One of the most essential needs of the chickens you keep as livestock on your permaculture plot is, of course, food. Providing a balanced, varied diet for your birds will ensure that they remain healthy and give you all the yields chickens bring to the site – from scratching that turns the soil to providing eggs. There are several elements that go into a suitable diet for your chickens.
Grain
The primary nutrient that chickens need is protein, and supplying the birds with grain and seed will go a long way to fulfilling that need. You can source manufactured chicken feed made from grain, which will often have additional ingredients such as cod liver oil or fishmeal added to up the protein quotient. If purchasing grain, source from a reputable supplier and make sure it is organic and not tainted with chemicals or antibiotics.
The primary nutrient that chickens need is protein, and supplying the birds with grain and seed will go a long way to fulfilling that need. You can source manufactured chicken feed made from grain, which will often have additional ingredients such as cod liver oil or fishmeal added to up the protein quotient. If purchasing grain, source from a reputable supplier and make sure it is organic and not tainted with chemicals or antibiotics.
With enough space you can grow the grains to feed your chickens, either as part of a food forest or as ground cover crops. The varieties you grow will largely depend upon your local climate, but options include rye, oats, rice, barley, corn, sorghum and millet. You can supplement these grains with seeds from both crop and windbreak trees when they are is season, such as acacia and carob. Feeding grain in a hopper means it is protected from moisture, which can cause it to deteriorate.
Vegetation
Chickens also need vegetation. They should be fed greens every day, or allowed to forage for them on the site (although you will want to prevent them eating your vegetable crops if you intend to harvest them, as chickens can quickly strip a garden bed of its plants). Cabbage, cauliflower leaves, spinach and dandelions are good options. You can also feed the birds grass clippings, but only do so a little at a time, as they can quickly go mouldy in the coop if left unconsumed. Avoid lettuce as this is prone to give the birds diarrhea, and rhubarb leaves, which can be poisonous. Fruit should be given as a treat rather than a regular part of the diet, as like lettuce it can cause the runs if eaten in large quantities.
Chickens also need vegetation. They should be fed greens every day, or allowed to forage for them on the site (although you will want to prevent them eating your vegetable crops if you intend to harvest them, as chickens can quickly strip a garden bed of its plants). Cabbage, cauliflower leaves, spinach and dandelions are good options. You can also feed the birds grass clippings, but only do so a little at a time, as they can quickly go mouldy in the coop if left unconsumed. Avoid lettuce as this is prone to give the birds diarrhea, and rhubarb leaves, which can be poisonous. Fruit should be given as a treat rather than a regular part of the diet, as like lettuce it can cause the runs if eaten in large quantities.
To this you can also add scraps from your kitchen. Chickens will appreciate almost all types of vegetable scraps, although it is a good idea to avoid feeding them alliums like onions and leeks, as these can taint the flavor of the chickens’ eggs. You can also feed them bread and meat – but obviously not chicken meat – as well as things like leftover cooked rice and pasta (although only a little of these latter two, as you don’t want your chickens to have too much carbohydrate). Chickens will also find plenty of edible things if allowed to forage through compost.
Insects
Letting your chickens forage on the plot for insects also helps supplies them with the protein they need. It also benefits the garden, as they will eat insects that could become pests if populations are allowed to bloom. Allowing your chickens to freely range across the site is ideal, but if the threat from predators is acute, a chicken tractor allows them to forage in safety, and can be moved regularly around the garden so each location gets the attention of the chickens. Chickens will eat all manner of insects and larvae. They can be particularly useful if you have a problem with termites, as these are a particular favorite of most breeds. Allowing the chickens to run around the outside of the house can keep termites out of your home. Allowing the birds to forage in an orchard also helps keep fruit fly larvae under control, as the chickens will extract them from fallen fruit.
Letting your chickens forage on the plot for insects also helps supplies them with the protein they need. It also benefits the garden, as they will eat insects that could become pests if populations are allowed to bloom. Allowing your chickens to freely range across the site is ideal, but if the threat from predators is acute, a chicken tractor allows them to forage in safety, and can be moved regularly around the garden so each location gets the attention of the chickens. Chickens will eat all manner of insects and larvae. They can be particularly useful if you have a problem with termites, as these are a particular favorite of most breeds. Allowing the chickens to run around the outside of the house can keep termites out of your home. Allowing the birds to forage in an orchard also helps keep fruit fly larvae under control, as the chickens will extract them from fallen fruit.
Grit
Chickens do not have teeth. Therefore they lack the means to chew and grind up their food to make it more digestible. So the birds consume grit, which acts on the food, particularly tougher foods like seeds and grain, in their gizzard to grind it up so that it can be processed by the small intestines. The gizzard is, in fact, a specialized part of the chicken’s digestive system specifically for this purpose. When chicken’s feed they tend to eat large quantities of food, which is stored in the crop, a pouch in their neck. The food then passes through a passage called the proventriculus where it is subjected to enzymes that start the digestion process, before entering the gizzard. The gizzard has very muscular walls that contract against the food, and in combination with the grit contained in the gizzard, mash it up for passage into the small intestine where the majority of digestion takes place.
Chickens do not have teeth. Therefore they lack the means to chew and grind up their food to make it more digestible. So the birds consume grit, which acts on the food, particularly tougher foods like seeds and grain, in their gizzard to grind it up so that it can be processed by the small intestines. The gizzard is, in fact, a specialized part of the chicken’s digestive system specifically for this purpose. When chicken’s feed they tend to eat large quantities of food, which is stored in the crop, a pouch in their neck. The food then passes through a passage called the proventriculus where it is subjected to enzymes that start the digestion process, before entering the gizzard. The gizzard has very muscular walls that contract against the food, and in combination with the grit contained in the gizzard, mash it up for passage into the small intestine where the majority of digestion takes place.
For effective digestion in your chickens they need a regular supply of grit. If your birds are free to forage across your 
plot, they may well get enough grit naturally, but it is a good idea to provide some as a backup. For digestive purposes, you need to provide insoluble grit that doesn’t break down in the fluids and acids within the digestive system. This kind of grit comes in different sizes. You want to provide small grit to chicks and larger grit for adult birds.
plot, they may well get enough grit naturally, but it is a good idea to provide some as a backup. For digestive purposes, you need to provide insoluble grit that doesn’t break down in the fluids and acids within the digestive system. This kind of grit comes in different sizes. You want to provide small grit to chicks and larger grit for adult birds.
You might also consider giving the chickens soluble grit. This doesn’t aid digestion, as it breaks down during digestion, but it does help your chickens form string eggshells. Soluble grit is typically made from oyster shells, cockle shells or limestone, and contains lots of calcium carbonate, which is an essential element for shell development.
Water
Even with the varied diet described above, one that is rich in grains, vegetation and insects, chickens are unlikely to get as much water as they need to stay healthy. So in addition to their food, you need to give the birds a constant supply of fresh drinking water (they will drink around the clock so it needs to be constantly available). A bowl is feasible, but is likely to get dirty quickly, so a dedicated water container, which provides water on demand or at least slowly provides it so the water is protected from contamination, is preferable.
Even with the varied diet described above, one that is rich in grains, vegetation and insects, chickens are unlikely to get as much water as they need to stay healthy. So in addition to their food, you need to give the birds a constant supply of fresh drinking water (they will drink around the clock so it needs to be constantly available). A bowl is feasible, but is likely to get dirty quickly, so a dedicated water container, which provides water on demand or at least slowly provides it so the water is protected from contamination, is preferable.
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