An imbalance in a chicken’s diet can cause the chicken to not receive the proper nutrition it needs, either by having an excess of a dietary element or a deficiency in a dietary element. Dietary imbalances can occur when a chicken’s diet is not balanced or when a chicken’s dietary needs change due to weather, stress, health, or age. While dietary imbalances shouldn’t be too much of a problem when you feed your flock a proper homestead diet, you should still be familiar with some common dietary imbalances and how to treat dietary imbalances in chickens. Let’s take a look at each of the main dietary elements in a chicken’s diet and learn how you can fix an imbalance if one should occur in your homestead flock!
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Protein
Protein is arguably one of the most important elements of a chicken’s diet. It is needed for nearly every body function to work properly and provides the building blocks for bones, skin, and feathers. To learn more about the significant role that protein plays in your flock’s diet make sure you check out How to Balance Protein in a Flock’s Diet.
A chicken’s protein needs will change based on age and environmental factors. That means that a protein imbalance can easily occur if a chicken’s diet does not reflect that change in protein needs. Some signs of a protein deficiency include:
- decrease in laying
- small eggs
- weight loss without other symptoms of sickness
- improper bone (watch for in young and growing chicks)
- improper feather growth (watch for in growing chicks and during molting season)
- infertility in breeding stock
- more prone to illness or disease
- feather picking & feather eating
If a chicken is getting too much protein in its diet (which is not too common unless you over-treat a protein deficiency) it can lead to a condition called gout. Gout is when the excess protein is converted to uric acid and deposited as crystals on the joints. Gout can caused deformed joints and joint pain.
Protein needs can change due to a variety of factors such as hot or cold weather, stress (predator attack, overcrowding, sudden weather changes), molting, and age. Despite the fact that a chicken’s protein needs can change throughout the year, there are some basic guidelines to follow for how much protein a chicken needs on a daily basis.
General Protein Needs of Chickens:
- chicks (0-20 weeks old): 18-24% protein
- broiler (0-3 weeks old): 20-24% protein
- broiler (3+ weeks old): 16-20% protein
- layer (20+ weeks old): 15-17% protein
- cock (non-breeding): 10-12% protein
- breeding birds: 18-20% protein
Times when those general protein needs would increase are during molting season, extremely cold weather, or during any stressful time. If a chicken’s protein needs are not being met by its diet, then a protein imbalance can occur.
How to Treat a Protein Imbalance
Thankfully, preventing or fixing a protein imbalance is fairly simple! Most of the time you can simply increase high protein foods in your flock’s diet to fix a protein deficiency. In the case of excess protein, you would need to decrease the amount of high protein foods your flock is getting.
Here are just a few healthy high-protein supplements you can give your flock when their protein needs increase:
- dried black soldier fly grubs (complete protein)
- cooked meat & eggs (complete proteins)
- sprouted lentils
- hemp seeds (complete amino acid profile)
- pumpkin seeds
- fish (complete protein)
Keep in mind that protein sources are either considered complete or incomplete depending on their amino acid profile. Complete protein sources will provide a more balanced source of amino acids for treating a protein deficiency. You can learn more about different protein sources for chickens by checking out this list of Protein Sources for Chickens!
Give your flock supplemental protein treats in the morning or evening and always offer the supplemental protein free-choice. If you need to increase your flock’s dietary protein significantly, use the Pearson’s Square to figure out how much of a protein supplement needs to be added to their daily feed ration to increase their daily protein consumption.
Sudden changes in the amount of protein in a chicken’s diet should be done gradually. Too much protein or a sudden change in protein amounts can cause diarrhea and digestive upset. Offer any high protein treats gradually and not in excess.
Fat
Fat is another essential element of a chicken’s diet, however, it is only needed in minimal amounts. A fat excess is more common than a fat deficiency in chickens. Fat is needed in a chicken’s diet because it is used to cushion internal organs, store fat soluble vitamins, and provide energy and warmth during cold weather.
Unlike protein, a chicken’s fat needs do not change often. Fat and carbohydrates in a chicken’s diet are usually used together to provide the minimal fat requirements as well as meet the daily energy needs of a chicken. A fat excess can occur more quickly since many of the foods a chicken already consumes in its feed meet a chicken’s fat needs. Since fat needs rarely change, an increase or decrease in fatty foods is not needed.
