Chicken feed calculator
How much feed your flock actually eats — per day, per month and per year — how many bags that is, what it costs, and what a dozen of your own eggs really costs to produce.
How the numbers are worked out
| Standard hen | 0.25 lb of feed per day |
|---|---|
| Bantam | 0.13 lb per day |
| Heavy breed | 0.33 lb per day |
| Winter | Intake can rise up to 25% in cold weather (University of Minnesota Extension) — budget for the feed bill going up as the egg basket goes down |
| Foraging | Subtract your setting above, and only for the months it's true |
These are consumption averages for adult birds on a complete layer ration. Growing pullets, moulting hens and birds in extreme cold all eat more. Treat the result as a budget, not a ration plan.
Two things that quietly waste feed
Spillage. A hen that can flick feed out of an open trough will, and 10–20% of a bag can end up on the floor feeding rodents rather than chickens. A port-style or treadle feeder pays for itself surprisingly fast at current feed prices.
Scratch and treats. Scratch grain is not feed — it's roughly the nutritional equivalent of chips, and every handful dilutes the balanced ration you paid for. Keep treats under about 10% of intake or you'll see it in shell quality. See what to feed chickens.
Common questions
- How much feed does a chicken eat per day?
- A standard-size laying hen eats roughly 1/4 lb (about 115 g) of layer feed a day — near 1.75 lb a week, or a 50 lb bag every 28 days for a flock of seven. Bantams eat around half that; heavy breeds like Brahmas and Jersey Giants closer to 1/3 lb.
- Does free ranging reduce the feed bill?
- Yes, but less than people hope and only in season. On good pasture in summer, hens with all-day access typically take 10–30% less feed. In winter, or on a bare, overgrazed run, the saving falls to nearly nothing — the calculator lets you set the figure honestly.
- How much does it cost to feed a chicken per year?
- At about 1/4 lb a day and a typical US layer-feed price, roughly 90 lb of feed per hen per year — usually somewhere between $35 and $60 depending on whether you buy conventional, non-GMO or organic. Organic commonly runs double conventional.
- Are backyard eggs cheaper than store eggs?
- Usually not, once you count feed honestly — and that is before bedding, the coop, or your time. This calculator shows your real cost per dozen so you can see it for yourself. Most keepers conclude the eggs are better rather than cheaper.
- Do chickens eat more in winter?
- Yes, and by more than most people budget for: University of Minnesota Extension puts the increase at up to 25% in cold weather. Birds burn energy staying warm while laying less, so the feed bill peaks exactly when the egg basket empties.