How much feed does a chicken eat per day?

A standard laying hen eats about 4.0 oz (113 g) of complete feed a day (Mississippi State University Extension, Feeds and Nutrition (undated), 2026-09-19); a bantam about 4.0 oz (113 g). Birds that free-range eat less bought feed in summer and more in winter, and heavy breeds eat more than light ones. The calculator starts from the published figure; change it to what your feeder shows.

How long does a bag of feed last?

Bag weight / feed per flock per day. With the US starting values, a 50 lb bag feeds 6 laying hens for about 33 days and 12 hens for 17 days. The calculator shows the figure for your flock and bag.

What does it cost to feed chickens per month?

Bags per month x the price of a bag. With the US starting values, 6 laying hens cost about $13.70 a month at $15.00 for a 50 lb bag, or $2.28 per hen. Type the price you actually pay: feed prices differ by brand, store and season.

Should I count scratch grains and kitchen scraps?

Yes, as a share of the ration, not on top of it. Scratch and scraps displace complete feed, which is where the protein and calcium are, so the usual advice is to keep them at or under 10% of what the birds eat (University of Maryland Extension, Feeding the Flock (updated 11 May 2022), 2026-09-19). The treats share in the calculator takes that amount out of the complete feed you buy.

Do chicks, pullets and meat birds eat the same as hens?

No. Pick the stage in the calculator and the feed per bird changes with it: a bantam hen about 4.0 oz (113 g) (University of Kentucky Extension ASC-191, How Much Will My Chickens Eat? (2012), 2026-09-19); a chick on starter about 1.6 oz (44 g) (University of Kentucky Extension ASC-191, How Much Will My Chickens Eat? (2012), 2026-09-19); a pullet on grower about 2.3 oz (64 g) (University of Kentucky Extension ASC-191, How Much Will My Chickens Eat? (2012), 2026-09-19); a growing meat bird about 4.3 oz (121 g) (University of Kentucky Extension ASC-191, How Much Will My Chickens Eat? (2012), 2026-09-19). Chicks and pullets eat more every week as they grow, so the figure is an average for the stage.

Why does my flock go through more than the calculator says?

Waste, mostly: feed raked out of open feeders, spilled by the wind, or eaten by wild birds and rodents overnight. Cold weather, moulting and heavy breeds also push intake up. Weigh what you put out for a week, divide by the birds, and type that figure; a covered feeder that closes at night usually brings the bag count down.

Free calculator

Chicken feed calculator

With the US starting values (6 laying hens at 4.0 oz of complete feed each, Mississippi State University Extension, Feeds and Nutrition (undated), 2026-09-19; a 50 lb bag), the flock eats 1.5 lb a day and 45.7 lb a month: 0.9 (buy 1) bags, one bag every 33 days, about $14 a month at $15.00 a bag. Type your own birds, stage and bag to see your figures.

Region and unitsSwitching region converts your amounts and reloads that region’s bag sizes unless you changed them. Your numbers stay in this browser only.

BirdsHow many birds eat from the same feeder.

Stage

Mississippi State Extension and UKY ASC-191: about 1/4 lb (113.4 g) of feed a day

Feed per bird per day (oz)ozStarting value: Mississippi State University Extension, Feeds and Nutrition (undated), 2026-09-19; edit it.Scratch and treats, share of the ration (%)%Scratch grains and kitchen scraps replace complete feed; keep them at or under 10% of the ration (University of Maryland Extension, Feeding the Flock (updated 11 May 2022), 2026-09-19). 0 = none.

The bag you buy

Weight of one bag (lb)lbStarting value: University of Maryland Extension FS-2025-0783, Backyard Layer Flock Economics (page dated Aug 2026), 2026-09-19; edit it.Price of one bag ($)$Starting value: University of Maryland Extension FS-2025-0783, Backyard Layer Flock Economics (page dated Aug 2026), 2026-09-19; edit it.

Result

Complete feed per bird per day: 4.0 oz
Feed for 6 birds per day: 1.5 lb
Feed per month: 45.7 lb
Bags per month: 0.9 (buy 1)
One bag lasts: 33 days
Cost per month: $13.70
Cost per bird per month: $2.28

Starting figure for laying hen, standard breed: Mississippi State University Extension, Feeds and Nutrition (undated), 2026-09-19. Real intake varies with breed, weather, laying and how much the birds forage; set the feed per bird to what your flock actually finishes. Bags per month is exact first, then rounded up to what you buy.

