Small flock feed and cost planner
Chicken Feed Calculator
Estimate feed needed, bags to buy, monthly feed cost and annual budget for laying hens, with waste, treats, grit and bedding kept separate.
Enter The Flock Feed Plan
Feed Result
Enter flock and bag details to see the result.
Monthly cost split
This is a feed budget, not a poultry health plan. Use the feed label and ask a vet if birds lose condition, stop eating or lay abnormal eggs.
Use Feed Bags, Not Guesswork
A chicken feed calculator is most useful when it starts with a real daily ration and a real bag price. Backyard keepers often know that hens eat “about a handful” or that a 20 kg bag lasts “a few weeks”, but those rough memories can make budgeting hard. This tool turns flock size, grams per hen per day, bag size and bag price into kilograms needed, bags to buy, cost per month and cost per hen. It also shows grit, treats and bedding separately, because those items matter for the shopping basket but are not the same as complete feed.
The calculation does not set a diet. Laying hens should have a suitable complete feed as the main part of the ration, with clean water and appropriate grit or oyster shell where needed. Treats, corn and kitchen scraps can unbalance the diet if they become too large a share. If birds are thin, overweight, moulting heavily, laying soft-shelled eggs or acting ill, the answer is not to tweak a cost calculator; seek proper poultry or veterinary advice.
How To Choose Daily Grams
Use the feeding guide printed on the bag, then adjust only with sensible observation. Many adult laying hens eat roughly 100 to 130 g of complete feed per day, but size, breed, weather, laying rate, ranging, health and season can change the amount. Bantams may eat less. Heavy breeds and birds in cold weather may need more. If the feeder is empty every morning, it does not automatically mean birds are eating the right amount; wild birds, rats, spillage or low feeder height can remove feed too.
Measure for a week by weighing the amount added and the amount left. That gives a better daily gram figure than guessing from the bag. Keep feed dry, cool and pest-proof. Old, damp or mouldy feed can harm birds and waste money.
Formula And Method
Feed kg = hens x grams per hen per day x days / 1000
Waste-adjusted feed kg = feed kg x (1 + waste percentage)
Bags to buy = (waste-adjusted feed kg + buffer feed kg) / bag size, rounded up
Monthly basket = feed cost + treats + grit or shell + bedding
The calculator rounds feed to two decimal places and whole bags up, because you cannot usually buy part of a sealed bag. The buffer days are included in the bags-to-buy result but not treated as eaten in the month; they are reserve stock. If you already have a half bag in the shed, subtract it mentally from the order quantity or reduce the buffer.
Worked Feeding Examples
Six laying hens
Six hens eating 120 g each per day need about 21.9 kg in an average month before waste. With 8 percent spillage, the feed used or lost is about 23.6 kg. A 20 kg bag will not quite cover the month and a buffer.
Three-hen starter flock
Three hens on the same ration need roughly half the feed, but the bag price may not halve. A large bag can be cheaper per kg, but only if it is stored safely and used before quality drops.
Low-waste feeder
Dropping waste from 10 percent to 3 percent can save feed over a year. The saving is not only money; less spilled feed also reduces pest attraction and damp bedding.
Feed Planning Checks
| Item | Budget impact | Care note |
|---|---|---|
| Layers pellets or mash | Main monthly feed cost. | Should be the main ration for laying hens unless a poultry professional advises another feed. |
| Mixed corn or scratch | Adds cost but should usually be limited. | Too much can dilute nutrients from complete feed. |
| Oyster shell or grit | Small recurring cost. | Useful when hens need extra calcium or grit access, depending on diet and ranging. |
| Feed waste | Raises bag use and attracts pests. | Use a raised or treadle feeder and keep the area dry. |
| Storage | Large bags may be cheaper per kg. | Only buy large bags if you can store them dry and pest-proof. |
Do Not Let Treats Take Over
Treats are where many feed budgets and diets drift. A little scratch grain or greens may be part of a routine, but the complete feed should do the main nutritional work. If treats are used to call birds back into the run, keep the amount small and predictable. Do not use unsafe or spoiled foods, and check official or welfare advice before feeding household leftovers.
Buying Feed Without Waste
Compare price per kg, not only bag price. A 20 kg bag may look cheaper, but it is poor value if a small flock cannot finish it while it is fresh or if storage lets rodents in. If you have several poultry keepers nearby, a shared feed run can reduce delivery costs without forcing one keeper to store too much. Mark purchase dates on bags and rotate stock.
FAQs
How much feed does a laying hen eat per day?
Many adult laying hens eat around 100 to 130 g of complete feed per day, but breed, season, health and ranging change the amount. Use the bag guide and measure your own flock.
How long will a 20 kg bag of chicken feed last?
Divide 20,000 g by hens x grams per hen per day, then adjust for waste. Six hens eating 120 g each per day would use a 20 kg bag in about 28 days before waste.
Should grit and oyster shell be included?
Include the cost if you buy them. They are not the same as complete feed, so the calculator shows them as separate monthly extras.
Can I reduce feed by giving more scraps?
Be cautious. Scraps can dilute the nutrients in complete feed and some foods are unsuitable. Use welfare guidance and ask a vet if unsure.
Why add a stock buffer?
A few days of spare feed helps if deliveries are late, roads are icy, or a shop runs out. Store spare feed dry and pest-proof.
Sources
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. (2023). Code of practice for the welfare of laying hens and pullets. GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/poultry-on-farm-welfare/poultry-welfare-recommendations
- RSPCA. (2026). What to feed your chickens. https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/farm/farmanimals/chickens/diet
- British Hen Welfare Trust. (2026). What should I feed my hens?. https://www.bhwt.org.uk/hen-care/hen-health/feeding-your-hens/