Can Bird Food Be Fed to Chickens? A Comprehensive Guide

Chickens need a constant supply of minerals, calcium, and protein to help provide you with fresh eggs daily.

We all love to feed garden birds, and our busy mail order team is proof of this, as we always find time in the working day at Haith's to watch and admire the visiting wildlife. However, a question we're frequently asked is, "can bird food be fed to chickens?"

The answer is yes; however, birdseed mixes are usually high in fat and may be too low in vitamins to meet the nutritional needs of egg-laying chickens. With that in mind, bird food shouldn't replace a chicken's daily feed and should only be presented as a supplement. However, if you scatter a small amount of birdseed on the ground, it will give your chickens something else to scratch around for and introduce a little bit of natural enrichment.

In addition to a quality poultry pellet, your chicken's will thrive on a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, such as cabbage, spinach and vegetable peels. It makes good sense to avoid giving them any mouldy or spoiled food as this may make them ill.

As chickens don't have any teeth, a supply of Haith's Fine Oystershell Grit is essential as it helps to grind down their food. Chickens may get this grit naturally from the ground where they live, but it is best to provide them with a good healthy source.

Haith's Poultry Corn can be fed to chickens on a daily basis. The mix contains malting barley, whole wheat, cut maize, buckwheat, milo and Fine Oystershell Grit.

In addition to Poultry Corn, we have the extra special Grandad Ted's Poultry Spice which can be introduced to supplement wheat diets. It helps promote vitality and rich golden yolks – just mix it in with your daily feed a couple of times a week.

As with any living creature, chickens should have a continuous supply of clean, fresh water.

Chickens themselves are very clever at knowing what they need to keep healthy so as long as they are able to have access to what they need, they should keep strong and hopefully lay lots of delicious eggs.

Written by Angela and Chris