Keeping more than chickens? Pro adds every species into one feeding plan.

Daily and monthly amounts per species, the monthly shopping list in bags and bales, the total cost. Printed or exported to Excel.

See Pro

How it works

Feed per flock per day = feed per bird per day x birds. Scratch grains and treats replace complete feed, so the complete feed you buy is the ration minus the treats share. Per month = per day x 30.44 days (365.25 / 12). Bags per month = feed per month / bag weight, shown exact and rounded up to what you buy. One bag lasts = bag weight / feed per flock per day. Cost per month = bags per month (exact) x the price of a bag; cost per bird = cost per month / birds.

With the US starting values, 6 hens go through 45.7 lb a month and 12 hens 91.3 lb: 1.8 (buy 2) bags of 50 lb, one bag every 17 days. Double the birds, double the feed; the price of a bag is the only thing that changes the cost per bird.

Every number is yours to change; the starting values only save typing. The feed per bird is a published average for the stage: heavy breeds, cold weather and laying push it up, free-ranging in summer pulls it down. There are no live feed prices. All calculations run in your browser and the inputs stay there, so the Pro plan can pick up your flock.

Sources of the US starting values

Feed per laying hen: Mississippi State University Extension, Feeds and Nutrition (undated): an average laying hen eats about 1/4 to 1/3 lb of feed a day; University of Kentucky Extension ASC-191, How Much Will My Chickens Eat? (2012): a quarter pound daily is the rule of thumb; Alabama Extension ANR-2913, Feeding the Laying Hen (2022): 100-150 g a day, roughly 0.25 lb. 1/4 lb = 113.4 g used — https://extension.msstate.edu/agriculture/livestock/poultry/feeds-and-nutrition and https://publications.mgcafe.uky.edu/files/ASC191.pdf and https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/farming/backyard-small-poultry-flock-management-series-feeding-the-laying-hen/, read on 2026-09-19
Feed per bantam hen: No publisher gives a number for bantams: University of Kentucky Extension ASC-191, How Much Will My Chickens Eat? (2012) says only that standard-size chickens require more feed than their bantam versions. Starting value = the standard laying hen's 1/4 lb (113.4 g; Mississippi State Extension, Feeds and Nutrition; UKY ASC-191); bantams eat less, so lower it for your birds — https://publications.mgcafe.uky.edu/files/ASC191.pdf and https://extension.msstate.edu/agriculture/livestock/poultry/feeds-and-nutrition, read on 2026-09-19
Feed per meat bird: University of Kentucky Extension ASC-191, How Much Will My Chickens Eat? (2012), Table 1 (commercial broilers on a 3,200 kcal ME/kg diet, male-female average): week 5 of 9 = 1.87 lb of feed per bird = 121.2 g a day (week 3: 1.03 lb, week 7: 2.60 lb; the 7-week total of 10.26 lb averages 95 g a day) — https://publications.mgcafe.uky.edu/files/ASC191.pdf, read on 2026-09-19
Feed per chick: University of Kentucky Extension ASC-191, How Much Will My Chickens Eat? (2012), Table 2: a dual-purpose (brown-egg) pullet eats 5.46 lb of feed in its first 8 weeks = 44.2 g a day averaged over 56 days (Leghorn 5.06 lb = 41 g). The first week is far less: UF/IFAS VM099, Broiler Production Goals (undated): a broiler chick must eat at least 170 g in its first seven days — https://publications.mgcafe.uky.edu/files/ASC191.pdf and https://ask.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/VM099, read on 2026-09-19
Feed per pullet: University of Kentucky Extension ASC-191, How Much Will My Chickens Eat? (2012), Table 2: cumulative feed of a dual-purpose pullet 5.46 lb at 8 weeks and 15.34 lb at 18 weeks = 9.88 lb over 70 days = 64 g a day (Leghorn: 14.24 - 5.06 = 9.18 lb = 59.5 g) — https://publications.mgcafe.uky.edu/files/ASC191.pdf, read on 2026-09-19
Treats, share of the ration: University of Maryland Extension, Feeding the Flock (updated 11 May 2022): scratch grain should be about 10 % of the birds' total daily food consumption (Oregon State Extension PNW 477, How to Feed Your Laying Hens, 2016, reviewed 2024: about 10-15 %) — https://extension.umd.edu/resource/feeding-flock and https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/pnw-477-how-feed-your-laying-hens, read on 2026-09-19
Bag size: University of Maryland Extension FS-2025-0783, Backyard Layer Flock Economics (page dated Aug 2026): layer feed is bought by the 50 lb bag; University of Kentucky Extension ASC-191 (2012) also assumes a 50-pound bag. 50 lb = 22.68 kg — https://extension.umd.edu/resource/backyard-layer-flock-economics-how-much-does-it-cost-you-produce-dozen-eggs-fs-2025-0783 and https://publications.mgcafe.uky.edu/files/ASC191.pdf, read on 2026-09-19
Bag price: University of Maryland Extension FS-2025-0783, Backyard Layer Flock Economics (page dated Aug 2026): layer feed, 50 lb bag at $15.00 (chick starter $17.00, grower $16.00) — https://extension.umd.edu/resource/backyard-layer-flock-economics-how-much-does-it-cost-you-produce-dozen-eggs-fs-2025-0783, read on 2026-09-19

