Backyard hens pecking layer pellets from a hanging feeder beside a timber coop

Layer Pellets vs Scratch Mix vs Mash: Which Chicken Feed Should You Buy?

Layer pellets, scratch mix and mash are not three versions of the same thing, and feeding the wrong one is the most common reason a backyard flock goes off the lay. This guide explains what each is, what the makers say each is for, and which bags in our range fit which flock. Every figure comes from Laucke Mills, Barastoc or CopRice, or from the product listing.

The short version

  • Layer pellets or a complete layer mix are the diet. They are formulated to carry everything a laying hen needs: the makers put protein at 15 to 17 percent and calcium at about 4 percent, and both Laucke and Barastoc say to feed them ad lib from point of lay, around 18 weeks.
  • Scratch mix is grain. Laucke lists its Red Hen Scratch at 12 percent protein and 1 percent calcium and says it is intended for free-range hens with access to fresh pasture; if the free-range conditions are not ideal, Laucke says to feed a complete layer food instead. Barastoc's winter article puts grain treats at less than 10 percent of the daily diet.
  • Mash is the same complete diet in a loose, milled form instead of a pellet. Barastoc's Top Layer mash and its Champion Layer pellets carry the same 16.5 percent protein and 4 percent calcium; the difference is texture and how the birds eat it, not nutrition.

Why the layer diet has to be the base

Barastoc's protein article is direct about grain: not only is the protein in grain too low to support the laying hen, the amino acid composition is not what the hen requires for good egg production and health. It puts a laying hen's need at between 15 and 19 percent crude protein depending on how many eggs she is producing, her age, her feed intake and whether she is moulting. Laucke adds the point most owners miss: a 20 percent protein diet will not perform as well as a balanced 15 percent diet if any of the essential amino acids are below requirements, which is why a formulated layer food beats a high-protein grain mix you put together yourself.

Calcium is the other half. Laucke and Barastoc both formulate their layer foods at 3.8 to 4.2 percent calcium for shell formation; scratch grain sits at about 1 percent. A hen on mostly scratch will lay thin-shelled eggs, then fewer eggs.

Pellets

A pellet presses the whole formulation into one piece, so a hen cannot pick out the grain she likes and leave the protein meal and minerals. Purastock's listing describes exactly that reason for its 4 mm pellet: hens cannot sort through and flick the ration onto the ground.

  • Barastoc Golden Yolk: Barastoc's everyday complete pellet, 15 percent protein and 4 percent calcium, with calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D3 for shell strength and PoultryStar probiotics for gut health. Barastoc's expected adult intake is 120 to 130 g per bird per day, fed without restriction.
  • Barastoc Champion Layer: the premium pellet Barastoc formulates to maximise egg production, 16.5 percent protein and 4 percent calcium, about 120 g per bird per day.
  • CopRice Lucky Layer: a 100 percent vegetarian pellet with marigold extract for free-range layers, 15 percent protein, no added hormones or antibiotics. CopRice Premium Layer is the rice-bran-based step up at 16 percent protein with what CopRice describes as high calcium and an optimum calcium to phosphorus ratio.
  • Purastock Free Range Layer Pellets: the budget 15 percent protein pellet.
  • Country Heritage Organic Backyard Layer Pellets: the certified organic option.

Complete grain mixes and crumbles

Laucke's approach is a blend of whole and rolled grains fortified with a micro pellet, so the birds get the grain texture they like while the pellet carries the vitamins, minerals and amino acids. That is still a complete diet, not a scratch.

  • Laucke Red Hen Layer: 15 percent protein, 5.5 percent fat, 4 percent calcium, linoleic acid at a minimum 1.3 percent for egg size, medication free.
  • Laucke Red Hen Free Range Layer: the high-energy version coated with vegetable oil and molasses, 15 percent protein, 3.8 percent calcium, meat free.
  • Laucke Red Hen 17: 17 percent protein and 4.2 percent calcium in a no-grind crumble that Laucke says reduces selective feeding while keeping the large grain pieces hens prefer.
  • Green Valley Open Range Premium Layer Mix: a grain-based layer mix for backyard and free-range flocks.

Mash

Mash is the complete diet milled loose. It suits mixed-age flocks and birds that struggle with pellets, and it is easier to mix supplements through; the trade-off is more waste on the ground and, with a coarse mash, more chance of selective eating.

Scratch mix

Laucke Red Hen Scratch is natural grains fortified with calcium (as marble chips) and methionine, 12 percent protein, meant for free-range hens getting the rest from pasture and foraging. Use it the way the makers describe: a handful thrown in the afternoon to get the birds moving, not the bowl they live on. Barastoc's rule of thumb for a hen eating 130 g a day is no more than 13 g of grain treats.

Grit

Shell grit is not feed, but it belongs next to it. McMahon's listing explains why: it supplies calcium carbonate, the main component of an eggshell, and gives the gizzard grit to break down grain. Offer Green Valley Shellgrit or McMahon Medium Shell Grit free choice in a separate container so hens take what they need.

Frequently asked questions

Can chickens live on scratch mix alone?

Not well. Laucke lists its scratch at 12 percent protein and 1 percent calcium and says it is intended for hens with pasture access; Barastoc says grain protein is too low, with the wrong amino acid balance, to support a laying hen. Feed a complete layer food and use scratch as a treat.

Layer pellets vs mash: which is better?

Same nutrition, different texture. Barastoc's Champion Layer pellet and Top Layer mash are both 16.5 percent protein and 4 percent calcium. Pellets waste less and stop selective eating; mash suits mixed ages, older birds and mixing in supplements.

How much layer feed does a hen eat per day?

Barastoc's expected adult intake is 120 to 130 g per bird per day for Golden Yolk and about 120 g for Champion Layer and Top Layer, fed without restriction. A 20 kg bag is roughly 160 hen-days: about 23 days for seven hens.

What is the difference between Red Hen Layer and Red Hen 17?

Protein and form. Red Hen Layer is 15 percent protein as grains plus micro pellets; Red Hen 17 is 17 percent protein in a no-grind crumble designed to reduce selective feeding.

When do I switch from grower to layer feed?

Laucke's recommendation is chick starter to 6 weeks, pullet grower from 6 weeks to point of lay, then a layer food from point of lay at about 18 weeks. Our better eggs guide covers the year after that.

Shop next: Poultry Feed · Barastoc Golden Yolk · Laucke Red Hen Layer · CopRice Lucky Layer · Poultry

Sources

Product facts in this guide are taken from the manufacturers' own pages listed below and from the product listings on this site; general care points are given as practical guidance, not veterinary advice. Last reviewed 17 September 2026.

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