Chickens can absorb most types of fats (saturated fats, unsaturated fats, monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats) from sources in their diet. The one exception is the fatty acid omega-6 (linoleic acid). Linoleic acid must be provided in limited amounts from either sources in a chicken’s feed or from supplements.
Sources that are high in linoleic acid include nuts, seeds (especially sunflower seeds), pork lard, beef tallow, and milk.
How to Treat a Fat Imbalance
Like I mentioned earlier, a fat excess is more common than a fat deficiency when it comes to fat imbalances in a chicken’s diet. Signs of a fat excess include an increase in weight, the formation of a thick fat pad under the skin of the abdomen, and a drop in laying. A serious fat excess can lead to the internal organs being pressured from too much fat and collapsing or failing to work properly, which can lead to death.
To prevent a fat excess in your flock’s diet, follow these feeding and treating guidelines:
- limit fatty treats
- limit treats high in carbohydrates (less carbs can cause a chicken’s body to start using fat as a source of energy)
- evaluate the carb/protein/fat content of treats and supplements you give your flock
- keep treats and supplements varied
- look for treat and supplements that are high in protein but low in fat
If you suspect a chicken is suffering from being over weight, you will want to cut out any and all treats or consumable supplements from the chicken’s diet. Only offer them their daily feed and allow them to free-range if possible. Free-ranging can help keep a chicken active so that it will use that extra energy and burn off some of the fat.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates make up a majority of a chicken’s diet. A chicken has high carbohydrate needs because of its active lifestyle. Carbohydrates provide instant energy to a chicken’s diet compared to the slow metabolizing energy provided by protein or the storable energy provided by fat.
A carbohydrate imbalance is not common since a chicken’s daily feed is naturally rich in carbohydrates. Instead, an imbalance can occur when other elements of a chicken’s diet are changed, such as an increase or decrease in consumption of fatty foods or high protein foods that are also high in carbs.
A carbohydrate deficiency can occur when a chicken stops eating or when nutrient absorption is compromised due to parasites, crop issues, or digestive problems. However, since carbohydrates only provide instant energy, a chicken would benefit more from increased protein during those times rather than a sudden increase in high carb foods. Protein is needed by the body for all body processes to function properly and it can provide energy.
How to Treat an Imbalance
A carbohydrate imbalance will rarely occur when a chicken is allowed free-choice access to a complete feed on a daily basis. Chickens will consume their feed throughout the day, taking in those instant-energy carbs to sustain them in their active lifestyle.
What you should do is limit how many high-carb treats you give your flock. If you give your flock too many high carb treats, the increased carb intake will take away from other essential dietary elements such as protein. Here are some high-carb sources that you should limit when feeding your flock treats and snacks:
- corn & scratch grains
- pasta
- bread products
- crackers
- rice & beans
The one time when a burst of supplemental instant energy may be needed in a chicken’s diet are during times of cold stress. Cold weather requires more energy for a chicken to stay warm. Instant energy can help a chicken stay warm, but it is also used up quickly which is why instant-energy sources should also be combined with high protein sources.
Here are some healthy instant-energy sources to give your flock during times of increased energy needs:
- sweet potato
- quinoa
- whole oats
- apples
- chickpeas
- lentils
Vitamins & Minerals
The last two poultry dietary elements we will look at are vitamins and minerals. Vitamins and minerals work together to provide nutrients for a chicken to stay healthy and fight disease. Vitamins come from both plant and animal sources in a chicken’s diet. Minerals are soluble nutrients that are derived from the weathering of chemical elements in the earth’s crust which are then absorbed and stored in a variety of natural foods.
A chicken’s vitamin and mineral needs stay roughly the same throughout an adult chicken’s life. Deficiencies or imbalances can occur when a chicken’s diet is altered due to a change in weather, stress, extra treats, illness, nutrient absorption compensation, an incomplete diet, or stale feed.
Fat-Soluble Vitamins:
Fat soluble vitamins are vitamins that can be stored in a chicken’s body fat. Because these vitamins can be stored by the body, an excess of fat soluble vitamins can lead to toxicity, called hypervitaminosis. If there is a deficiency of fat soluble vitamins and the body can’t store enough, then it can lead to hypovitaminosis or avitaminosis. Either way, fat soluble vitamins must be balanced in a chicken’s diet in order for the chicken to stay healthy.