UK and metric starting values have their own sources, shown under each field when you switch region.

Amounts are published averages for planning, not veterinary advice; a vet or a poultry nutritionist decides what an individual bird needs.

Frequently asked questions

How much feed does a chicken eat per day?: A standard laying hen eats about 4.0 oz (113 g) of complete feed a day (Mississippi State University Extension, Feeds and Nutrition (undated), 2026-09-19); a bantam about 4.0 oz (113 g). Birds that free-range eat less bought feed in summer and more in winter, and heavy breeds eat more than light ones. The calculator starts from the published figure; change it to what your feeder shows.
How long does a bag of feed last?: Bag weight / feed per flock per day. With the US starting values, a 50 lb bag feeds 6 laying hens for about 33 days and 12 hens for 17 days. The calculator shows the figure for your flock and bag.
What does it cost to feed chickens per month?: Bags per month x the price of a bag. With the US starting values, 6 laying hens cost about $13.70 a month at $15.00 for a 50 lb bag, or $2.28 per hen. Type the price you actually pay: feed prices differ by brand, store and season.
Should I count scratch grains and kitchen scraps?: Yes, as a share of the ration, not on top of it. Scratch and scraps displace complete feed, which is where the protein and calcium are, so the usual advice is to keep them at or under 10% of what the birds eat (University of Maryland Extension, Feeding the Flock (updated 11 May 2022), 2026-09-19). The treats share in the calculator takes that amount out of the complete feed you buy.
Do chicks, pullets and meat birds eat the same as hens?: No. Pick the stage in the calculator and the feed per bird changes with it: a bantam hen about 4.0 oz (113 g) (University of Kentucky Extension ASC-191, How Much Will My Chickens Eat? (2012), 2026-09-19); a chick on starter about 1.6 oz (44 g) (University of Kentucky Extension ASC-191, How Much Will My Chickens Eat? (2012), 2026-09-19); a pullet on grower about 2.3 oz (64 g) (University of Kentucky Extension ASC-191, How Much Will My Chickens Eat? (2012), 2026-09-19); a growing meat bird about 4.3 oz (121 g) (University of Kentucky Extension ASC-191, How Much Will My Chickens Eat? (2012), 2026-09-19). Chicks and pullets eat more every week as they grow, so the figure is an average for the stage.
Why does my flock go through more than the calculator says?: Waste, mostly: feed raked out of open feeders, spilled by the wind, or eaten by wild birds and rodents overnight. Cold weather, moulting and heavy breeds also push intake up. Weigh what you put out for a week, divide by the birds, and type that figure; a covered feeder that closes at night usually brings the bag count down.

Guides

How much to feed chickens per day
Complete feed per hen per day by stage, and feed per day, per month, bags and cost for flocks of 3 to 50 birds, from published figures with their sources.