How much feed do chickens need? Plan daily feed for your whole flock, estimate feed cost per month and per dozen eggs, see how long a bag lasts, plan storage, and mix layer mash with grain — for chickens, ducks, goats, and quail.
One lab for every how much feed question: chicken feed calculator, duck feed calculator, goat feed calculator, quail feed calculator, broiler feed calculator, and chicken feed cost calculator — with metric and imperial units.
Per-bird intake × flock size, adjusted for season, free-ranging, and feeder waste. Chicken, duck, goat, and quail in one planner.
Bag price ÷ bag weight × daily use → cost per day, cost per month, and cost per year — plus feed cost per dozen eggs for layers.
Which bag is cheaper per lb/kg? Enter both options.
Running chickens, ducks, quail, and goats together? Add each group for one combined feed total.
Two reverse questions in one: how long will a bag last, and how many birds can your monthly budget feed?
The planner button fills this from mode ① with your current species, stage, and factors (one bird).
This chicken feed storage planner answers "how long does chicken feed last" for your setup: days of feed on hand, reorder date, and overstock warnings past the shelf life.
Blend layer mash with whole grain (corn, oats, wheat, barley) to hit a target protein level — with dilution warnings.
mash share = (target − grain) ÷ (mash − grain)
| Feed type | Typical crude protein |
|---|---|
| Starter (0–8 weeks) | 22–24% |
| Grower (8–20 weeks) | 16–18% |
| Layer (laying hens) | ~16% (calcium 2.5–3.5%) |
| Broiler | 18–20% |
| Quail layer | 19–20% |
| Corn / maize | ~9% |
| Oats | ~12% |
| Wheat | ~13% |
| Barley | ~11% |
Protein targets compiled from poultry feeding guides; grain values are typical averages — check your bag's guaranteed analysis.
Wondering how much feed does a hen eat per day? A standard laying hen eats about 115 g (1/4 lb) daily — the planner above adjusts that baseline for your flock size, season, free-ranging, and feeder waste. Every result on this page comes from one transparent chain — no black boxes:
per-bird feed = base intake × season factor × forage factor × (1 + waste %)
flock feed = per-bird feed × birds · monthly = daily × 30.4375
| Species / type | Per bird per day | Per bird per month |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken — chick (0–8 weeks) | 30 g (1 oz) | 0.9 kg (2 lb) |
| Chicken — bantam | 50 g (1.8 oz) | 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) |
| Chicken — pullet / grower (8–20 weeks) | 90 g (3.2 oz) | 2.7 kg (6 lb) |
| Chicken — laying hen (standard) | 115 g (4.1 oz) | 3.5 kg (7.6 lb) |
| Chicken — dual-purpose / heavy breed | 140 g (4.9 oz) | 4.2 kg (9.3 lb) |
| Chicken — broiler / meat bird (average) | 170 g (6 oz) | 5.1 kg (11.2 lb) |
| Duck — duckling (0–3 weeks) | 18 g | 0.5 kg |
| Duck — grower (3–10 weeks) | 90 g | 2.7 kg |
| Duck — adult / laying duck | 150 g (4–6 oz) | 4.6 kg (10 lb) |
| Quail — chick (0–3 weeks) | 8 g | 0.24 kg |
| Quail — grower (3–6 weeks) | 14 g | 0.43 kg |
| Quail — adult / laying quail | 20 g | 0.6 kg |
Chicken intake figures: calculator.academy chicken feed amount calculator. Duck adult 4–6 oz/day: backyardpoultry.iamcountryside.com; duckling 15–20 g: extension-style waterfowl guides. Quail adult 15–20 g/day: forgetmenotquailfarm.com. A standard layer's ~115 g/day ≈ 1/4 lb/day is confirmed across Nutrena Feeds guidance (1/4–1/3 lb/day) and commercial layer data (114–120 g/day).
