A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of different stalk-derived biochar added (20, 40 g/kg soil), different chicken manure added (20, 40 g/kg soil), combination of stalk-derived biochar and chicken manure (20 g/kg soil, respectively) applications on the growth and physiological characters of maize under lead stress. Results showed that all treatments with stalk-derived biochar or/and chicken manure addition significantly increased plant height and fresh weight of maize, photosynthetic pigment contents, photosynthesis characteristics and antioxidant enzyme activities. Amending soil with stalk-derived biochar and chicken manure together produced the largest increment in maize growth and physiological characteristics. This effect was additive, with 69.9%, 50.0% greater fresh weight and plant height, 50.0%, 97.9%, 126.5%, 132.6% higher chlorophyll b content, net photosynthetic rate (P_n), transpiration rate (T_r) and stomatal conductance (G_s), 68.4%, 69.4%, 115.3% higher activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), 88.6%, 48.6% higher proline and soluble sugar, respectively. The combination of stalk-derived biochar and chicken manure treatment played the best effective role on promoting the growth of maize, improving leaf photosynthetic and antioxidant capacity under lead stress. This study provides a cost-effective way for improving the soil quality of Pb-contamination and crop growth.