10 Best Chicken Feed Brands For Laying Hens in 2023 – Reviews & Top Picks

You have been anxiously waiting for your hens to lay their first eggs. You know that fresh eggs are wholesome and delicious. You also know that you need to feed your hens high-quality food to keep them healthy and laying eggs for you. There are so many types of chicken feed out there and it can be overwhelming to weed through the options and find the best one.

Many feeds are full of filler ingredients that won’t produce optimal results for you or your hens. To help you narrow down the options, we’ve compiled the following reviews of the best organic, natural, and non-GMO chicken feeds for your laying hens. Read on to learn more about our favorites and how they can help you raise a healthy, egg-laying flock.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2023

	Image	Product	Details
Best Organic Feed		Scratch & Peck Feeds Organic Layer Feed	All organic and non-GMO ingredients High in protein, calcium, and other vitamins Environmentally friendly packaging	Check Price
Best Non-GMO Feed		Small Pet Select Layer Feed	Soy and corn free Non-GMO materials Good shelf-life if properly stored	Check Price
Best Natural Feed		Kalmbach Feeds All Natural	High in calcium and protein Lower cost Fortified with vitamins and minerals	Check Price
		Manna Pro Layer Pellets	USDA certified organic and non-GMO Highly nutritious No artificial colors or flavors	Check Price
		Homestead Harvest Non-GMO Layer	Non-GMO and minimally processed grains and seeds Fortified with essential vitamins Contains linseed oil, for Omega-3 fatty acids	Check Price

The 10 Best Chicken Feeds for Laying Hens

Scratch and Peck Organic Layer Pellets are a nutritious organic option for your hens, and our pick for the best chicken feed for laying hens overall. These pellets are certified organic and non-GMO. They contain only organic ingredients like wheat, peas, barley, and flaxseed meal. The addition of grubs gives these pellets a welcome protein boost. You won’t find any cheap fillers, like soy, in this feed, meaning your hens will get the nutrition they need without empty calories. This product is also a great source of calcium. Sufficient calcium is important in your chickens’ diet because it helps produce stronger eggshells. As a bonus, you can also give this feed to your ducks if you happen to raise both.

All ingredients in this non-GMO feed are sourced from the Pacific Northwest. The food is also produced there so everything is local. Small Pet Select Chicken Layer Feed is corn and soy-free. The whole grains and seeds that make up the mixture are high in protein. This feed is also high in calcium and omega-3 fatty acids. This food is also said to be easy on your hens’ digestive system so it may be good if your flock has a sensitive stomach. While it is non-GMO, it is not certified organic. This might be helpful if you are less concerned about the feed being organic and need it to have a longer shelf-life.

If you are looking for a feed that is not organic or non-GMO but still contains healthy and natural ingredients, then Kalmbach Feeds All Natural Layer Crumbles are a good choice. This product contains corn and soybean meal. Then it is fortified with a host of vitamins and minerals for a nutritional boost. No animal by-products are used in this feed, which makes it a healthier choice than other feeds that do include animal products as cheap fillers. Kalmbach Layer Crumbles are high in calcium which helps your hens lay eggs with stronger shells. It is available in both 25 and 50-pound bags.

If you are looking for a USDA-certified organic and non-GMO pellet feed for your laying hens, then Manna Pro Layer Pellets are a good choice. They contain all organic ingredients like corn, barley, oats, and soybeans. These pellets are also nutritional powerhouses with protein, fiber, healthy fats, calcium, and many other vitamins necessary for your chickens’ health. This food also contains no artificial colors or flavors. It also does not contain any pesticides. This food is a little more expensive than some of the others on this list due to the fully organic ingredients. The lack of pesticides also means it is perishable, so only buy what you can use in a short time period to prevent spoilage and waste.

