What do I feed a chicken?

Question

I found a female chicken in my front yard yesterday and I was wondering what to feed it. I have no idea how it got there, only that its been sitting there for about two days already. I've given it water, but it doesn't seem to drink it. I've tried giving it a rice and I think oatmeal or seed mixture that's made for people. I need a recipe that's simple and cheap and able to be bought in small amounts and not bulk. We plan to find the owner of the chicken and give it back.

I read that it needs grit, or something like sand? It has access to dirt/soil, so I'm wondering if it needs something more than that.

Answer 1

get feeder corn and grind it up. chickens love it

Answer 2

food pellets for chickens or left over vegtable scrapes (potatoe peelings,cabbage,lettece ect)

Answer 3

If the bird is not showing interest in food or water, I would be concerned that it is injured or sick.  Chickens will eat the grass in your lawn, as well as many weeds like dandelions and purslane.

They actually eat a wide variety of foods.  I feed my hens a layers mash and chicken scratch.  In addition, I give them every fresh vegetable I grow ...corn, cucumbers, squash, lettuce, eggplant, beet greens, tomatoes, grapes.  I husk the corn, and cut cukes, squash and eggplant in half.  The other stuff I just put out for them.

They will also eat most grains, so oatmeal for humans is fine as long as it is not the instant oatmeals.  Rice is okay if you first grind it in a coffee grinder.  And yes, they need grit.  Sand will do.

Answer 4

It may be a sick chicken if its not eating or drinking and just sitting there.

You can buy special chicken pellets from most pet shops, try mixing that with mixed grain- chickens like it. Yes they need grit- maybe oyster shell. If she still doesn't eat anything, she'll probably die anyway.  

Answer 5

You don't have to worry to much about her she will eat alot of bugs she sees and you might want to give her any left overs she will eat almost anything no onions or celery but cooked foods raw foods no raw meats, she will drink but you may not see her and she will roost somewhere she can get high enough.And you are doing the right thing by giving her back someone has been feeding and caring for her before and if she is easy to catch she belongs to someone may be close or a ways away place an ad for her and have them describe her since any one can claim her and some will kill her and eat or turn over to a lab site,