Keeping a few hens in the back garden is one of life's simple pleasures. They turn garden waste into eggs, provide gentle companionship, and scratch away at pests. But the foundation of healthy, happy hens is a balanced diet. Get the feeding right and you'll be rewarded with glossy feathers, strong eggshells, and birds that greet you at the gate. This beginner's guide walks you through the essentials.
Layers' pellets (or mash, if you prefer) should make up the bulk of your hens' diet. These compound feeds are carefully formulated to provide the right balance of protein, vitamins, and minerals. Look for a pellet with around 16–18% protein. Pellets are less wasteful than mash because hens can't flick them about as easily. A good tip is to use a proper hanging feeder rather than scattering feed on the ground. This keeps the feed clean, dry, and away from wild birds. Avoid using mixed corn as the main meal. It's lower in protein and higher in energy, which can lead to fat hens that lay fewer eggs. Keep corn for treats.
An average hen will eat around 120–150g of layers' pellets per day. Larger breeds, cold weather, and a heavy moult will push that up; smaller bantams and warm summer days may need a little less. If your hens free-range on a lawn or in a large run, they'll top up on grass, insects, and worms, but they still need their pellets. A simple routine works best: fill the feeder each morning and check it again in the late afternoon. Don't let the feeder run empty during the day, but don't overfill it either, as stale feed loses its appeal. Fresh, clean water is just as important. Use a drinker that's easy to clean, and check it twice a day in hot weather. In winter, make sure it isn't frozen solid.
Two small additions make a huge difference. Insoluble grit – small stones – sits in the gizzard and helps hens grind down their food. Without it, they can't digest properly. Soluble grit, usually oyster shell, provides calcium for strong eggshells. Offer both separately in small hoppers or dishes. Hens are good at self-regulating: they'll take what they need. Never mix grit or oyster shell into their pellets, as they may overdose on calcium. If you notice thin or soft-shelled eggs, check that oyster shell is available. You can also offer crushed eggshells, baked and crumbled, but only as a top-up.
Here's a tricky one. In the UK, it is illegal to feed kitchen scraps to poultry, because of the risk of spreading disease. That means no leftovers from your plate, no vegetable peelings from the kitchen, and no bread soaked in milk. Instead, offer garden-safe greens: dandelion leaves, chickweed, kale, spinach, cabbage, and lettuce. Fruit like apples, pears, and berries are fine in moderation. A handful of treats per hen per day is plenty – think of it as a dessert, not a main course.
Good treats include:
Avoid these entirely:
Too many treats will reduce egg production and cause health problems. Feed treats in the late afternoon, after the hens have filled up on pellets.
British garden birds – robins, blue tits, great tits, house sparrows, blackbirds – will soon discover spilled pellets. As charming as they are, wild birds can carry diseases such as avian flu, salmonella, and red mite. They also foul feed and water. So make it hard for them. Use a feeder with a lip or a treadle feeder that hens can open but birds can't. Clean up spilled pellets every day. Site any wild bird feeders well away from the hen run – ideally at the other end of the garden. If you have a bird table, keep it far from where your hens roam. And never put wild bird food into the hen feeder. A little vigilance keeps both flocks healthy.
Winter calls for a little extra energy. A handful of mixed corn in the late afternoon helps hens stay warm overnight. Check water twice daily for ice. Summer brings different challenges: feed can go mouldy in the heat, so store pellets in a cool, dry bin and only buy what you'll use in a few weeks. Flies and wild birds are more active, so keep feeders clean. Common pitfalls to avoid: sudden diet changes (introduce new feed over 7–10 days), forgetting grit, letting water get dirty, and overdoing treats. If your hens stop laying or look off-colour, review the basics first. A balanced diet, clean water, and a safe, calm environment will keep your garden hens thriving.
Perch & Roost shares practical, down-to-earth guidance on back garden poultry keeping and british garden birds for readers across the UK.
Leave A Comment