Chicken Feed Calculator: Feed per Day, How Long a Bag Lasts and Cost per Dozen Eggs
Work out how much feed your flock eats per day, week, month and year, how long a bag lasts, how many bags to buy, the feed cost per hen and per dozen eggs, with allowances for free-ranging and spilled feed.
How it works
Bagged feed per bird = feed per bird per day × (1 − free-range share) × (1 + waste allowance) · Daily feed = birds × bagged feed per bird · Bag life (days) = bag weight ÷ daily feed · Feed per dozen eggs = weekly feed ÷ (eggs per week ÷ 12)
A standard laying hen eats about a quarter pound (113–120 g) of complete feed a day, so a flock’s use scales with headcount. Multiply birds by the amount each eats to get daily use, then divide a bag’s weight by it to see how long the bag lasts and how often to restock. A month here is an average month of 30.42 days. Two optional allowances adjust the figure. Birds that free-range on pasture or get kitchen scraps eat less bagged feed, so the free-range share reduces it. Feed spilled from open troughs or flicked out by the birds still has to be bought, so the waste allowance increases it. Add the price of a bag and the eggs the flock lays per week to see the feed cost per hen and per dozen eggs; a flock in full lay typically needs about 4 lb (1.8 kg) of feed per dozen eggs. Actual intake varies with breed, age, laying rate and weather: hens eat more in winter and while molting, and less in summer heat. Treat the result as a planning figure and check it against what your flock really uses.
Worked example
Six hens at 120 g each eat 6 × 120 = 720 g of feed a day, which is 1.59 lb. A 50 lb bag holds 50 × 453.6 = 22,680 g, so it lasts 22,680 ÷ 720 = 31.5 days. That is 11.1 lb a week, 48.3 lb in an average month (about 1 bag) and 579 lb a year, so plan on 12 bags a year. The flock also drinks roughly 1.4–2.2 L (0.4–0.6 gal) of water a day.
Sources: Fresh Eggs Daily: How much feed does a chicken eat? (about 1/4 lb a day, 1.75 lb a week; chicks 1–2 oz) · Omlet: How much should I be feeding my chickens? (120 g a day; up to 50% more in winter, 180 g maximum) · Dummies: How much and when to feed chickens (1/4 lb a day; about 4 lb of feed per dozen eggs) · Calculator Academy: Chicken feed amount calculator (planning intakes and worked examples)
Frequently asked questions
How much feed does one chicken eat a day?
A typical laying hen eats about 1/4 lb (113–120 g, or 4 oz) of complete layer feed a day, which is about 1.75 lb a week. Bantams eat roughly half that, heavy breeds a little more, and chicks under 8 weeks about 1–2 oz a day.
How long will a 50 lb bag of feed last?
Divide 50 lb by your flock’s daily pounds. Six hens at about 1/4 lb each use 1.5–1.6 lb a day, so a 50 lb bag lasts about a month. Twelve hens go through it in about two weeks.
Do chickens eat more in winter?
Yes. Hens burn more energy to stay warm and can eat up to about 50% more in cold weather, and they also eat more while molting. In hot weather intake drops, noticeably so above about 86°F (30°C).
Does free-ranging reduce feed costs?
Yes, but by less than many people expect. Birds on good pasture or getting garden and kitchen scraps may replace a quarter or so of their bagged feed, less in winter when there is little to forage. Keep layer feed available so they still get enough protein and calcium.
How much feed does it take to produce a dozen eggs?
A flock that is laying well needs roughly 4 lb (1.8 kg) of feed per dozen eggs. Enter the eggs your flock lays per week and the bag price to see your own feed per dozen and feed cost per dozen.
How much do I lose to wasted feed?
Open troughs and birds raking feed out can waste 5–10% or more. Hang feeders at the height of the birds’ backs, fill them only part way, and consider a covered or treadle feeder to keep rodents and wild birds out.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.