Vitamin A-
Vitamin A plays an important role in a chicken’s eye health, growth, bone development, and immune system strength. It is considered an antioxidant that helps fight disease and strengthens the immune system. While a deficiency of vitamin A can be serious, an overdose of vitamin A can be toxic.
Signs of Deficiency: weakness, slow growth, poor vision, decreased laying, low hatchability in hatching eggs, frequent blood spots in eggs, respiratory distress
Sources: green forage, cod liver oil
Vitamin D-
Vitamin D is an essential vitamin in a laying hen’s diet because it is needed in order for calcium to be absorbed. Basically anything related to calcium in the diet is directly affected by the amount of vitamin D in a chicken’s diet. Vitamin D and calcium are also tied to a chicken’s phosphorus needs, which is a mineral we will discuss later.
A deficiency in vitamin D can be very detrimental to a hen’s health and reproduction. However, an excess of vitamin D can also lead to hypercalcemia, which is when too much calcium enters the blood. Too much calcium in the blood will affect heart health and other organs, is toxic to the liver, and can cause the kidney’s to calcify (a form of gout). If calcium pimples appear on a hen’s eggshells, then she is receiving too much calcium, vitamin E, or phosphorus.
Signs of Deficiency: rickets, frequent thin or soft shelled eggs, low hatchability in hatching eggs, leg weakness
Sources: sunshine, cod liver oil
Vitamin E-
Vitamin E is another antioxidant vitamin that affects a chicken’s immunity to disease and reproduction cycle. While vitamin E is important on it’s own for helping a chicken fight disease, it also works in tandem with the mineral selenium. Both selenium and vitamin E must be present in the diet in order for a chicken to receive the benefits from either. Proper vitamin E levels in the diet are especially important for chickens used for breeding.
Signs of Deficiency: reduced fertility, low hatchability in hatching eggs, lethal nervous disorder in chicks
Sources: cod liver oil, corn oil, soybean oil, wheat germ
Vitamin K-
Vitamin K is an important vitamin that aids with blood clotting. Blood clotting is important in case a chicken gets scraped or injured, the bleeding can easily be stopped before too much blood loss occurs and becomes fatal.
Signs of Deficiency: easy bruising and excess bleeding when injured
Sources: alfalfa, dark leafy greens
Water-Soluble Vitamins:
Unlike fat soluble vitamins, water soluble vitamins cannot be stored by a chicken’s body. Instead, these vitamins are used as they are present in the diet, which also means they need to be present in the diet at all times in order for a chicken to stay healthy. Since they cannot be stored, an excess of water soluble vitamins is less dangerous as the extra vitamins are simple expelled in a chicken’s droppings.
On the other hand, a deficiency of water soluble vitamins is more likely to occur if these vitamins are not constantly provided by a chicken’s diet.
B Vitamin Complex-
The vitamin B complex is certainly complex! It consists of the B vitamins thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), biotin (B7), folic acid (B9), and cobalamin (B12). Most of the B vitamins can be provided by plant-based sources in a chicken’s diet.
Sources of Most B Vitamins: leafy greens, sesame and sunflower seeds, wheat germ or wheat bran, legumes, Brewer’s yeast (B7)
However, the exception is vitamin B12, which helps metabolize carbs, fats, and proteins. Vitamin B12 is mostly found in animal products and dairy products. A B12 deficiency can occur in chicks raised exclusively indoors since they wouldn’t have access to protein sources such as bugs or livestock manure.
Signs of Deficiencies:
- B1– deficiency is rare, prolonged use of amprolium can lead to B1 deficiency; failure to eat, inflamed nervous, death
- B2– weight loss despite eating well, diarrhea, curled toes/paralysis in chicks, death
- B3– swollen hocks and bowed legs
- B5– sores on feet and face, poor feather health, death
- B6– muscle weakness, death
- B7– deficiency is rare; sores on feet and face, slipped tendon
- B9– slow growth, poor feathering, anemia
- B12– slow growth, small eggs, poor hatchability, death
Choline-
Choline is an important water soluble vitamin that is needed for proper nervous system function. Mature adult chickens can synthesize their own choline from other vitamins in their diet. Therefore, deficiencies are more common in chicks, which can lead to slow growth and slipped tendons.
