By Theresa Gibilisco, owner, The Hungry Puppy
Nutrena chicken feed takes up a whole wall in our feed room, and I'll admit the bags look a lot alike. Starter, grower, layer, all flock, crumble, pellet, 16%, 17%, 18%. This guide sorts every Nutrena poultry feed we carry or can special order by the bird that eats it, so you can find yours in about a minute.
Nutrena's three poultry lines
- Country Feeds: Nutrena's economical, dependable line. Complete feeds with prebiotics and probiotics. Nutrena publishes the guaranteed analysis online but not the ingredient list, so check the tag on the bag.
- NatureWise: made with natural ingredients as defined by AAFCO, with an herbal blend (oregano, thyme, rosemary and star anise oils), probiotics and Nutrena's FlockShield blend. Full ingredient lists are published.
- Nature Smart: USDA Certified Organic and non-GMO, with no animal by-products. We special order these.
All three are complete feeds where the label says so. Treats and supplements like scratch, oyster shell and grit are their own category, below.
Every Nutrena poultry feed, by bird and age
| Bird and age | Feed | Protein | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Layer chicks, hatch to 16 weeks | NatureWise Chick Starter Grower Crumble | 18% | Non-medicated. 7 lb and 25 lb bags. |
| Chicks, hatch on | Country Feeds Chick Starter Grower Medicated | 18% | With amprolium for coccidiosis prevention. Not for vaccinated chicks or waterfowl. |
| Layer chicks, hatch to 16 weeks | Country Feeds Chick Starter Grower Non-Medicated | 18% | Special order. |
| Organic broiler and layer chicks, hatch to 16 weeks | Nature Smart Organic Chick Starter Grower | 20% | USDA organic. Special order. |
| Laying hens, 16 weeks on | Country Feeds Layer Crumble or Pellet | 16% | The everyday economical layer feed. |
| Laying hens, 16 weeks on | NatureWise Layer Crumble or Pellet | 17% | Calcium 3.7% to 3.9%. |
| Laying hens, soy-free | NatureWise Hearty Hen Soy-Free Pellet | 18% | Omega-3 from flaxseed. |
| Laying hens who like variety | NatureWise Harvest Blend Layer Textured | 18% | Whole grains, seeds and peas you can see. 6% fat. |
| Free-range hens, 18 weeks on | Country Feeds Egg Producer Pellet | 22% | Mixed with scratch. Special order. |
| Hens and roosters in molt, 16 weeks on | NatureWise Feather Fixer Pellet | 20% | Year round or during molt. |
| Mixed flocks, 7 weeks on | NatureWise All Flock Pellet | 20% | Chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, pheasants. Calcium 1.4% to 1.9%. |
| Ducks, 4 weeks on | Country Feeds Duck Pellet | 18% | Guaranteed niacin. |
| Ducklings, goslings, poults, game birds | Country Feeds Duck and All Flock Starter Crumble | 22% | Guaranteed niacin. Special order. |
| Meat chickens, hatch to market | NatureWise Meatbird Crumble | 22% | One feed start to finish. Special order. |
The extras: treats and supplements
None of these are a complete feed. They go alongside one.
- Country Feeds Scratch Grains, 7.5% protein. No more than 10% of the diet, per the label.
- Hi-Pro Scratch Grains, 12% protein, with black oil sunflower seeds and protein pellets.
- Nature Smart Organic Scratch Grains, 8% protein. Special order.
- NatureWise TidBits treats in Healthy Egg and Immunity Support, for birds over 7 weeks.
- NatureWise Oyster Shell, extra calcium for layers 16 weeks and older.
- NatureWise Poultry Grit, crushed granite for birds eating scratch or whole grains.
A quick way to find your feed
- Are they under 16 weeks? Starter grower. Medicated if they weren't vaccinated and you want coccidiosis protection, non-medicated if they were vaccinated.
- Are they ducks, geese or turkeys? Duck and All Flock Starter while young, then duck pellet or All Flock. Never medicated chick starter for waterfowl.
- Are they meat birds? Meatbird 22%.
- Laying hens in a coop and run? Any layer: Country Feeds 16%, NatureWise 17%, Hearty Hen if you want soy-free, Harvest Blend if they like a textured feed.
- Laying hens that free range most of the day? Egg Producer mixed with scratch.
- Dropping feathers in the fall? Feather Fixer.
- A little of everything in one run? All Flock, with oyster shell on the side for the layers.
Does breed change the feed?
Not much. A Buff Orpington and a Leghorn eat the same layer feed. What matters is the job: laying hen, meat bird, or a waterfowl with higher niacin needs. Bantams usually do better on crumbles, since they're easier for small beaks. Heavy layers and older hens may use more oyster shell, so keep the dish full.
Season by season
- Spring: chick season. Get your starter and brooder set up before the chicks come home.
- Summer: hens eat less in the heat. The University of Minnesota's poultry extension says feed intake drops as temperatures approach 85 degrees, so keep the layer feed fresh and the water cool, and go easy on treats that crowd out real feed.
- Fall: molt season. A higher protein feed like Feather Fixer helps them grow new feathers. See our molting post.
- Winter: keep the layer feed as the main meal and the water from freezing. Nutrena markets Hi-Pro Scratch as extra energy for cold weather, still as a treat.
Nutrena chicken feed questions
Is Nutrena chicken feed medicated?
Only the feeds labeled medicated. Of what we carry, that's the Country Feeds Chick Starter Grower Medicated, which contains amprolium. Nutrena notes amprolium is a coccidiostat, not an antibiotic.
Is NatureWise organic?
No. NatureWise uses natural ingredients as AAFCO defines them. Nature Smart is the certified organic line.
Crumble or pellet?
Same nutrition when it's the same formula. Crumbles are easier for young or small birds. Pellets get wasted less.
Can I switch between Nutrena feeds?
Yes. Mix the old and new feed over about a week so nobody goes off their feed.
More from our feed counter
For the basics, read what chickens eat. For chicks, how long chicks stay on starter. For egg trouble, what layer feed does for eggs. For ducks, can ducks eat chicken feed.
Every feed in this guide can come to your backyard on our own trucks, Tuesday through Friday on your town's route day, free with a $20 minimum. Special order items usually take a few extra days. See our backyard chicken feed page and farm feed delivery page, or call 732-938-4470.