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Last updated: 25 Jan 2022
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Review: Best Chicken Feeds

Editor's Choice
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Fancy Feeds Layers Pellets Complete Poultry Feed
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Runner Up
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Extra Select Mixed Corn Poultry Feed
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Honorable Mention
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Allen & Page Layers Crumble Complete Poultry Feed
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Recommended
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Feathers & Beaky Chicken Treat
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Also Consider
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SeedzBox
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By Editor
Published 25 Jan 2022
Show contents
  • 1 Fancy Feeds Layers Pellets Complete Poultry Feed
  • 2 Extra Select Mixed Corn Poultry Feed
  • 3 Allen & Page Layers Crumble Complete Poultry Feed
  • 4 Feathers & Beaky Chicken Treat
  • 5 SeedzBox

Buying chicken feed is similar to choosing cat food in that you need to find the most nutritious options for your pet depending on how old they are. Careful selection is needed for baby chicks and laying hens. Take a look at these top choices of the best chicken feeds in 2021.

Best Chicken Feed

1

Fancy Feeds Layers Pellets Complete Poultry Feed

– Editor’s Choice
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Key Features
  • 20 kg (Pack of 1)
  • The feed is in pellet form
  • 16% protein
THE SCOOP

Do you want a chicken feed that is perfect for roaming and caged chickens and created to provide a completely balanced and nutritious diet? This product is here for you.

The Fancy Feeds Layers Pellets Complete Poultry Feed is made specifically for all types of adult poultry, including those that lay eggs. This feed is not genetically modified in any way and is free of medications. It is suitable for birds of all life stages and is free of allergens. 

 

 

2

Extra Select Mixed Corn Poultry Feed

– Runner Up
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Key Features
  • High in energy
  • Pellet feed form
  • Extra Select Poultry Range
THE SCOOP

If you have free-range chickens and you want them to have more energy, you might want to take a look at this. This product is the perfect scratch mix for all breed sizes.

It comprises whole wheat, which is high in calories and protein. There is also a natural yolk color and energy from maize in it. Additionally, you may use the feed as a supplement to layer pellets or meals.

3

Allen & Page Layers Crumble Complete Poultry Feed

– Honorable Mention
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Key Features
  • Marigold petals flavour
  • Pellet feed
  • Natural colour
THE SCOOP

The Allen & Page Layers Crumble Complete Poultry Feed generates less dust and waste than poultry’s standard meal or mash feed. It’s a high-quality product manufactured using non-GMO ingredients to ensure safety.

Omega 2 nutrients, vital for your chickens, are included in this diet. This is a comprehensive and balanced diet. Additionally, it’s an excellent choice for free-range hens.

4

Feathers & Beaky Chicken Treat

– Recommended
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Key Features
  • Dry chicken feed
  • Chicken flavour
  • Free of allergens
THE SCOOP

This chicken feed differs from the typically mixed corn in that it is dry. It is critical in maintaining the health and happiness of your chicken. This product is a wonderful addition to their diet for your feathery companions.

It’s a change from the usual combination of corns to provide hens with a flavorful snack. There are no genetically modified components in this chicken feed recipe. Whole Wheat, Striped Sunflower, and Whole Barley Grits are also included in this product’s high-quality ingredients. There are no worries about the product harming the birds since it is safe for all ages of chickens.

5

SeedzBox

– Also Consider
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Key Features
  • Great for all breed sizes
  • Chicken flavour
  • Suitable for chickens of all life stages
THE SCOOP

SeedzBox’s nutrient mix is explicitly tailored for hens, with components hand-selected for nutritional value. In addition to poultry grit and banana chips, which promote digestion, this feed also contains grains like corn, peanuts, and millet, which are high in protein and calcium and replenish the birds’ plumage.

The product has zero fillers or powders. The nutrient blend is carefully selected to help your birds get the best out of each pick. The SeedzBox Poultry Chicken Feed Treat Mix comes in a 4kg bag. Therefore, you can be sure that your chickens are getting only what is essential for them.

Best Chicken Feeds Buying Guide

To grow your chicks on the right feed, you need to carefully consider your options because there are quite a few. This is important so that you can choose the most suitable feed for your chickens to provide them with all the leverage they need to thrive.

As a caretaker, you will have to choose the best chicken feed with all the necessary nutrients that your chickens need depending on how old they are. This is because each stage of the chicken’s growth requires a different type of feed. To successfully raise healthy chickens, you will need to have complete knowledge and understanding of these various stages.

How to Feed Chickens at Different Life Stages?

There are various kinds of feeds associated with the different stages of a chicken’s growth. This is because their diet requirements change as they grow into the various cycles of their lifespan.