Sources: soybean meal, wheat bran
Vitamin C-
Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin that helps prevent disease and is an antioxidant. It is another vitamin that adult chickens can synthesize from other vitamins in their diet. Since it can be synthesized from other nutrients, Vitamin C may only need to be supplemented into a chicken’s diet when other nutrients are inhibited. An excess of vitamin C in a chicken’s diet can lead to diarrhea and digestive upset.
Sources: uncooked pumpkin and winter squash, sweet potato, dark leafy greens
Minerals:
Many minerals work in tandem with certain vitamins. So when a vitamin imbalance occurs in a chicken’s diet, it can also affect how a chicken uses the minerals in its diet as well. The reverse is true too. When a mineral imbalance occurs, a chicken may not be able to adequately use certain vitamins in its diet.
Calcium & Phosphorus-
Two of the most important minerals in a chicken’s diet are calcium and phosphorus. Calcium is most prevalent mineral in a chicken’s body. Both calcium and phosphorus are needed in the diet at the same time in order for both the be utilized. And both require vitamin D in order to be metabolized.
Each hen has her own calcium needs based on age, rate of lay, overall health, and diet. Calcium is needed for bone development, eggshell formation, blood clotting, muscle contractions, nerve impulses, heart beat regulation, enzyme activation, and hormone secretion. So it’s a very important mineral!
Most grains that make up a chicken’s diet are deficient in calcium. Most grains do contain phosphorus, however, the antinutrients contained in the grains inhibit the phosphorus from being absorbed. Free-choice calcium supplements must be supplied to laying at all times. Laying hens can also benefit from free-choice phosphorus supplements if phosphorus rich foods are not included in the chicken’s regular diet.
An excess of calcium (or phosphorus) can cause kidney damage which we covered when discussing vitamin E.
Sources of Calcium: ground aragonite, crushed oyster shells, chipped limestone (not dolomitic)
Sources of Digestable Phosphorus: bone meal, dicalcium phosphate, soft rock phosphate, black soldier fly grubs
Potassium-
Potassium is needed for membrane maintenance, cellular fluid balance, and proper heart function. A potassium deficiency can occur during hot weather when a hen experiences heat stress or any other stress factor. Grains are naturally low in potassium, however, legumes and other protein sources are rich in potassium.
Signs of Deficiency: decreased laying, thin shelled eggs, muscle weakness
Sources: legumes, leafy greens, sweet potatoes, cooked white potato
Salt-
A necessary mineral that is only needed in small amounts in a chicken’s diet is salt. Salt in the form of sodium and chloride is an important part of blood and other body fluids. Plants and grains that comprise a majority of a chicken’s diet don’t contain a lot of salt.
However, the small amount of salt that a hen needs on a daily basis should be provided by the daily feed ration. A salt deficiency can occur if a chicken experiences an electrolyte imbalance during hot weather. With that being said, salt poisoning can easily occur if you try to fix a deficiency that does not exist.
Signs of a Deficiency: slow growth, soft bones, general shutdown of organs, decrease in egg laying, small eggs, weight loss, cannibalism
Sources: trace mineral salt mix, kelp
Manganese-
Manganese is needed for proper bone and skin development, healing wounds, proper nutrient absorption, and good eggshell quality. Most of the feed stuffs that a chicken consumes in its daily diet are rich in manganese but the manganese is not easily digested due to antinutrients. A properly formulated feed ration should contain manganese in supplemental form. Manganese is the least toxic mineral if it is consumed in excess since extra manganese is simply excreted in a chicken’s poop.
Signs of Deficiency: lay poorly, lay thin-shelled eggs, low hatchability, skeletal deformities
Sources: Epsom salts (1 tsp. per 50 lbs feed)
Selenium-
The last mineral we will discuss is selenium. Selenium is antioxidant rich, which means it is essential for a strong immune system. Selenium also helps with proper muscle development and stimulates a good circulatory system. It works in tandem with Vitamin E in a chicken’s diet. A selenium deficiency can occur when a chicken’s diet is deficient in vitamin E and vice-versa.
