I'm looking for information/advice on caring for a stray chicken that has taken up residence in my backyard. What is the proper diet for a chicken (foods, amounts, etc.) and is there anything else I should know about taking care of one? Thank you.

Thanks for the helpful links.

You can buy chicken pellets from most Pet Stores.
Chickens are Scavengers you can feed them on almost anything!!
My dad used to boil up a big pan full of Potato peelings and vegetable cuttings and mix it in with there pellets! as a special treat! and they had all our leftover dinners as well!LOL!

Sorry i forgot to add that they need some form of Grit! (Sand). This helps to digest there food.

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Originally posted by Earthangel_Uk:
Sorry i forgot to add that they need some form of Grit! (Sand). This helps to digest there food.

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Earthangel, thanks for your info.
Could you clarify this one part for me, though? I was told at my local feed store that chickens don't require grit if they are free-roaming, that they will pick up sand/little rocks from the dirt. Is that correct?

Yes, it is correct that they will eat small pebbles on their own. It is instinctive for them to do so. Grit is very important for the aid in digestion.

Since chickens lack teeth, the gizzard acts in place of teeth moving the small pebbles (grit) around inside of it to grind up the seeds, which have been swallowed whole and then digested in the intestine.

If your chickens do not have access to any form of grit, you will need to purchase grit. Some chicken fanciers use ground up seashell for this purpose.


For those who own parakeets, parrots or other caged type birds

Parrots and parakeets do not need grit in the diet since they hull the seeds and only eat the soft stuff inside. It has been noted that many birds that have eaten the grit have died from impaction because they cannot digest the grit.