A fully grown chicken will eat about 120grams of layers pellets a day, and drink up to a pint daily. The first signs that your birds are dehydrated will again be the reduction in egg production.
Naturally you will want to offer your chickens a little variation. Whilst the main course should be kept constant to ensure that the hens are ingesting a balanced diet it is good to vary their diet with the occasional treat. Things that chickens eat include pasta, rice, sweetcorn and lettuce. Basically, if they don't like it, they won't eat it so you will quickly learn their dislikes and likes. It is not a good idea to give them anything salty or excessively fatty like crisps and make sure never to give them any meat.
Another important factor in your bird\'s diet is grit. Chickens hold a certain amount of grit in their gizzards, (an organ that grinds up any feed they've eaten making it easier for digestion.) If you move your coop regularly and let your chickens out fairly often they should find the grit they need from their surroundings. The layers mash also contains some grit but if you find the shells are thin or soft, then you can buy grit from some pet shops or country stores.
