An overweight hen will be less active, forage less, and lay fewer eggs. Keep them fit.
The problem with underfeeding
Underfeeding is just as bad. Hens that don't get enough calories will:
- Stop laying entirely
- Lose weight and become weak
- Become more susceptible to disease
In winter, when there's less forage available, you need to increase portions. A hen that free‑ranges in summer might get 30-40% of her diet from the garden. In winter, that drops to nearly zero. Adjust accordingly.
What about warm food?
I only offer warm food — like thin porridge or mash — when a hen is sick. A hen that's off her feed will often take warm, soft food from a syringe or small bowl. For healthy birds, warm food isn't necessary.
Seasonal adjustments
In spring and summer, hens forage more. You can reduce portions slightly — they'll make up the difference with grass, insects, and garden scraps.
In late autumn and winter, foraging stops almost entirely. Cold weather also increases their calorie needs. Increase portions, make sure water never freezes, and consider adding extra corn in the afternoon for slow‑burn energy overnight.
Don't forget grit in winter. Without access to small stones outdoors, you need to provide it. And a dust bath (wood ash and dry sand) is essential even when they're confined to the coop.
What about grit, sunlight, and dust baths?
Food and water aren't enough. Hens also need:
- Grit — to digest grains and fibrous plants (offer crushed oyster shell or flint grit separately)
- Direct sunlight — for vitamin D and overall health
- Dust bath — dry wood ash or sand in a sheltered spot keeps mites and lice away
A hen that has access to all three will be healthier, lay better, and live longer.
The verdict (no middle ground)
If you take one thing from this guide, make it this:
Feed your hens twice a day, measured portions, water always available. Adjust for age, season, and how much they forage.
- Chicks (first 6 weeks): food and water available at all times
- Young birds (6+ weeks, outdoor access): I prefer two measured feedings per day
- Laying hens: twice‑a‑day feed (morning pellets, afternoon grain), constant water
- Winter: increase portions (less forage, higher calorie needs)
A well‑fed hen is a productive hen. A fat hen will lay fewer eggs. A hungry hen will stop laying entirely. Find the balance — and check your feeder twice a day.
Now go see if your girls have cleaned up their breakfast. If they have, they're ready for more. If they're leaving feed, you're overdoing it.
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