5 Affordable Ways to Boost Chicken Nutrition on a Budget

Keeping chickens happy and healthy doesn’t have to drain your wallet. In the High Altitude Homesteading video, the host shares five simple, low-cost methods to give your flock a nutritional edge without spending a fortune.

Here is what the video covers and how you can use these tips on your homestead.

1. Kitchen Scraps That Pack a Punch

You already have food scraps at home and your chickens love them. Leftover veggie bits, fruit peels, or stale bread can add a ton of vitamins to their diet. Just make sure to avoid onions, garlic, or anything moldy.

These scraps help stretch feed and keep your flock interested at feeding time.

2. Forage-Friendly Flock

Encourage your chickens to hunt for bugs and weeds by letting them free range when you can. Even small spaces can yield surprising protein if you let them comb through grass, leaves, and the occasional bug or worm.

Better yet, foraged food adds variety and nutrients with no extra cost to you.

3. Garden Harvest Extras

Did you thin your carrots or pull up some root veggies? Your garden thinnings and pullings are a goldmine for supplements. Pull out those beet greens or outer broccoli leaves and let your chickens pick at them.

It helps reduce your green waste and gives chickens fresh, crunchy forage.

4. DIY Grit and Shell Mix

You can whip up a homemade version of grit and shell mix using crushed eggshells, small gravel, and some crushed oyster shells if you have them. Provide it in a small container so your chickens can manage what they take.

This mix supports their digestion and boosts eggshell strength at no extra cost.

5. Bulk Feeders With Seeds and Grains

Have some leftover rice, oats, or cracked corn? These can fill feeders and add variety. Use a large feeder or scatter this mix as scratch interest on the ground.

It’s a budget way to offer extra calories and keep your chickens' curiosity going.

Why Smart Supplementing Matters

Keeping supplement costs low is about more than saving money. It supports your flock’s health, enhances egg quality, and makes use of what you already have in your home and garden.

When you live at elevation, where resources can be scarce, being creative with supplements means your flock thrives, even in lean seasons.

Try These Ideas on Your Homestead

• Layer scraps and garden greens into your regular feeding routine.

• Let chickens explore and forage in safe, supervised spaces.

• Whip up your own grit or shell mix from scraps around the house.

• Use leftover grains and seeds as fun, cheap treats and high-calorie boosts.

These low-cost tricks build resilience for your chickens and stretch your budget in ways that matter.