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Choose your currency, then enter flock size, daily feed per chicken in grams, feed price per kg, the number of days, and the bag size in kg. The calculator gives total feed in kg, bags to buy rounded up, total feed cost, and cost per chicken. The defaults describe 10 layers eating 125 g per day for 30 days at 0.5 per kg: 37.5 kg, 2 bags, 18.75 total, 1.88 per bird. These are planning estimates based on published intake figures, not professional farming advice: real intake varies with breed, season and free ranging. As a poultry feed cost calculator it works for hens, broilers and mixed flocks, run once per age group.
Total feed (kg) = chickens × feed per chicken per day (g) × days / 1000. Bags to buy = ceil(total feed / bag size), rounded up because you cannot buy part of a bag. Total feed cost = total feed × feed price per kg. Cost per chicken = total feed cost / chickens.
Worked example: 10 chickens at 125 g per day for 30 days eat 37.5 kg. At 25 kg per bag that is 1.5 bags, rounded up to 2 bags, and at 0.5 per kg the cost is 18.75, or 1.88 per bird. Chicken feed cost for 10 chickens and chicken feed cost for 100 chickens follow the same formula: 100 chickens at the same settings eat 375 kg, need 15 bags, and cost 187.5. Change the days to 7 for a weekly figure or 365 for a yearly figure.
Start with your currency, since feed price per kg must be in that currency for the cost result to make sense. Count only the birds eating this feed: chicks, growers and layers eat different amounts, so run the calculator once per age group if your flock is mixed. Enter daily feed per chicken from the intake table below, or your own measured figure if you weigh feed. Enter the bag size you actually buy, because bags to buy is the number most keepers act on. Press Calculate, then adjust the days to see daily, weekly, monthly and yearly cost from the same inputs.
How much feed does a chicken eat per day in grams? Standard adults eat about 100 to 150 g per day, layers about 120 to 130 g per day, and bantams about 50 to 70 g per day. By age: week 1 about 10 to 15 g, weeks 3 to 4 about 28 to 38 g, weeks 7 to 10 about 55 to 75 g, weeks 17 to 20 about 100 to 115 g, and week 20 plus layers about 120 to 130 g. Broilers start near 13 g per day at hatch and reach 165 to 185 g per day by week 7. Breed matters too: Leghorns eat about 110 to 120 g, Rhode Island Reds about 120 to 130 g, Orpingtons about 130 to 150 g, Brahmas about 150 to 175 g, and Jersey Giants about 160 to 185 g per day. Feed consumption per hen is therefore a range, not a single number, and the 125 g default sits in the middle of the layer range.
Feed cost per chicken per day = daily grams / 1000 × price per kg. At 125 g and 0.5 per kg that is about 0.063 per day, 1.88 per month and 22.56 per year per bird. Chicken feed cost per month for a flock is the per-bird figure times flock size: 10 layers cost about 18.75 per month at those settings, and 100 layers about 187.5. Chicken feed cost per bag follows from the bag size: a 25 kg bag at 0.5 per kg costs 12.5, and how many bags of chicken feed per month you need is total feed divided by bag size, rounded up. Chicken feed cost in PKR works the same way: enter the price per kg in PKR, for example 130 to 150 PKR per kg, and all results come out in PKR.
How much feed do 100 chickens eat per day? At 125 g per bird that is 12.5 kg per day (27.6 lb), 87.5 kg per week and 375 kg per month. The flock-size table below scales the same figure: 10 chickens eat 1.25 kg per day, 50 eat 6.25 kg, 100 eat 12.5 kg, and 1000 eat 125 kg per day. Broiler feed cost per bird over a full cycle is a different calculation: a broiler eats about 3.7 to 4.5 kg over 42 days, and feed conversion ratio broiler figures of 1.8 to 2.2 (kg of feed per kg of live weight) decide whether that batch made money. Layer keepers should compare cost per dozen eggs instead: divide monthly feed cost by dozens laid to see whether home eggs beat shop eggs.
