Producer's Pride from Tractor Supply cuts the cost nearly in half with solid nutrition and no frills. The single biggest mistake keepers make is feeding the wrong formula for the wrong age.
Good flock nutrition is not complicated, but it is specific. A chick starter and a layer pellet are not interchangeable. feeding the wrong one at the wrong stage causes real problems, from developmental failure in young birds to kidney damage from excess calcium in adults.
We tested and tracked five leading feeds across the four main life stages. Here is what we found.
## Why Chicken Feed Protein Percentage Matters More Than Brand
Protein drives growth in young birds and egg production in layers. The numbers are not marketing. they reflect genuine physiological needs at each life stage.
Starter (0-8 weeks): Chicks need 18-20% protein to build muscle, feathers, and organ tissue. Undershooting this delays development by weeks.
Grower (8-16 weeks): Pullets need 16-18% protein as they approach sexual maturity. Too much protein at this stage can push early lay onset, which stresses the reproductive system before it is ready.
Layer (16+ weeks): Hens settle at 16% protein combined with 3.5-4% calcium. The calcium is what hardens shells. without it, hens pull calcium from their own bones.
Broiler (all ages until processing): Meat birds need 20-22% protein to hit market weight efficiently. Their nutritional needs are entirely different from laying breeds. Check our Cornish Cross broiler guide for the full broiler feeding schedule.
Breed choice affects how efficiently your flock converts feed into eggs. Our Rhode Island Red breed guide covers why production-strain birds convert feed more efficiently than heritage strains, which directly affects your cost per dozen eggs.
## Best Chicken Chicken Feeds: Our Top Picks by Life Stage
### 1. Purina Layena+. Best Overall Overall Layer Feed
Protein: 16% · Calcium: 4% · Form: Pellets · Life stage: 18+ weeks · Special: Omega-3 enriched (marigold, flaxseed)
Purina Layena+ earns the top spot because it solves two problems at once: the base nutrition of a solid layer pellet plus omega-3 enrichment from flaxseed and marigold extract. The omega-3s transfer directly into egg yolks, raising the nutritional value of every egg you collect. Ingredient quality is consistent batch to batch, which matters more than most keepers realize. This is the feed we recommend to anyone who wants a single bag on the shelf and zero second-guessing.
What it does not do: it costs more per pound than generic pellets, and the omega-3 advantage disappears if your hens free-range heavily (they get omega-3s from insects and plants).
### 2. Kalmbach Henhouse Reserve. Best Premium Layer Feed
Protein: 17% · Calcium: 3.75% · Form: Pellets · Life stage: 18+ weeks · Special: Probiotics, prebiotics, essential oils
Kalmbach is the feed you graduate to when egg quality becomes a priority. The 17% protein sits slightly above the layer standard, and the probiotic/prebiotic blend supports gut health in ways that show up as better feed conversion over time. Essential oil inclusion (oregano, thyme) provides natural antimicrobial support without antibiotics.
This is a specialty feed sold through independent farm stores, not big-box retailers. It costs more than Purina and is worth it if you sell eggs or prioritize gut health management.
### 3. Producer's Pride Layer Pellets. Best Budget Layer Feed
Protein: 16% · Calcium: 3.5% · Form: Pellets · Life stage: 18+ weeks · Special: Tractor Supply house brand
Producer's Pride hits every nutritional floor for layers at a price that undercuts Purina by 30-40%. The ingredient list is straightforward: corn, soybean meal, calcium carbonate, vitamins, and minerals. No omega-3 enrichment, no probiotics, but nothing harmful either. This is the correct choice for large flocks where feed cost is a real budget concern. The label notes on BOSS supplementation apply here. a handful of black oil sunflower seeds per week adds natural fat and condition to offset the leaner formula.
Factor in drive time and fuel before committing to it as your primary feed.
### 4. Scratch and Peck Feeds Cluckin' Good Layer. Best Organic Layer Feed
Protein: 16% · Calcium: 3.5% · Form: Whole grain mash · Life stage: 18+ weeks · Special: USDA Certified Organic, soy-free option available
Scratch and Peck is the only whole-grain feed on this list. Rather than pellets or crumbles, hens eat intact grains: wheat, barley, corn, peas, and oats. This format requires grit to be available at all times. whole grains cannot be broken down without it. The benefit is behavioral: whole grains give hens something to peck and sort, which reduces boredom in confined flocks. The soy-free formulation is the reason most keepers choose it; soy-free eggs are a premium product.
Cost is the barrier. Scratch and Peck runs 2-3x the price of Producer's Pride per pound.