| Stage | Hay / forage | Grain supplement |
|---|---|---|
| Kid (under 6 months) | 3% of body weight | 1.5% of body weight |
| Adult — maintenance / dry | 3% of body weight | — |
| Pregnant (late gestation) | 3% of body weight | 0.5% of body weight |
| Lactating (milking) | 3.5% of body weight | 1% of body weight |
Goats eat ~2.5–3% of body weight in dry matter daily (University of Arkansas Extension MP427), with general guidance of 2–4% hay; grain supplementation of 0.5–1% of body weight for breeding/lactating animals (University of Minnesota goat nutrition guide). So how much hay does a goat need daily? Multiply body weight by 3%: a 50 kg goat needs ~1.5 kg of hay per day, ~46 kg per month.
| Factor | Range in this lab | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Season (cold) | 1.00 – 1.25 (winter preset 1.12) | Chickens burn 10–20% more energy staying warm in winter. |
| Free-range forage | 0.70 – 1.00 | Good pasture replaces 10–30% of bought feed with insects, seeds, greens. |
| Feeder waste | 0 – 20% (default 10%) | Spillage and selective eating; hanging feeders at back height cut waste. |
cost per kg = bag price ÷ bag kg · cost/day = daily kg × cost per kg
cost/month = cost/day × 30.4375 · cost/year = cost/day × 365
Cost per dozen eggs: a laying hen eats about 1.75 lb of feed per week whether she lays well or poorly, so cost per dozen = (daily feed cost) ÷ (hens × eggs-per-hen-per-week ÷ 7 ÷ 12). At 3 eggs/week a dozen costs ~7 lb of feed; at 5/week ~4.2 lb; at 6/week ~3.5 lb — which is why old or molting hens make expensive eggs.
mash share = (target protein − grain protein) ÷ (mash protein − grain protein)
Example: 16% layer mash + 9% corn, targeting 14% protein → (14−9)÷(16−9) = 5÷7 ≈ 71% mash, 29% corn. Grain dilutes calcium and lysine along with protein, so keep grain under ~30% of the ration, never drop layers below ~14% protein, and offer oyster shell free-choice.
Most feed calculators online are single-purpose: calculator.academy has the strongest chicken-only calculator (intake table, season/waste factors, cost-per-dozen) but covers chickens only, with no duck, goat, or quail modes, no reverse budget planner, no storage planner, and no mash+grain mixer. Retailer calculators (e.g. milefour) exist mainly as product funnels. This lab combines all six modes — daily planner, cost, mixed flock, reverse, storage, and mixer — for four species in one page, with every figure and source shown. If you are looking for a chicken feed calculator alternative that also handles ducks, goats, and quail — plus storage planning and ration mixing — this lab is built for exactly that.
A standard laying hen eats about 115 g (roughly 1/4 lb) of feed per day. Chicks (0-8 weeks) eat about 30 g/day, growers 8-20 weeks about 90 g/day, bantams about 50 g/day, dual-purpose breeds about 140 g/day, and broilers average about 170 g/day. Add ~10% for feeder waste, 10-20% more in cold winter weather, and subtract 10-30% if the birds free-range on good pasture. Use the planner above for your exact flock.
Ten standard laying hens eat about 115 g each per day, plus ~10% feeder waste = ~1,265 g/day for the flock, or about 38.5 kg per month. That is roughly 1.7 fifty-pound (22.7 kg) bags per month. In winter, or with no free-ranging, budget closer to 2 bags.
Divide the bag weight by your flock's daily use. A 50 lb (22.7 kg) bag feeding 8 free-range hens in winter (about 773 g/day) lasts roughly 29 days. The same bag feeding 12 confined layers (about 1,518 g/day) lasts about 15 days. Use the reverse planner above - enter your bag size and daily use to get exact days.
A laying hen eats about 1.75 lb of feed per week whether she lays well or poorly, so cost per dozen depends on lay rate: at 3 eggs/week a dozen costs ~7 lb of feed; at 5 eggs/week ~4.2 lb; at 6 eggs/week ~3.5 lb. Multiply by your feed cost per lb. The cost calculator above does this automatically from your bag price and lay rate.
