How to Feed Bread to Chickens

Chickens, which eat an omnivorous diet, naturally feed on foods such as seeds, berries, termites, ticks and slugs. They will also eat just about anything provided by their owners, including bread. However, just because the chicken will relish a food item does not mean it is healthy for the chicken. In "The Complete Encyclopedia of Chickens," experts Esther Verhoef and Aad Rijs write in regards to feeding chickens: "It is up to their owner to provide them with a sensible, balanced nutrition." Bread fed correctly to chickens can be part of your pet's sensible and balanced nutrition.

Things You'll Need

  • Whole-grain bread
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Instructions

    • 1

      Buy fresh whole-grain bread from the store for feeding your chickens. Whole-grain breads provide a healthy source of grains for your chickens. White bread will not provide any nutritional value and too much white bread can cause health problems that include problems with laying eggs.

    • 2

      Check the bread for mold before feeding your chickens. Just as with humans, eating moldy bread can make a bird sick. Only feed fresh bread to your chickens.

    • 3

      Scatter small amounts of bread pieces on the ground for your chickens. There's not a right size for the bread pieces as the chickens can peck apart a tiny piece or an entire slice.

    • 4

      Feed the bread as a supplement or treat for your chickens only. The bread should make up no more than 10 percent of a chicken's total diet. Commercial chicken feed, greens, fruits, vegetables and insects should constitute the majority of a chicken's diet.