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Raising backyard chickens isn’t just about getting fresh eggs every morning; it’s also about keeping your chickens healthy and happy. A common question among chicken owners is, “Can my chickens eat this?”
To help, we’ve put together an alphabetical list of various foods, indicating whether they’re safe for your chickens, along with any benefits or precautions you should know.
What Foods Are Safe for Chickens to Eat?
Chickens are natural foragers and enjoy a wide range of foods beyond their regular quality feed. If raising free range chickens, Many kitchen and table scraps and leftovers can actually be a helpful supplement, especially when you’re running low on commercial chicken feed. But not everything from the kitchen is safe—knowing the difference is key to keeping your flock healthy.
For young chicks, it’s best to stick with a chick starter or higher protein starter feed until they’re about three to four months old, since they need extra nutrients for proper growth. Once they’re older, adult chickens can safely enjoy a mix of household foods with high nutritional value alongside their usual diet.
What Chickens Naturally Eat
Chickens aren’t picky—they’re natural foragers and will happily eat a mix of plants, bugs, and even bits of dirt. Their diet can look a lot like that of other poultry, but chickens really shine when they’re allowed to roam and scratch around for food.
In the yard, chickens will nibble on grass like buckwheat and clover. They also go after broadleaf weeds, seeds, and the tender new growth of plants. Add insects, slugs, and earthworms to the mix, and you’ve got an effective backyard pest control crew that also happens to lay eggs.
What surprises many new chicken keepers is how much chickens enjoy pecking at grit or coarse dirt. This isn’t just a weird habit—it actually helps them digest food. Chickens don’t have teeth, so grit hangs out in their gizzard and breaks down tougher bits of food they pick up while foraging.
Another bonus? Free-range Chickens are great little recyclers. Instead of tossing fruit and veggie scraps in the trash or compost, you can feed many of them to your flock. Just avoid anything that could make them sick—things like avocado, rhubarb, raw potatoes, citrus, onions,
Alphabetical List of Foods Chickens Can Eat
This list provides a basic guideline. However, always ensure that the majority of your chickens’ diet comes from a balanced, high-quality poultry feed, supplementing with these items as tasty treats in moderation.
A
- Alfalfa – Safe in moderation and is a good source of protein and vitamins.
- Apples – Safe, but remove the seeds as they contain cyanide.
- Avocados – Not safe; the skin and pit contain persin, which is toxic to chickens.
Monthly Egg Tracker For Chickens
This planner will help you track production so you can notice trends and celebrate results!
B
- Bananas or Banana Peels – Safe in moderation; high in potassium.
- Basil – Safe and nutritious; has antibacterial properties.
- Beans – Cooked beans are safe; raw beans contain harmful toxins.
- Bell Peppers
- Beer Brewing Malts – Generally safe in small amounts. They are a good source of protein and B vitamins but should be given as part of a varied diet to avoid digestive issues.
- Bird Food – Generally safe, but it’s better to provide chicken-specific feed for balanced nutrition.
- Blackberries
- Black Sunflower Seeds – Safe and a great source of healthy fats and protein.
- Blueberries
- Boiled Eggs – Safe and highly nutritious; ensure they are cooked.
- Bread – Safe in small amounts; too much can lead to obesity.
- Broccoli
- Brussel Sprouts
C
- Cabbage
- Calendula
- Canteloupe
- Carrots – Safe and healthy, either raw or cooked.
- Cat Food – Not safe as a regular healthy diet; too high in protein and could contain ingredients harmful to chickens. Whether dry kibble or canned meat, cat food is a contentious chicken food. Several swear by it, while others warn that it should not be used near a chicken coop. Like many other high-protein foods, it should not be consumed regularly but rather as a rare treat.
- Cauliflower – Safe and nutritious.
- Celery – Safe, but cut into small pieces to prevent choking.
- Chamomile
- Cheese
- Cherries
- Clover – Safe and a good source of essential nutrients.
D
- Daisies
- Daylilies
E
- Eggs – Both cooked and raw eggs are okay. It’s a great source of protein for them. However, they should be fed sparingly to avoid encouraging egg-eating behavior.
- Eggshells—Chickens can eat crushed egg shells. They provide a good source of calcium, which is essential for healthy egg production. Ensure the shells are crushed finely to prevent them from being used as egg material, which could lead to egg-eating habits.
F
- Fish – Due to their high quantities of Omega 3 oils, sardines and tuna were particularly healthy, although any oily fish is healthy. Chickens adore sardines, a high-protein fish. Do not worry about the bones; they’ll consume the tiniest ones, but leave the larger ones alone.
- Fennel – Safe; provides vitamins and can help repel pests.
- Frogs – Generally safe, but avoid if you use pesticides that frogs could carry.
G
- Garlic – Safe in small amounts; can boost immune health.
- Grapes – Safe; cut in half to prevent choking.
K
- Kale – Safe and very nutritious.
- Kidney Beans – Only safe if cooked thoroughly; raw beans are toxic.