An adult duck eats about 150 g (4-6 oz) of feed per day; ducklings (0-3 weeks) eat about 18 g/day and growers about 90 g/day. Ducks fed chicken layer feed need extra niacin (brewer's yeast works); waterfowl pellets already include it. Use the duck tab in the daily planner above.
Goats eat roughly 2-4% of their body weight in hay or forage dry matter per day (university extension guidance: 2.5-3%). A 50 kg goat needs about 1.5-1.75 kg of hay daily, plus grain supplement by stage: none for maintenance, ~0.5% of body weight in late pregnancy, ~1% when lactating, ~1.5% for kids. That is about 46-53 kg of hay per goat per month.
An adult Coturnix quail eats about 20 g of feed per day (range 15-20 g). Quail chicks (0-3 weeks) eat about 8 g/day and growers about 14 g/day. Twenty laying quail therefore need only about 400 g/day - roughly 12 kg per month, less than one 20 kg bag.
Broilers average about 170 g of feed per day over an 8-week grow-out, eating roughly 9.5 kg total per bird. Intake ramps up steeply: ~30-40 g/day in week 1-2, rising to ~300 g/day by week 7-8. Expect a feed conversion ratio around 1.6-1.8 kg of feed per kg of live weight. Use the daily planner above as your broiler chicken feed calculator - pick the broiler stage and your flock size.
Standard targets: starter feed (0-8 weeks) 22-24% protein, grower (8-20 weeks) 16-18%, layer feed about 16% protein with 2.5-3.5% calcium, broiler 18-20%, quail layer 19-20%. Check the reference table in the mixer section above, and never dilute layer feed below ~14% protein with grain without rebalancing.
Yes. Chickens on good pasture typically eat 10-30% less bought feed because they forage insects, seeds, and greens. Use a 0.75 forage factor (25% reduction) as a planning middle ground; in sparse winter pasture use 0.9-1.0. The daily planner has a free-range slider for exactly this.
Yes - chickens burn extra energy staying warm, typically eating 10-20% more feed in cold weather. The planner's winter factor (1.12, adjustable up to 1.25) covers this. They also drink less unfrozen water, so check waterers; frozen water depresses intake and laying.
Store feed in a cool, dry, rodent-proof container. Processed feed (mash, pellets, crumbles) keeps about 90 days in cool/dry conditions but only ~60 days in warm, humid weather; whole grain keeps up to 6 months. Old feed loses vitamin potency and can grow mold - buy only what your flock eats within the shelf life. The storage planner above computes your days of supply and warns about overstocking.
Yes, but grain dilutes protein and calcium. Use the mix formula: mash share = (target protein - grain protein) / (mash protein - grain protein). For example, 16% mash + 9% corn targeting 14% protein = 71% mash / 29% grain. Keep grain under ~30% of the ration, never drop layers below ~14% protein, and offer oyster shell free-choice since grain dilutes calcium. The mixer above computes exact kilos and flags dilution risks.
About 3/4 of a US cup, assuming ~130 g per cup of layer mash or pellets. Feed density varies (roughly 120-150 g per cup by type and brand), so the planner lets you set your own grams-per-cup. For accuracy, weigh feed on a kitchen scale rather than scooping.
It depends on your bag price. Example: a 20 kg bag at $18 with layers eating ~3.85 kg/bird/month (115 g/day + 10% waste) buys 55.6 kg/month, feeding 14 hens. Enter your monthly budget, bag price, and per-bird use in the reverse planner above for your exact number - and check your local ordinances for backyard flock limits.
No. This tool provides planning estimates compiled from published feeding guides - it is not veterinary or nutritional advice. Actual intake varies by breed, climate, and forage. Consult a poultry or livestock veterinarian for health or diet problems, and check your local ordinances before keeping backyard poultry.
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