Ingredient #1Upper
Chicken Meal
Chicken Meal is a species-named animal meal ingredient. It is rendered rather than fresh, but the species source is still clearly identified. It reads as an upper-tier protein source.
Label analysisGrade DListed ingredientsKibble (Extruded)
Hill's
Hill's Adult Light Small & Mini Chicken Meal, Barley & Brown Rice Recipe Dog Food | Hill's Science Diet
Editor ingredient insight
Hill’s Adult Light Small & Mini starts with chicken meal, cracked pearled barley, and pea fiber, with very low fat and calories.
It is worth considering for small dogs needing weight control, not for barley/pea-fiber sensitivity or high-energy feeding.
Meal-basedPlant booster present
01. NUTRIENT PROFILE
Key nutrients & mineral profile
Disclosed protein and fat
Protein 24.9%Fat 8.2%Other 66.9%Other includes moisture, ash and remaining components.
Position within the same processing type
Compare protein, fat and energy density in low, typical and high bands.
Protein positionTypical
This food sits around the typical crude protein range among extruded foods.
Fat positionLower
This food is on the lower side for crude fat among extruded foods.
Calorie densityLower
This food is on the lower side for calorie density among extruded foods. That alone does not make it a weight-management diet; check portion guidance, fat, and fiber together.
Key guaranteed nutrientsAs-fed
Calcium1.06%
Phosphorus0.7%
Crude fiberNot disclosed
Omega-30.64%
Omega-63.13%
Undisclosed values are not treated as zero.
02. INGREDIENT QUALITY & DISCLOSURE
Disclosed ingredients & ingredient grade
The analysis uses the registered ingredients. Complete-panel coverage is not verified, so an unlisted ingredient cannot be assumed absent.
Listed ingredients
Read the listed ingredients below. Complete-panel coverage is not verified here; do not infer that an unlisted ingredient is absent.
Ingredient gradeConservative
Ingredient #1 · Chicken MealUpper
Named MealIngredient #2 · Cracked Pearled BarleyMid
Semi-Refined GrainIngredient #3 · Pea FiberMid
Fiber SupportIngredient #2Mid
Cracked Pearled Barley
Cracked Pearled Barley is disclosed, but its role is not explicit enough to count as a strong quality signal. It reads as an mid-tier carb source.
Ingredient #3Mid
Pea Fiber
Pea Fiber reads as a fiber-support ingredient. It contributes texture and fiber support more than core protein value. It reads as an mid-tier carb source.
Available ingredient listIn disclosed order
Chicken Meal — Support positive ingredientsCracked Pearled Barley — Neutral ingredientsPea Fiber — Neutral ingredientsBrown Rice — Neutral ingredientsWhole Grain Corn — Neutral ingredientsCorn Protein Meal — High-caution ingredientsPowdered Cellulose — Neutral ingredientsWhole Grain Oats — Neutral ingredientsSoybean Meal — High-caution ingredientsWhole Grain Sorghum — Neutral ingredientsBrewers Rice — Neutral ingredientsChicken Liver Flavor — Support positive ingredientsSoybean Oil — Neutral ingredientsPea Protein — High-caution ingredientsDried Beet Pulp — Support positive ingredientsFlaxseed — Neutral ingredientsLactic Acid — Neutral ingredientsPork Liver Flavor — Support positive ingredientsPotassium Chloride — Support positive ingredientsCalcium Carbonate — Neutral ingredientsIodized Salt — Neutral ingredientsFructooligosaccharides (FOS) — Support positive ingredientsvitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement) — Support positive ingredientsCholine Chloride — Support positive ingredientsL-Lysine — Neutral ingredientsminerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite) — Support positive ingredientsTaurine — Support positive ingredientsMixed Tocopherols for freshness — Neutral ingredientsNatural Flavors — Support positive ingredientsL-Carnitine — Support positive ingredientsBeta-Carotene — Neutral ingredients
Primary positive ingredientsSupport positive ingredientsAlternative proteinNeutral ingredientsCaution ingredientsHigh-caution ingredients
Protein sourceIngredient guide
Processed plant protein after the top 3
Animal protein · Chicken Meal (#1)
Plant protein · Corn Protein Meal (#6), Soybean Meal (#9), Pea Protein (#14)
The protein number includes processed plant protein support.
Even when it appears later, the protein number is read more conservatively.
Included support ingredientsNutrient guide
FOSGut support ingredientTaurineHeart support ingredientL-carnitineHeart and weight support ingredientOmega-3Skin and joint support ingredientOmega-6Skin and coat support ingredientVitamin EAntioxidant and skin support ingredient
03. CHOOSING FOR YOUR DOG
What to consider before feeding
Chicken Meal supply animal protein at the start of the ingredient list. Cracked Pearled Barley, Brown Rice supply carbohydrate energy. The recipe combines animal protein sources with carbohydrate sources.
Corn Protein Meal, Soybean Meal supplement plant protein further down the list, after the first three ingredients. The crude-protein figure includes both animal and plant contributions. Pea Fiber supply fiber. For stool or satiety considerations, the disclosed crude-fiber amount adds useful context beyond the ingredient's presence.
What works well in this food
- Crude protein does not drop into a clearly low band.
- Calorie density is on the lower side.
- Top ingredients do not show a prominent FDA-investigated non-hereditary DCM ingredient profile.
Check before feeding
- Processed plant protein appears after the top 3, so some protein support is still built into the label number.
- Species-named meals supply protein with less moisture. Their position cannot establish a meat-percentage or digestibility advantage over fresh meat because moisture levels differ.
- Public data is usable, but not at the highest-trust tier.
When this food fits your dog
Among foods made the same way, protein is typical, fat is lower, and calorie density is lower. This is a candidate for reducing calories per gram. Fat is also lower, but a weight-management choice still needs fiber, portions and total daily calories including treats to be considered together.
Consider it first when
- Steady protein-first shopping
- Choosing from named animal proteins
- Balanced shortlist building
Choose another food first when
- Weight control comes first
- Fresh-meat-first premium quality matters most
Plant-protein concentration remains the clearest trade-off here.
04. COMPARE FOODS
Smart chicken alternatives
Exact protein-type matches come first, then close protein-family matches fill the comparison.
05. MANUFACTURING & DISCLOSURE
Manufacturer background & public information
Hill's background
Founded in 1907 in the United States.
Disclosure confidence C1
There is a usable disclosure baseline, but the public record is still fairly thin.
Recall information
This brand has a confirmed recall history. The most recent public recall noted here was the 2019 vitamin D incident.
May 12, 2026