Seasonal Feeding for Chickens: Adjusting Your Hens’ Diets

Chickens’ dietary needs don’t stay the same throughout the year. Changes in daylight, temperature, and natural foraging all affect how much energy your birds use and what they need from their feed. By adjusting seasonal feeding for chickens, you can help your flock stay healthy, productive and happy no matter the weather. In this post, we’ll take a walk through the seasons of the year, and I’ll explain what I feed, when I feed it, and why.

---

Why seasonal feeding matters

Chickens regulate their own intake fairly well, but their environment changes constantly. In cold months, they burn more calories just keeping warm. In summer, they’re less interested in food and more prone to spoilage or dehydration. Spring brings egg surges, while in autumn, they have to deal with moulting.

If you keep feeding the same way all year round, you might see problems: wasted food, weight loss, sudden drops in egg production, or declining feather condition. I’ve found that by adjusting your routine seasonally, you can support hens’ natural rhythms and avoid those issues.

---

Spring: Back into lay and bursting with energy

Spring is when hens typically ramp up their laying again. The lengthening daylight hours trigger changes in hormones, and you’ll usually notice more eggs in the nest box, more foraging behaviour, and increased feed consumption.

If your birds stopped laying over winter and you reduced their intake of layers’ pellets, now’s the time to switch back to a complete layers’ pellet with the right calcium balance for eggshell production.

What I do in spring:

• Return to layers’ pellets as the main feed
• Offer oyster shell or crushed baked eggshell in a separate pot for extra calcium
• Allow more access to green foraging when the weather permits
• Keep feed covered and dry to prevent mould during spring showers
• Watch for early signs of moulting or feather wear, especially in hybrids

If I see hens laying soft or thin-shelled eggs at this time of year, it’s often a sign that they’ve gone into lay before I’ve upped their calcium — an easy fix with shell grit and a consistent feed.

---

Summer: Keep it cool and fresh

In hot weather, chickens eat less and drink more. Their appetite often drops off during the day, which means stale feed can build up and attract flies or rodents if left unchecked. I find that mine are far more interested in food in the early morning and early evening, so that’s when I feed.

My summer routine:

• Feed first thing in the morning, then again in the early evening if needed
• Keep waterers in the shade, cleaned and refilled frequently
• Use covered feeders to prevent mash or pellets from going sour
• Reduce the use of rich grains like corn, which can generate extra body heat
• Offer occasional hydrating treats like cucumber (in small amounts, not chilled)
• If it’s really warm, you can give them frozen treats, like chopped fruit or greens. However, you must not prepare or freeze these in your kitchen, as DEFRA forbids this due to the risk of cross-contamination.

Try to avoid leaving feed out in direct sun or high humidity, especially mash, as it can turn quickly and go mouldy without looking obviously spoiled.

---

Autumn: The dreaded moult

Moulting can hit chickens hard. They drop feathers, stop laying, and divert energy into growing new plumage. It’s a protein-heavy process, and hens often go quiet and slightly withdrawn during it. When you start to notice moulting, you can adjust the hens’ diet to support regrowth.

What I do during moult:

• Mix a small amount of unmedicated growers’ pellets or a higher-protein layers’ feed into their normal ration
• Cut back on treats so they concentrate on the protein-rich feed
• Provide a vitamin tonic like Poultry Zest that’s made to help them recover from moulting.
• Avoid handling them as pin feathers are sensitive and the birds can get irritable
• Watch their weight and comb colour for signs of poor recovery

I also reduce disturbances during this time. A calm environment helps them bounce back faster, and getting protein levels right makes a real difference to the quality of the new feathers. For more information about moulting, read our post Chicken Moulting Explained.

---

Winter: Feeding for warmth and energy

Winter feeding is all about energy and consistency. With shorter daylight hours and colder nights, hens need more calories to maintain body heat, and access to natural forage drops right off. I’ve found that winter feeding is as much about routine as content.

How I handle winter feeding:

• Stick with layers’ pellets as the main feed, offered first thing in the morning
• Add a small handful of mixed corn or whole wheat in the afternoon, around 1–2 hours before dusk
• Make sure feeders are sheltered from rain and snow — inside the run or even in the coop if needed
• Check water twice daily for freezing and check plastic waterers for cracking.
• Keep a backup feed bag and water containers in case the weather turns suddenly. You don’t want to be left without feed if there is heavy snow and you can’t get to the store or receive deliveries.

I avoid overfeeding corn; too much and it can affect overall nutrition, but a little goes a long way in giving them a slow-burn energy boost overnight.

---

Year-round feeding essentials

Regardless of the season, there are basics needed all year round:

• Clean, fresh water at all times
• Complete layers’ feed as the nutritional base
• Mixed grit and oyster shell in a separate pot – for more info, read our post on why chickens need grit
• Covered, rodent-proof feeders that I clean regularly
• Careful observation: appetite, droppings and comb colour tell you a lot

For general feeding advice, read or post How To Feed Chickens.

---

Final thoughts

Feeding chickens seasonally isn’t about overhauling everything. It’s about understanding how weather, daylight and the natural life cycle affect their needs. I find that just a few small adjustments to the timing, content and quantity of what you offer can help your flock stay healthy, lay consistently and come through the tougher months in good condition.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.