### 5. Manna Pro Medicated Chick Starter. Best Starter Feed
Protein: 18% · Medication: Amprolium (coccidiostat) · Form: Crumbles · Life stage: 0-8 weeks
Manna Pro produces a consistently fine crumble that day-old chicks can eat without waste or choking. The amprolium inclusion prevents coccidiosis, the most common and deadly disease in young chicks. Amprolium is not an antibiotic. it is a thiamine blocker that starves coccidia protozoa without harming the chick. Do not use medicated starter if your chicks were vaccinated for Marek's disease at the hatchery: the vaccination includes a coccidiosis component, and adding amprolium is redundant. Check your hatchery paperwork before you buy.
## Chicken Feed Comparison Table
| Feed | Protein | Calcium | Form | Life Stage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purina Layena+ | 16% | 4% | Pellets | Layer (18+ wk) |
| Kalmbach Henhouse Reserve | 17% | 3.75% | Pellets | Layer (18+ wk) |
| Producer's Pride | 16% | 3.5% | Pellets | Layer (18+ wk) |
| Scratch and Peck Organic | 16% | 3.5% | Whole grain | Layer (18+ wk) |
| Manna Pro Medicated Starter | 18% | 0.9% | Crumbles | Starter (0-8 wk) |
## Feed Forms: Pellets vs Crumbles vs Mash
Form affects waste more than nutrition. The formula inside each form is identical. only the physical shape changes.
Pellets are the most efficient form for adult hens. They are compressed into uniform cylinders that hens cannot sort or scatter. Pellet feeders show the lowest waste of any format, which matters when feed costs $0.50/lb.
Crumbles are broken pellets. They are easier for chicks and bantam breeds to eat, and they work well in treadle feeders. The trade-off is more dust and slightly higher waste than whole pellets.
Mash is the raw ground grain mix before pelleting or crumbling. It is the least processed and the most wasteful. hens bill it out of feeders looking for preferred particles. Whole-grain mash from Scratch and Peck is different from conventional mash: the grains are intact rather than ground.
The right form for your flock:
- Day-old chicks to 8 weeks: crumbles
- Bantam breeds at any age: crumbles
- Standard laying hens: pellets
- Whole-grain advocates: mash (with grit mandatory)
## Supplements: What Goes Alongside Feed
Feed covers the base. Supplements fill specific gaps that commercial formulas leave open.
Oyster shell provides free-choice calcium beyond what layer feed supplies. Offer it in a separate dish, never mixed into the feed. Hens self-regulate: a hen laying daily takes more calcium than a hen taking a break. You cannot overdose a healthy hen on free-choice oyster shell.
Dual-purpose breeds have slightly different nutritional demands than dedicated laying breeds because they put body mass on faster. Our dual-purpose breed guide covers feed-to-output ratios for the top breeds so you can pick the right formula for your flock's purpose.
Grit is crushed granite that sits in the gizzard and grinds whole grains and scratch. Hens on an all-pellet diet and confined runs do not strictly need supplemental grit because pellets dissolve easily. Any hen eating whole grains, scratch, or kitchen scraps needs grit available at all times.
Scratch grain is corn and mixed grains sold as a treat, not a feed. It is low in protein (8-10%) and has no calcium. Scratch works as a training reward, a cold-weather warm-up treat (digestion generates body heat), and a foraging activity. The rule is under 10% of total daily diet. Exceeding this displaces balanced nutrition and drops egg production. See our guide on as a supplement treat for more on treats that complement feed.
Black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS) add fat, vitamin E, and a conditioning boost to feathers and skin. A tablespoon per hen per day is the right range. More than that and you are adding calories without proportional nutrition. Read our full breakdown of BOSS as a supplement.
## Feed Storage: Protecting Your Investment
Feed goes stale, moldy, and rancid faster than most keepers expect. Aflatoxin from mold is acutely toxic to poultry. it destroys liver function and kills birds with no warning.
Storage rules that prevent loss:
- Store in sealed metal containers with tight-fitting lids. Plastic bins let moisture in and are not rodent-proof.
- Never store feed directly on concrete. The floor wicks moisture up through the bag or bin.
- Buy only what you use in 30 days. A 50 lb bag fed to 6 hens lasts about 2.5 weeks. that is the right purchase cadence.
- Check for clumping before each fill. Clumped feed has absorbed moisture and may harbor mold even if it does not smell yet.
Where you store feed is tied directly to your coop design. Our coop setup guide covers dedicated feed storage areas, rodent-proofing strategies, and how to position feeders so hens waste as little as possible.
In winter, hens need more calories to maintain body temperature, which changes how you manage both feed type and access schedule. Our winter chicken care guide covers the cold-weather nutrition adjustments that keep production from dropping sharply between November and February.
Flock size determines how much feed you buy and store at a time. Our chicken run size calculator helps you plan the right flock count before you commit to a feed budget, so you are not buying for six birds when your run comfortably holds four.
Whatever you buy, the life-stage match matters more than the brand. A $50 organic feed fed at the wrong age causes more harm than a $18 budget pellet fed correctly.