What to Feed Laying Hens to Lay Eggs? | The Complete Diet

The most common reason a healthy flock stops laying is a diet that doesn’t match what the hens are producing. A hen laying an egg every day pulls an enormous amount of calcium and protein from her body to build that shell and albumen, and she can only replace it from what she eats. The right foundation is simple: one complete layer feed, offered freely, with a separate calcium dish alongside.

The Core Diet: One Complete Layer Feed

Your hens should eat one thing, and one thing only, as their base ration: a complete layer feed. Poultry extension guidance is blunt on this point — the layer ration should be the hen’s entire diet. It is specifically formulated to carry every nutrient she needs for consistent egg production, and diluting it with other grains or scraps will dilute her performance.

Look for these numbers on the tag, verified by the extension sources: crude protein between 16% and 18%, calcium between 3.0% and 4.5%, and available phosphorus around 0.35% to 0.50%. The protein matters for egg size and production, while the calcium directly feeds shell strength.

When to Switch to Layer Feed

Move your pullets to layer feed when they actually start laying, not before. The timing lands around 18 to 22 weeks of age depending on the breed; Leghorn-type hens typically transition between 20 and 22 weeks. Feeding a layer ration to chicks or immature pullets before they reach laying age can cause serious health problems, so don’t rush it.

Make the switch gradually over one week. Start by mixing about a quarter layer feed with three-quarters grower feed, shift to a half-and-half mix after a few days, and finish on straight layer feed. An abrupt change can cause a temporary slump in egg production or digestive upset.

Why Free-Choice Calcium Matters

Even the best complete layer feed should not be your hens’ only calcium source, because shell formation demands huge quantities of it. Offer free-choice oyster shell, calcite, or limestone in a separate dish — never mixed into the feed — so each hen can take exactly what her body needs. Ground oyster shell is the classic recommendation for free-choice feeding because it sits nicely in a side dish and is easily digested.

Keep the calcium dish separate from the feed. If you mix extra calcium into the ration itself, you risk over-supplementing some hens. Free-choice lets every bird self-regulate based on her stage of production.

The complete feed itself should also carry vitamin D3, which is essential for calcium absorption, plus the amino acids lysine and methionine. These nutrients work together — calcium without vitamin D3 passes straight through the hen’s system instead of building shells.

Treats, Fresh Water, and Common Mistakes

Treats and kitchen scraps are fine, but keep them under 15% of the diet — and several extension sources suggest less than 10%, given no more often than daily. If you offer scratch grain or whole corn, limit it to about a tablespoon per hen in the evening. Overfeeding scratch or corn is the fastest way to create fat hens with poor laying performance.

Fresh, clean water must be available at all times. A hen can stop laying entirely within days of losing access to water, and egg production is one of the first things to suffer.

Two mistakes cause most home-flock problems. First, adding grain or other feedstuffs to a complete layer ration — this dilutes the precise nutrition the feed was formulated to deliver. Second, relying on the feed while skipping the free-choice calcium dish, which leads to thin-shelled or soft eggs.

For choosing a feed that meets these requirements, see our roundup of the best egg laying chicken feed options.

Toxic Foods to Avoid

Almost any food is fine for chickens in moderation, but a few common household items are not. Garlic and onions are not acutely dangerous, but they can affect the flavor of your eggs, so it is safer to skip them.

Feed form is your choice — pellet, crumble, or mash all work, so pick what your flock eats most readily. The uniform feed that matches the 16–18% protein target is the best option, because it ensures every bite carries complete nutrition. If you have questions about a feed or a health problem, a veterinarian who treats poultry can give you a complete list of safe options.