# Chicken Feed Calculator

Free chicken feed calculator: figure out daily, weekly, and monthly feed for layer hens, meat chicken broilers, chicks, and mixed flocks with cost estimates.

## What this calculates

Figure out exactly how much feed your chickens eat and what it costs. This chicken feed calculator uses published poultry extension intake tables for layers, broilers, chicks, and pullets to size daily rations, monthly feed budgets, and 50 lb bag counts.

## Inputs

- **Bird Type** — options: Layer hen (egg production), Pullet (6-20 weeks, pre-lay), Chick (0-6 weeks), Broiler / Meat chicken (0-3 weeks), Broiler / Meat chicken (4-6 weeks), Broiler / Meat chicken (7+ weeks), Rooster / Mature male, Bantam (small breed)
- **Flock Size** (birds) — min 1, max 100000
- **Feed Cost per Pound** (USD/lb) — min 0, max 10 — Typical layer pellets are $0.40 to $0.70 per lb in 50 lb bags

## Outputs

- **Daily Feed per Bird** — Average daily feed intake for this bird type
- **Daily Feed for Flock** — Total pounds of feed required per day
- **Weekly Feed Total** — Total feed required per week
- **Monthly Feed Total** — Total feed required per 30-day month
- **50 lb Bags per Month** — Number of 50 lb feed bags needed monthly
- **Monthly Feed Cost** — formatted as currency — Estimated monthly cost at the entered price per pound
- **Feeding Guide** — formatted as text — Practical feeding guidance for this bird type and flock size

## Details

Free chicken feed calculator for any flock size

Use the calculator above to enter your bird type, flock size, and feed cost. It returns daily, weekly, and monthly feed totals along with cost and a bag count. The intake numbers come from land-grant university poultry extension data, which is also what commercial producers use.

Layer chicken feed calculator

A standard layer hen (Leghorn, Rhode Island Red, Plymouth Rock, Orpington) eats about 0.25 lb, or 4 ounces, of feed per day. That works out to:

  - Per hen per week: 1.75 lb

  - Per hen per month: 7.5 lb

  - Per hen per year: 91 lb, or roughly two 50 lb bags

  - Six-hen backyard flock per month: 45 lb (about one 50 lb bag)

Feed a 16 to 18 percent protein complete layer feed. Provide free-choice oyster shell in a separate hopper so hens can self-regulate calcium intake for strong shells.

Meat chicken feed calculator and broiler consumption

Broilers grow fast and eat a lot relative to their body weight. A standard Cornish Cross broiler eats approximately 15 to 17 lb of feed over an 8-week grow-out to reach a 5 to 6 lb dressed carcass, producing a feed conversion ratio (FCR) near 2.0. Here is a typical 100 broiler chicken feed consumption chart for an 8-week Cornish Cross cycle:

  - Weeks 0-3 (starter): ~2 lb/bird, 200 lb total for 100 birds

  - Weeks 4-6 (grower): ~5 lb/bird, 500 lb total for 100 birds

  - Weeks 7-8 (finisher): ~8 lb/bird, 800 lb total for 100 birds

  - Full 8-week total: ~15 lb/bird, 1,500 lb or thirty 50 lb bags for 100 birds

This is the same data you'd find on a broiler chicken feed calculator pdf from your local extension service. The slight variation between 1,500 and 1,700 lb comes down to feed form (crumble vs pellet), ambient temperature, and how much feed the birds waste. Use a feeder with an anti-scratch ring to cut waste by up to 20 percent.

Free-ranging, scraps, and pasture

Pasture-raised layers on good forage eat about 10 to 20 percent less commercial feed. Chicken tractor broilers eat roughly the same amount of feed as confined birds but produce firmer, darker meat. Kitchen scraps should stay under 10 percent of total intake so the complete feed still carries nutrition.

Feed storage and cost saving

Store feed in galvanized trash cans or food-grade buckets with tight lids to keep out rodents and moisture. Feed starts losing nutritional value about 90 days after milling, so buy only what you'll use in 3 months. Buying in 50 lb bags is typically 20 to 30 percent cheaper per pound than 10 lb bags, and bulk (1 ton or more) can save another 15 percent.

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: How much feed does a chicken eat per day?**

A: A full-size laying hen eats about 0.25 lb (4 oz) of feed per day, or roughly 1.5 lb per week and 7.5 lb per month. Bantams eat about 0.1 lb per day, while Cornish Cross broilers eat from 0.09 lb/day as starters up to 0.42 lb/day in the finisher phase. Roosters typically eat 10 to 20 percent more than hens because of their larger body size.

**Q: What does a meat chicken feed calculator say for 100 broilers?**

A: A standard Cornish Cross broiler eats about 15 lb of feed over an 8-week grow-out, so 100 broilers need roughly 1,500 lb total feed (thirty 50 lb bags). The 100 broiler chicken feed consumption chart breaks down to about 200 lb of starter (weeks 0-3), 500 lb of grower (weeks 4-6), and 800 lb of finisher (weeks 7-8). Heritage breeds take longer and often end up consuming 20 to 25 lb per bird for a smaller carcass.

**Q: What should I feed laying hens?**

A: Feed a complete layer feed with 16 to 18 percent protein and 3.5 to 4 percent calcium, starting at point of lay (around 18 to 20 weeks). Pellets produce less waste than crumble. Provide free-choice crushed oyster shell in a separate dish so hens can self-regulate calcium as needed. Grit (insoluble granite) should also be available if the birds eat whole grains or forage.

**Q: Is there a free chicken feed calculator for broiler chickens?**

A: Yes, this is one. Enter your flock size and choose a broiler stage (starter 0-3 weeks, grower 4-6 weeks, or finisher 7+ weeks) to get daily and monthly totals. This matches the broiler chicken feed calculator pdf tables published by Penn State and University of Kentucky poultry extensions, which assume Cornish Cross or Ross 308 genetics.

**Q: How much should I budget for chicken feed per month?**

A: At $0.50 per pound, six laying hens cost about $22 per month (45 lb of feed). One hundred broilers over an 8-week grow-out cost about $750 in feed ($0.50/lb x 1,500 lb). Prices fluctuate with corn and soybean markets, so check your local feed store. Non-GMO and organic feeds run $0.80 to $1.20 per pound, roughly doubling your costs.

**Q: Can I feed chickens kitchen scraps to cut costs?**

A: Yes, but keep scraps under 10 to 15 percent of their daily intake. Chickens love leafy greens, melon rinds, squash, cooked rice, and bread crusts, but avoid raw potato peels, onions, citrus, avocado, chocolate, and anything salty or moldy. Scraps should supplement, not replace, a complete feed. Scraps that make up more than 20 percent of the diet can lead to protein deficiency and reduced egg production.

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Source: https://vastcalc.com/calculators/health/chicken-feed
Category: Health & Fitness
Last updated: 2026-04-08