What to Feed Older Backyard Chickens
Many backyard chickens remain active and healthy well beyond their peak laying years. While hens often begin laying fewer eggs as they grow older, many continue to produce eggs and enjoy active lives for years to come. Some chickens even live well into their teens, and in rare cases, beyond 20 years! As hens age, their activity levels, egg production, and nutritional needs gradually change. Providing complete, balanced nutrition helps support healthy, comfortable, and active hens throughout their later years.
How Nutritional Needs Change as Chickens Age
As hens age, their nutritional needs often change alongside egg production. Hens that continue to lay still require nutrients to support egg production, while birds that lay less frequently or no longer lay shift their nutritional priorities toward supporting healthy body condition and overall well-being.
Not every hen follows the same aging timeline. Some continue laying eggs well into their later years, while others gradually produce fewer eggs and spend more time foraging, dust bathing, and keeping your backyard bug population at bay. Because of these differences, nutrition should be based on a hen's production stage and overall condition rather than on her age alone.
Older birds may also become less active or compete less successfully with younger flock mates at the feeder. Providing additional feeder space can help older hens continue eating consistently, particularly in mixed-age flocks where more dominant birds often reach the feeder first.
Regular hands-on health checks become increasingly valuable as hens grow older. Gently feeling along the breastbone helps monitor body condition, while observing how easily a bird walks, perches, and moves around the coop can reveal subtle age-related changes that affect feed intake and overall condition. These observations help you recognize when management or feeding adjustments may be beneficial.
The Most Important Nutrients For Older Hens
Balanced nutrition continues to support healthy aging long after a hen's peak laying years. Complete feeds provide the protein, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids older hens need to support healthy aging, immune function, feather quality, and overall well-being. Even after egg production slows, complete nutrition remains important for helping hens stay active and comfortable.
Protein supports more than egg production. It helps maintain muscle, replace feathers, repair tissues, and encourage normal body functions throughout a hen's life. Hens that continue laying rely on complete layer feeds to provide the balanced protein and amino acids needed to support both egg production and their own health.
Calcium is also necessary for hens that continue laying. Because calcium needs are tied to egg production rather than age, hens that are still laying should continue to have access to a complete layer feed and free-choice calcium. It's normal for older hens to visit a free-choice calcium source less often as egg production slows.
Fresh, clean water is just as important as feed. Adequate hydration supports digestion, nutrient absorption, temperature regulation, and many other normal body functions. Older birds that drink less or struggle to compete for water should be monitored closely, particularly during periods of hot weather.
Choosing The Right Chicken Feed for Older Backyard Chickens
Choosing feed for older hens starts with one question: Is she still laying?
Hens that continue laying generally benefit from remaining on a complete layer feed. Birds that have stopped laying altogether may benefit from transitioning to a quality maintenance feed that better matches their nutritional needs.
If you keep a mixed-age flock, a complete feed like Flock Maker® paired with free-choice calcium provides a practical feeding solution for birds at different stages of production. This allows hens that continue laying to consume additional calcium as needed, while younger birds, roosters, and retired hens continue to eat the same balanced ration.
Whatever feeding program you choose, consistency is important. Sudden feed changes can temporarily reduce feed intake, particularly in older birds that may already eat more slowly than younger flock mates. When transitioning to a new feed, make the change gradually and continue monitoring appetite, body condition, and egg production to ensure hens are adapting well.
Treats can still be part of an older hen's routine, but they shouldn't replace complete feed. Scratch grains, table scraps, and other treats should remain occasional additions. If you'd like to offer your flock something extra, Henhouse Reserve® Supplement Block provides whole grains, seeds, and vegetables to complement a complete feeding program for chickens 14 weeks and older.
Supporting Healthy Aging Hens with Kalmbach Feeds
Older hens contribute to your flock in more ways than producing eggs. With balanced nutrition, attentive flock management, and regular observation, your senior birds can remain active, healthy members of the flock long after their peak laying years.
Questions about feeding older hens? Visit our poultry resources for more backyard chicken tips, or browse our poultry feed collection to find complete nutrition for every stage of your flock's life. Supporting older hens starts with understanding their changing needs. With the right nutrition and daily care, they can continue thriving for years to come.
Resources:
