Making your own chicken feed is possible, and for many flock owners it is worth the effort. Maybe the nearest feed store is a long drive away, maybe store-bought feed has become expensive, or maybe you want more control over what your birds eat. Homemade feed can be healthier and tailored to your flock, as long as the recipe is balanced. This guide covers what a good DIY poultry feed needs, a simple starting recipe, and how to tell whether it is working.
Can You Really Make Your Own Chicken Feed?
Yes. Many backyard keepers and homesteaders mix their own feed from whole grains, a protein source, greens and minerals. The key word is balanced. Chickens need the right mix of protein, energy, calcium, vitamins and grit, and a feed that is short on any of these will show up in slow growth, thin eggshells or poor feathering. Expect some trial and error, and expect to adjust your recipe over time.
Start With Pasture if You Can
A large, healthy pasture is the best foundation for a DIY feeding plan. If the grass is consistent and you can move the coop to fresh ground regularly, birds will forage greens, seeds and insects that cover a good share of their diet. Even when pasture cannot replace feed completely, it is a valuable supplement and a very natural diet for poultry.
If you do not have enough pasture, or heavy winters cut it off for months, a homemade mix can work as well as, or better than, store-bought feed.
Key Ingredients in Homemade Poultry Feed
Most DIY recipes are built from the same groups of ingredients:
- Whole grains: wheat, corn, oats and barley provide energy. Buy them whole and crack or coarsely grind them yourself.
- Protein: field peas, fish meal, and meat scraps are common sources. Protein drives growth, and birds fed too little will stay smaller.
- Alfalfa and greens: alfalfa is an ingredient in many DIY recipes and adds protein, vitamins and fibre.
- Grit: insoluble grit helps birds grind whole grains in the gizzard.
- Calcium: laying hens need extra calcium for strong shells, offered free-choice as oyster shell or a poultry calcium supplement.
- Salt and supplements: a little salt and a vitamin or mineral supplement help fill nutritional gaps.
Alfalfa is an ingredient in many DIY poultry feed recipes.
Why Many Keepers Skip Soybeans
Many experienced do-it-yourself poultry raisers advise against soybeans. Raw soybeans contain compounds that interfere with digestion and must be properly heat-treated, so field peas are a simpler protein source for home mixing.
A Simple Starting Recipe for Laying Hens
Use this as a starting point, not a final formula. Measure by weight, not volume:
- 3 parts whole wheat, cracked
- 2 parts cracked corn
- 3 parts field peas
- 1 part oats
- 1 part alfalfa meal
This mix works out to roughly 15% protein, a little under the 16% usually recommended for laying hens, so add a protein boost such as fish meal or mealworms if your hens need it. Offer oyster shell and grit in separate containers so each bird can take what it needs. Check your exact ingredients with a feed ration calculator or a poultry nutritionist before you commit to a large batch.
Chicks and meat birds: young and fast-growing birds need much higher protein, around 20% or more, and tightly balanced nutrition. Most keepers feed a commercial starter for the first weeks and move to homemade feed later. Our brooders, feeders, and waterers will help you get chicks off to a good start.
How to Tell if Your DIY Feed Is Working
After you switch to the new feed, watch your birds closely. Healthy birds are active, have bright eyes and full feathering, keep a steady weight and, for layers, produce eggs with firm shells. Delayed growth, lethargy, feather loss, soft shells or disease can all signal poor or imbalanced nutrition. If you see them, adjust the recipe and talk to a poultry vet or your local extension office.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is homemade chicken feed cheaper than store-bought?
It can be, especially if you buy whole grains in bulk or grow some ingredients yourself. Savings depend on local grain prices and how much time you spend mixing.
How much protein does homemade chicken feed need?
Laying hens generally need around 16% protein, while chicks and meat birds need 20% or more.
Do I need to grind the grains?
Buy whole grain, then crack or coarsely grind it. Whole grains stay fresher longer, and coarse pieces are easier for birds to eat than flour-fine powder.
Can chickens live on pasture alone?
With a large, healthy pasture that you rotate regularly, birds can forage a large share of their diet, but most flocks still need supplemental feed, grit and calcium.
Keep Improving Your Recipe
Making your own poultry feed is an ongoing process. It may take time to get it right, and even once your recipe works, you will probably find ways to improve it as you learn what your flock needs. For more ideas, see the Mother Earth News guide to feeding chickens.