Poultry has a simple digestive tract like humans and therefore eat similar food, such as cereals and meat. Their food is composed of a number of nutrients that are essential to the bird’s health, maintenance and production of eggs and feathers. The six main nutrients are protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and water:

Protein is needed for growth, replacement of old cells and production of eggs and feathers. Sources of protein include meatmeal and fishmeal, oilseeds such as soybean meal and sunflower seed meal, and other high-protein foods such as peas and lupins.

Carbohydrates are sources of energy needed for normal body maintenance and activity. They are provided by the cereals such as wheat, barley, maize, oats and sorghum.

Fats are also sources of energy, and they are needed for body maintenance and storage. They are very high in energy, and therefore added fats are usually used only in high-energy broiler (meat chicken) feeds.

Vitamins are needed only in very small amounts but they are essential to chemical processes taking place in the body. Examples are vitamin A, which is required for normal growth, and vitamin D, which is needed to prevent rickets.

Minerals are needed also only in small amounts. Examples are calcium and phosphorus, in the form of limestone or bone flour, for eggshell formation.

Water is an essential nutrient needed for all chemical processes in the body, and must always be available.