Chickens are farm animals in Stardew Valley that live inside the Coop and must be fed in order to produce Eggs. Feeding is also essential for a Chicken's maturing process since it must eat for roughly three consecutive days to become an adult that can lay Eggs. A mature and well-fed Chicken will produce a White or Brown Egg every day. However, once Stardew Valley farmers have reached a sufficient level of Friendship and Happiness for the Chicken, it will have a chance to lay a Large Egg or Large Brown Egg. Naturally, these Egg variants sell for more Gold and can be used to produce higher quality products.
Stardew Valley features five different kinds of Chickens, including White, Brown, Blue, Void, and Golden. White, Brown and Blue Chickens produce the default White or Brown Egg types mentioned above. White and Brown Chickens can be purchased at Marnie's Ranch or hatched from an Incubator, while Blue Chickens are unlocked after Shane's 8-heart event occurs. Void Chickens, which produce Void Eggs, are obtained from Void Eggs procured from a random witch event or Krobus's shop. Finally, Golden Chickens and their Golden Eggs become available once in-game Perfection has been achieved.
All of these various Chicken types in Stardew Valley consume the same kind of feed, meaning that players do not have to go to extra lengths to procure special food for Void or Golden Chickens. Instead, every Chicken eats Grass and Hay. Grass is a naturally occurring resource available during Spring, Summer, and Fall. Hay is the dry form of Grass that can be harvested using a Scythe and stored within a Silo.
Feeding Chickens In Stardew Valley
Accordingly, there are three primary ways players can feed their Chickens in Stardew Valley. First, they can visit Marnie's Ranch and purchase Hay for 50g a bundle. This method is practical for those in the game's early stages who've yet to construct a Silo. However, continuously buying Hay can become expensive and is only recommended for low-supply emergencies. Another way to feed Chickens is by letting them roam the farm grounds wherever Grass is present. Grass Starters in Stardew Valley can be purchased and placed on the ground for this technique. Keep in mind that this method is not functional during the Winter Season.
The third way to feed Chickens is by building a Silo with Robin and then harvesting Grass to store Hay in the Silo. Farmers can enter their Coop, retrieve the stored Hay from the Hay Hopper, and place the feed onto the bench for the Chickens to eat. Once players have upgraded their Chicken's home to a Deluxe Coop, the Hay Hopper building features an auto-feed system that automatically places Hay on the feeding benches.
Stardew Valley is available on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Android, and iOS.