An essential aspect of running a successful farm in Stardew Valley is taking care of your animals, as they can provide valuable resources consistently. Chickens are among the first animals you can acquire in the game, and they produce eggs daily when well cared for. Here’s a guide on how to ensure your chickens are well-fed.

Each chicken in Stardew Valley requires one piece of hay per day to stay healthy and productive. There are two main ways to provide hay to your chickens. The most common method is placing the hay in the feeding trough inside the coop, where chickens will consume it automatically. Another option is creating a fenced area around the coop and planting grass for the chickens to graze on when they’re let outside, as long as the weather allows.

More Stardew Valley guides:

To fill the feeding trough, you can either buy hay from Marnie’s Farm or use the hopper inside the coop. The hopper can extract hay from a silo if you have one, which is essential for harvesting hay from grass on your farm. When you interact with the hopper, it will dispense hay equal to the number of coop animals you own. Any excess hay can be stored in the silo without spoiling. If you remove too much hay, simply return it to the silo by interacting with it while holding the hay.

If you prefer automatic feeding for your chickens, aim to upgrade your coop to the Deluxe Coop, the third-tier coop in Stardew Valley. This upgrade not only expands the coop’s size but also increases the maximum number of animals you can keep and unlocks new animal types for your farm.