A Hen Standing on a Wooden Floor in Valheim
Screenshot by Gamepur

What do hens eat in Valheim?

After hatching chicken eggs in Valheim, you can feed your hens using specific plants or seeds found in the wilderness.

One valuable farm animal Nordic adventurers should consider domesticating for their base camp is the Hen. This non-hostile creature serves as an excellent source of Feathers and Chicken Meat in Valheim. Feathers are primarily used in crafting Arrows and Bolts for ranged combat, and Chicken Meat is an ingredient for the delicious Honey Glazed Chicken recipe. Remember that Chicken Meat can only be dropped by Hens slain using a Butcher Knife, the tool used for slaughtering tamed animals. You can unlock Hens for your home by purchasing Eggs from Haldor, the Dwarven Trader of the Black Forest.

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Related: How to find and catch Northern Salmon in Valheim

How and what to feed hens in Valheim

Different Seeds and Plants that Hens Eat in Valheim
Screenshot by Gamepur

Once you have hatched an Egg in Valheim, you can wait two days for your juvenile Chicken to grow into a Hen. If you want your Hens to lay more Eggs to multiply your feathery livestock, you must have two well-fed Hens remain near each other. To feed a Hen in Valheim, you must understand what the birds eat: Carrot Seeds, Onion Seeds, Turnip Seeds, Beech Seeds, Birch Seeds, Dandelions, and stalks of Barley. Place any of these seven resources near two Hens to feed them, after which an Egg should spawn shortly.

How to get hens in Valheim

Battling Yagluth in Valheim
Screenshot by Gamepur

If you are curious how to get Hens in Valheim, we mentioned above that Chickens hatch from Eggs purchased from Haldor. However, if you visited Haldor before, you might have noticed that no Eggs are in his stock. The reason is that Eggs are only available after you have defeated Yagluth, the Boss of the Plains. You can summon this legless skeletal giant at its altar using Fuling Totems collected from Fuling Villages and Fuling Berserkers. Once Yagluth has been slain, Haldor will have Eggs for sale for 1,500 Coins each. You must buy two to start a Hen farm. To hatch an Egg, place it in a safe spot near a heat source for 30 minutes. 


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Ethan Webb
From spending endless hours discovering secrets in Paper Mario: TTYD to farming monster parts for a new Bowgun in Monster Hunter Rise, Ethan has always been a gaming enthusiast who passionately loves what he writes about. Since 2021, he has covered Game Guide content for multiple sites, with additional experience in writing coming from his double major Bachelor's Degree in Media & Comm. and Business Admin at Yengnam University in South Korea. Ethan enjoys a wide range of games from various genres, such as Minecraft, Pokémon, Final Fantasy, Fortnite, Roblox, and more.