L
- Lawn Grass, Cut – Safe in moderation, but ensure it is free from fertilizer, pesticides, and herbicides. It’s a good source of greens, though it should not replace their primary food source.
- Lentils – One of my all-time favorite delights is sprouting lentils, which I use all year. They’re one of the best high-protein foods on the market and low in fat. My chickens don’t appreciate them as much as some high-protein treats, but they’ll eat them because they’re cheap and quick to make.
- Lettuce – Safe, but opt for darker, more nutritious varieties.
- Lavender
M
- Mice – Chickens can eat mice and it’s generally safe, reflecting their natural behavior.
- Mealworms – Safe and an excellent source of protein.
Mealworms are a high-protein food that chickens like eating. They’re a great technique to get your flock to scratch and forage if you scatter them over the chicken run. They’re a crunchy delicacy that your flock will adore, whether added to a delicious mushy chicken porridge or a pumpkin cake.
O
- Oats and Oatmeal – Safe; a good source of energy and nutrients. If you have oats for breakfast in the morning, you can put some aside!
- Oranges – Safe, but not all chickens like the strong citrus flavor.
- Oyster shells
P
- Parsley – Parsley is a powerful immunity booster for chickens. It is often used as a flavoring or garnish for curries, sauces, etc. Parsley is an herb rich in essential minerals and vitamins, along with protein.
- Peaches
- Pears
- Peas – They’re simple to grow and can be served with other vegetables or blended into a treat block.
- Popcorn – Safe if it’s plain and fully popped; avoid buttered and salted varieties.
- Poultry Pellet – This is a staple food for chickens. It is readily available at any feed store. We encourage you to buy a high-quality pellet that meets your backyard chickens’ nutritional needs.
- Pumpkins – Safe and nutritious; seeds can help prevent parasites.
- Pumpkin Seeds – Safe and a good source of nutrients. Pumpkin seeds are among the best high-protein feeds available to your flock. Organic seeds should be used instead of packaged seeds, which are sometimes heavy in salt.
R
- Rice – Safe, both cooked and uncooked, but in moderation.
- Raisin
- Roses
S
- Seashells – Safe. Crushed seashells can be an excellent source of calcium for laying hens, helping to ensure strong eggshells. Shrimp and lobster shells are excellent sources of chitin, a type of fiber that can aid in controlling internal parasites in chickens.
- Spinach – Safe, but contains oxalic acid, so feed in moderation.
- Squash – Safe and nutritious; seeds are particularly good.
- Strawberries
- Sunflower Seeds – Sunflower seeds, which are rich in proteins and always fresh in the autumn, are abundant in disease-fighting polyphenols.
- Sweet Potatoes – Safe, including the leaves and vines.
T
- Thyme
- Tomatoes – Safe, but the green parts of the plant are toxic.
W
- Water—You need to ensure that the chickens always have an adequate clean water supply. They need fresh water to aid in the digestion of the pellet and grain. Some people put
garlic in the water sincegarlic is a natural antibiotic. A chicken waterer is the best as it will ensure a continuous supply.
What Chickens Need to Eat
Chickens are omnivores, which means they’ll try just about anything. If your chickens are free-range, they’ll naturally find a mix of seeds, plants, and bugs that round out their diet. But even chickens that stay in a run can eat well with the right food and a little variety.
Most people rely on commercial feed, which comes in crumbles or pellets. This complete feed is designed to support egg-laying and includes the vitamins and minerals hens need. A good feed is especially helpful if you want consistent, healthy eggs.
Along with their regular feed, chickens benefit from a mix of safe kitchen scraps. They eat more in colder months, so adding in grains, leafy greens, and fruits helps keep their diet balanced. Some good options include apples, berries, corn, cooked beans, cabbage, and
What Chickens Need in Their Diet
Two of the most important nutrients for chickens—especially laying hens—are protein and calcium. Protein supports overall health and egg production, while calcium helps form strong eggshells. Most commercial layer feeds are already fortified, but you can also add calcium by crushing clean eggshells and mixing the powder into their food.
Supplemental chicken treats like corn and wheat can be scattered for enrichment, and daily fresh vegetables keep things interesting. Chickens love tearing into leafy greens like bok choy, cabbage, or leftover veggie peels. Just be sure not to overdo treats, especially those with sugar, salt, or fat.
Avoid giving your flock anything moldy or spoiled—just like us, they don’t do well with rotten food and could get sick from it.
Can chickens live on just grass?
Your chickens can eat grass. Yes, it is safe for these birds. Also, grass has many nutrients that can help the chicken to grow and stay healthy. But you must ensure that your bird cannot access treated grass. The treated grass will have chemicals that can harm your bird beyond your expectations.
Even if chickens can eat grass, they cannot survive on it. You cannot allow your chicken to live only on grass. Although grass is healthy for chickens, it does not offer all the required nutrients. It is worth mentioning that chickens are not single-toothed.
However, cattle and sheep are single-stomached and can survive on grass. But chickens will need a nutritionally balanced diet. Hence, you must add different types of food to their diet.
