Chicken Feed Calculator

How much feed does a chicken eat?

University extension guidance puts a laying hen at 100 to 150 grams of feed a day, which is about a quarter of a pound. That is the figure this calculator starts from. The other options in the list are rougher: large breeds and roosters eat somewhat more, bantams a good deal less, and young chicks only an ounce or two a day at first. For meat birds the daily amount changes quickly as they grow, so treat that setting as a starting guess and edit the number to match your feed bag or supplier's guide.

The formula

Feed per day = birds × pounds per bird per day. Multiply by the number of days for the total, and divide by the bag size for the number of bags. Six hens × 0.25 lb = 1.5 lb a day. Over 30 days that is 45 lb, which is one 50 lb bag with a little to spare.

Feed needed by flock size

Laying hens at 0.25 lb per bird per day:

Hens	Per day (lb)	Per week (lb)	Per 30 days (lb)	Days a 50 lb bag lasts
3	0.75	5.3	23	67
6	1.50	10.5	45	33
10	2.50	17.5	75	20
15	3.75	26.3	113	13
25	6.25	43.8	188	8
50	12.50	87.5	375	4

Why your flock may eat more or less

Treat a quarter pound as the middle of a range. Hens eat more in cold weather, when they burn energy to stay warm, and less in a heat wave. A flock that ranges over grass and bugs all day buys less of its dinner from you in summer, then comes back to the feeder in winter. Spillage counts as well: an open trough can lose a surprising amount to scratching, wild birds and rodents, which is what the waste box is for. Kitchen scraps and scratch grains are treats, and feed makers generally advise keeping them a small part of the diet so that the birds still eat a balanced ration. Fresh water has to be available all the time, because a hen that cannot drink will not eat.

Source for the laying hen figure: Alabama Cooperative Extension, feeding the laying hen (checked November 12, 2026). Other bird types are rough values you can edit. This calculator is a planning aid and not veterinary or nutrition advice.