If you are looking for a minimally processed and non-GMO product for your hens, then you might want to check out Homestead Harvest Non-GMO Whole Grain Layer Blend. This feed is a wholesome mix of grains and seeds that your chickens will love. It is fortified with calcium and other minerals. It also contains linseed oil, a great source of omega 3 fatty acids, and kelp. Kelp is a good natural source of vitamins A, B, C, D, E, and K. All of these are essential to good chicken health. The product is only available in a 40-pound back and it will spoil if kept for too long. This may be problematic if you don’t plan to use it quickly.

Mile Four Organic Layer Feed is another good choice if you are looking for a whole grain organic feed. It is also soy and corn-free and made from certified organic and non-GMO ingredients. The minimal processing ensures a healthy feed that your chickens will like to eat. Instead of pellets or crumbles, this feed is made of recognizable grains. It is enhanced with nutrient-rich fish meal and dried kelp. You can also give this feed to your ducks if you raise both, cutting down on the cost of buying two different types of feed. This might come in handy because the one drawback of this food is that it does not keep for very long due to the lack of preservatives.

This Amazingly Tasty Organic Feed is unique in that it combines both whole grains and pellets. It is also produced and shipped every 2 weeks so it does not sit in a warehouse or other storage facility before it gets to you. We had a difficult time tracking down specific ingredients for this blend, but they do claim it is soy-free, organic, and non-GMO. It is enhanced with oyster shells and an organic vitamin booster for maximum nutrition.

Prairie’s Choice Non-GMO Backyard Layer feed is a solid option if you are looking for a non-GMO layer feed. The product is high in protein and fiber, giving your birds some of the nutrients that are essential to their health. If your birds have had trouble digesting their chicken feed in the past, the Prairie’s Choice crumble style feed may be a good choice for them as it is easier to digest than some other types of feed.  The ingredients are non-GMO, so they maintain their essential nutrients. Along with protein and fiber, this feed also contains plenty of calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, and other vitamins and minerals essential to your chickens’ health.

The Purina Organic Layer Crumbles are a good bargain option for organic chicken feed. They are high in protein and calcium. One unique feature they claim is the oyster shells they use will break down slowly over time, leading to better calcium absorption and stronger eggshells. This feed is USDA-certified organic and uses non-GMO ingredients. The crumbles are easy for your hens to digest, but they can lead to more food waste than other styles as it is fairly loose.

Brown’s Layer Booster Feed is not organic or non-GMO. It does boast an all-natural blend that contains no animal by-products. Instead, it gets all of its nutrients from plants and supplemental vitamins and minerals. This feed is high in calcium and protein, two key components for chicken health. Because it is not organic, it is less expensive than some other feeds.

Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Chicken Feed for Laying Hens

Now that you have read our reviews, we will cover some tips for deciding which chicken feed is the best for your needs.

Important Things to Consider When Finding the Right Chicken Feed

Our reviews covered the best options available for organic, non-GMO, and natural chicken feed. When you are deciding which chicken feed to buy, you will first want to decide which of these three options you want.

Organic foods are often thought to be the healthiest as they don’t contain harmful additives. They do tend to spoil a little more quickly as they lack preservatives.

There are also several different formats you can buy your chicken feed in. The ones discussed in our list include the following:

The choice of format is really a matter of what your chickens prefer. Pellets are the most common, while whole grains are usually the least processed. Crumbles may be easier to digest for chickens with sensitive stomachs, but they can also lead to more food waste.

What Makes a Good Chicken Feed?

Your hens need several nutrients to optimize health and laying. Protein is a key component of any good chicken feed. It is necessary for healthy functioning bodies. Laying hens also need plenty of calcium. Phosphorus and vitamin D are needed with calcium as they work together to form strong eggshells.

Conclusion

Now that you have read our reviews and learned more about the best chicken feed for laying hens, you should be confident that you can make the right choice for your needs. Whether you decide to use an organic, non-GMO, or natural feed, our top three picks of the best chicken feeds for laying hens will meet your needs. Scratch and Peck Feeds Organic Layer Feed, Small Pet Select Chicken Layer Feed, and Kalmbach Feeds All Natural Layer Crumbles are all solid choices for layer feed that will keep your hens happy and healthy.

Featured Image Credit: LesiChkalll27, Shutterstock