Starter Feed

If you’re caring for baby chicks, you need to ensure they are properly fed, particularly within the first few days of their lives. The dietary requirement of a baby chicken is quite different from full-grown chickens. When you buy feeds for baby chicks, you need to make sure their diet is dense in proteins—somewhere between 20-40% of the composite feed.

Grower Feed

The ideal diet for teenage fowls is very different from that of baby chickens. Chickens at this stage do not need as much protein in their feed. The grower feed should contain about 16-18% protein and should not contain unnecessary minerals or vitamins, which can do more harm than good to the young birds' health.

Layer Feed

Fully grown chickens require the type of feed that has the perfect balance of nutrients. These nutrients include calcium, protein, vitamins, and minerals. This feed has similar protein levels (16-18%) to the grower feed but contains more calcium.

What Things Should You Consider When Looking for Chicken Feed?

The particular type of feed you need for your chickens depends on your situation and what effect you want the feed to have. We have classified a few of the different possibilities below for your consideration.

Medicated vs. Non-medicated 

Certain feeds contain a chemical compound known as ‘Amprolium’, a treated feed that is common among starters and helps to prevent fowl diseases (such as coccidiosis) in your birds.

Fermented Chicken Feed

Fermented feeds have a number of effects on chicken. It is a great way to neutralize the toxins in their system and provide the vitamins and enzymes that your chickens need to improve their digestion. Fermented feed also cuts down on your feeding expenses as it also leaves your chickens feeling full for longer durations.  

Nutrient Requirements

Chicks require the right nutrients if you want to keep them thriving and healthy. As we previously mentioned, a major factor in this regard is the age of the chickens that you have in your flock.

Just like other animals, chickens need fats, proteins, carbs, minerals, and vitamins. So the feed you choose needs to be a decent combination of all these nutrients. For example, certain feeds come with coarsely broken oyster shells; this ingredient provides extra calcium to the chickens so that they can produce eggs with stronger shells.

Organic Feed

Certain caretakers prefer their chicken feed to be either organic, soy-free, and corn-free. These sorts of feeds do exist. It’s important to note that not only are they difficult to find, but they also cost significantly more than regular chicken feed.

When a feed is stated to be vegetarian, it means that there aren’t any animal products in the feed. Keep in mind, however, that chickens are omnivores and will eat virtually anything.

What Are the Types of Chicken Feed Available?

Chicken feeds come in different varieties. For this reason, it is often overwhelming and confusing for the average chicken keeper to go through chicken feed menus. To try and assist you in sifting right through all of the jargon, we’ve listed some of the more common kinds available on the market below.

  • Pellets – This variety of feed is very commonly available and comes in the shape of legal compact cylinders. They have the benefit of not going to waste if the chickens accidentally knock the feeder over.
  • Crumble – This kind of feed is a coarse type of mash that is not quite as compact as pellets. It has a similar texture to oatmeal.
  • Mash – This chicken feed version is loose, processed, and has a texture similar to potting soil.
  • Chicken Scratch – This is technically chicken feed, but rather more of a ‘treat’ for your chickens. It is usually made from cracked corn and various other grains that chickens love.
  • Shell Grit – This variety of feed is very rich in calcium to help chickens lay eggs with strong, sturdy shells.

How Much Feed Do Chickens Require?

People often wonder how much feed they need to feed their chickens every day. Chickens like to eat several times a day. A medium-sized hen will eat a quarter of a pound to one-third of a pound of pellets a day.

In addition to their feed, chickens also need constant access to grit (tiny rocks stored in the gizzard for grinding up food). Vegetables, table scraps, and scratch feed are perfectly fine if given sparingly.

Chicken Feed FAQs

Q: What is the best chicken feed for my bird?

A: With so many brands at your disposal, it can be extremely confusing to select the one that’s best for your bird. The best chicken feed really depends on several factors such as the type and the age of the chicken. Finding the best feed requires some research and adequate knowledge of the ingredients that will improve the flock's health. You’ll need to choose the feed depending on whether you're raising them for meat or eggs.

Q: How many times a day Should I feed my chickens?

A: Generally, chickens will eat when they need to. If you want to keep your flock healthy so that they provide high-quality meat or eggs for you, you will need to give them an adequate amount of food throughout the day. This means that you should be checking the feeders to ensure that they are topped up every day.

Q: How do I know I’m buying the correct chicken feed?

A: Sooner or later, as a caregiver, you’ll start noticing the effects of the current feed on your flock's health. You need to be observant of how the birds react to the formula. If it’s a new chicken feed, give the birds a few days to adjust to it. If you notice that they aren’t eating as much as before, you should probably reconsider repurchasing from the same brand.

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By Editor
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