Does free ranging reduce feed costs? Yes, typically by 10 to 30 percent, because birds forage for greens and insects, but the saving depends on pasture quality and season. How much more do chickens eat in winter? About 10 to 20 percent more, because birds burn energy staying warm. Chicken feed waste percentage runs 15 to 30 percent with open troughs and under 3 to 5 percent with well-managed feeders, so a feeder with a lip at the birds' back height pays for itself. To apply an adjustment, change the daily feed figure: multiply by 0.85 for free range, by 1.15 for winter, or by 1.2 for heavy waste, then run the calculator again. This page keeps the formula transparent so every adjustment is visible, unlike tools that hide their percentages.
What is the difference between starter grower and layer feed? Starter feed suits chicks from 0 to 8 weeks, grower feed suits birds from 8 to 20 weeks, and layer feed suits laying hens from 20 weeks onward, each with different protein and calcium levels. Why is protein percentage important in feed? Protein drives growth and egg production: too little protein cuts laying and feather quality, while excess protein wastes money without extra eggs. Layers typically need about 16 percent protein feed plus free-choice calcium for shells. Broilers need higher protein early, stepping down as they grow. Price per kg alone never tells the full story: a cheap low-protein feed can cost more per egg than a dearer balanced feed.
How do I reduce feed cost without harming chickens? Cut waste first with better feeders, then use free ranging where pasture allows, store feed dry and sealed so it never moulds, and buy in bulk when the price per kg genuinely drops. Grow greens and offer kitchen scraps as a supplement, never as a replacement for balanced feed. Weigh feed weekly: if intake jumps suddenly, check for pests, spillage, a new bird, or a health problem before blaming the feed price. Chicken feed storage mistakes that cost money include damp bins, open bags that attract rodents, and buying more than the flock eats before the feed goes stale.
A standard adult eats about 100 to 150 g per day, a layer about 120 to 130 g, a broiler up to 165 to 185 g by week 7, and a bantam about 50 to 70 g. Chicks start near 10 to 15 g per day and rise with age, so use the age table on this page for young birds.
Divide your price per kg by 2.2046 to get price per pound, then multiply by daily pounds per bird (grams divided by 453.6). At 0.5 per kg and 125 g per day, a chicken costs about 0.063 per day, whatever unit you price in.
Laying hens need about 120 to 130 g of layer feed per day, plus free-choice calcium for shells and constant clean water. High-producing breeds and large breeds sit at the top of the range, and winter adds about 10 to 20 percent.
Yes, typically by 10 to 30 percent, depending on pasture quality, season and flock size. Free ranging never replaces balanced feed entirely: birds still need layer feed for protein and calcium, especially in winter when forage is scarce.
About 10 to 20 percent more than in mild weather, because birds burn extra energy staying warm. Short days also cut laying, so winter cost per dozen eggs rises even faster than total feed cost.
It depends on feed price, flock size and laying rate. At 125 g per day and 0.5 per kg, feed costs about 1.88 per bird per month: a hen laying 20 eggs a month costs about 1.13 per dozen in feed alone, before housing and bedding. Compare that with your local shop price per dozen to decide.
Starter feed is for chicks from 0 to 8 weeks, grower feed for birds from 8 to 20 weeks, and layer feed for hens from 20 weeks onward. Each stage has different protein and calcium levels matched to growth or egg production.
Cut waste with better feeders, use free ranging where pasture allows, store feed dry and sealed, buy in bulk only when the per-kg price truly drops, and weigh feed weekly to catch pests or spillage early. Never dilute balanced feed with scraps to save money.
Protein drives growth, feathering and egg production. Too little protein cuts laying and bird health, while excess protein wastes money. Layers need about 16 percent protein feed plus calcium, and broilers need higher protein early in life.
Most keepers offer feed all day from a feeder so birds eat little and often, with fresh feed topped up daily and water always available. Restricting feed to set meals only suits broiler management, not laying flocks, where constant access supports steady laying.
At 125 g per bird, 100 chickens eat 12.5 kg per day, 87.5 kg per week and 375 kg per month. At 0.5 per kg that costs 6.25 per day and 187.5 per month for the flock.
Store feed in a sealed, rodent-proof bin in a cool dry place, keep bags off damp floors, and buy only what the flock eats before the feed goes stale. Damp or mouldy feed is dangerous to birds and is pure waste.