Homestead Tools · Poultry
Chicken Feed Calculator: Feed Duration & Restock Estimator
This free chicken feed calculator tells you precisely how many days your feed will last — including your exact restock date — based on your flock size, remaining feed, and each bird's actual daily intake.
No sign-up, no spreadsheet needed. Enter your numbers below and get your result instantly.
Enter your flock & feed
Fill in every field — this backyard chicken feed calculator doesn't assume any starting numbers for you.
Picking a type fills in a typical daily amount below — feel free to overwrite it.
Total across every open and unopened bag.
Optional. Covers scratching, spilled feeders, and pests.
Optional. Reduces purchased feed if birds free-range.
Supply level
— days remaining
How much feed does a chicken actually eat per day?
Feed intake depends mostly on a bird's age and purpose. A backyard layer hen eating a standard 16–18% layer ration will eat noticeably more than a chick on starter crumble, and a meat bird bred to gain weight fast will out-eat both. Season, breed size, and access to forage all shift the number a bit further — but these ranges, drawn from published poultry-extension data, are a solid starting point for planning your chicken feed budget.
| Flock type | Typical intake per bird / day | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chicks (0–8 weeks) | 30–45 g (1–1.6 oz) | Starter crumble, appetite grows weekly |
| Growing pullets (8–20 weeks) | 70–90 g (2.5–3.2 oz) | Grower feed, ramps up near point-of-lay |
| Adult laying hens | 100–130 g (3.5–4.6 oz) | Standard layer ration, higher in cold weather |
| Broilers / meat birds | 140–180 g (5–6.3 oz) | Bred for rapid growth, intake rises fast with age |
These figures assume a complete, balanced feed as the main diet. If scratch grains, kitchen scraps, or free-ranging make up a meaningful share of what your birds eat, your bagged-feed usage will run lower than the table suggests — which is exactly what the foraging offset field above is for. Whether you keep a small backyard flock or a larger homestead operation, using a chicken feed calculator like this one takes the guesswork out of ordering feed on time.
Sources & references
- Alabama Cooperative Extension System — Feeding the Laying Hen Backyard & Small Poultry Flock Management Series
- University of Missouri Extension — Nutrient Requirements of Chickens and Turkeys Publication G8352
- Poultry Hub Australia (University of New England) — Nutrient Requirements of Egg-Laying Chickens Feed intake and body-weight benchmarks by growth stage
Frequently asked questions
How much feed does one chicken eat per day?
A typical adult laying hen eats roughly 100–130 grams of complete feed a day. Growing pullets eat less, meat birds eat more, and chicks under eight weeks eat the least of all. Breed size, season, and how much a bird forages all shift the figure somewhat.
Does free-ranging reduce how much feed I need to buy?
Yes. Hens with good foraging access commonly trim purchased feed intake by 10–30%, more in warm months when insects and greens are abundant and less in winter. Treat any savings as a bonus rather than baking it permanently into your numbers, since foraging conditions change with the seasons.
Should I account for feed waste and spillage?
It's worth building in a small buffer. Scratching, tipped feeders, and rodents commonly account for 5–15% loss on an open feeding system. Adding that margin keeps your restock date realistic instead of optimistic.
How can I make my chicken feed last longer?
A treadle or gravity feeder that keeps rodents and wild birds out makes the biggest difference. Beyond that: keep treats and scratch grain under about 10% of the total diet, let hens forage when weather allows, and store feed in a sealed metal or heavy plastic bin so nothing is lost to damp or pests.
Do chicks and pullets really eat that much less than adult hens?
Yes — considerably less. Chicks under eight weeks eat around 30–45 grams a day, growing pullets from eight to twenty weeks eat around 70–90 grams, and intake only climbs to the adult range of 100–130 grams once a pullet nears point-of-lay.
Disclaimer: figures on this page are general estimates for planning purposes only, based on published poultry-extension and nutrition sources. Actual feed intake varies by breed, climate, housing, and management. This calculator is not a substitute for advice from a poultry veterinarian, nutritionist, or your local agricultural extension office.