Signs of Deficiency: see vitamin E
Sources: dried brewer’s yeast
How to Treat Vitamin & Mineral Imbalances
Since so many vitamins and minerals work synergistically together, treating an imbalance for one vitamin or mineral can directly affect a different vitamin or mineral. When treating a suspected vitamin or mineral deficiency, your best bet is to cover all the basis and offer supplements that contain balanced amounts of a majority of the vitamins and minerals needs by chickens.
If you are treating a suspected vitamin or mineral imbalance, keep in mind that some of the symptoms will be permanent (think skeletal deformities) while other symptoms can be cured by fixing the imbalance. You will also want to consider the reason for a vitamin or mineral imbalance in your flock’s diet. Since a chicken’s vitamin and mineral needs stay relatively the same throughout its adult life, some other environmental factor or illness may be causing the imbalance.
Learning how to prevent dietary imbalances can give you a good clue as to what factors can cause dietary imbalances too.
Here are some ways you can treat a vitamin or mineral imbalance in the homestead flock:
Vitamin & Mineral Premix Supplement-
One of the easiest ways to address a vitamin and mineral imbalance is to get a natural vitamin and mineral premixed supplement. Most premixed supplements are preformulated to contain the proper (and safe) amounts of vitamins and minerals neded by chickens.
A premix supplement can help resolve a vitamin or mineral imbalance. It can also be used to boost immunity, fight disease, or help during times when a vitamin or mineral imbalance may occur. Stressful events such as moving, sudden weather changes, breeding, or showing at exhibitions can lead to a suppressed immune system or compromised nutrient absorption.
Chicks can benefit from a vitamin and mineral premix supplement during the first 3 weeks of life. The supplement can ensure there are no dietary elements missing during the crucial growing period of their life.
However, a vitamin and mineral supplement should not be used when it is not needed. Since excess vitamins and minerals can be harmful and dangerous, use a vitamin and mineral rich supplement with caution. Never use a vitamin and mineral premix supplement for more than 8-10 consecutive days.
Vitamin & Mineral Rich Treats-
While a premixed vitamin and mineral supplement can be helpful for addressing severe imbalances, a safer way of ensuring your flock gets the vitamins and minerals they need is by including nutrient rich foods in their diet. You can increase certain nutrient rich foods if you see mild symptoms of a vitamin or mineral deficiency, such as a decrease in laying or thin-shelled eggs.
The main thing to keep in mind when using nutrient rich treats to solve dietary imbalances is to make sure the nutrient rich foods don’t cause an imbalance themselves. The treats should be fed in conjunction with a properly formulated feed ration. They should not take up over 10% of a chicken’s daily feed intake. Allowing your flock to free-range can allow them to naturally address any dietary imbalances themselves.
Here are some nutrient rich foods you can incorporate into your flock’s diet in moderation to help address vitamin and mineral imbalances:
- leafy greens– kale, dark lettuce, spinach, bok choy, swiss chard, microgreens
- seeds (in moderation, sprouted is ideal)– sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds
- black soldier fly grubs (not mealworms)
- kelp– add to daily ration as a feed supplement
- fermented feed and sprouted grains– makes the nutrients more readibly available and easier to digest
- vegetables– sweet potato, cruciferous vegetables, etc…
- herbs– garlic and parsley can be offered on a regular basis
Keep these nutrient rich treats varied and alter them based on the needs of your flock. Additionally, check out this list of safe and unsafe treats and table scraps for chickens.
A Balanced Diet
Feeding your flock a proper and balanced homestead diet can help prevent any of these dietary issues from becoming a problem! Always stick with a fresh, complete feed ration as the basis of your flock’s daily food consumption. From there, use healthy natural supplements as needed to provide additional nutrition to your flock’s diet or to address specific issues. Keep treats and snacks varied and offer them in moderation. Frequently offered treats should be nutrient dense and provide additional nutrition to your flock’s diet. Daily snacks should also be healthy and nutrient rich. Letting your homestead flock free-range can be a great way to let them add variety to their diet and give them the chance to seek out foods that contain the nutrients they need.
For more tips on how to properly feed your homestead flock, make sure you join our modern pioneer newsletter community were we share natural and holistic tips for raising a homestead flock!
by Alexa
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