How many cups of feed: chicks, layers, broilers (2024)

Measuring and monitoring your laying hen and meat bird feed intake will ensure they are attaining optimal production with minimal input. When common crumble layer or grower feed are weighed and measured the results are as follows: Small laying hens require 1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp of feed per day, average sized hens need 3/4 cups, and large chickens eat 1 cup + 2 Tbsp of layer ration per day.

Broiler chicken’s required feed increases on average, 3 Tbsp every week, with the greatest jump occurring during the first 4 weeks. A 4 week old Cornish cross will consume 1 cup of feed per day, and a 9 week old meat bird will consume close to 2 cups of feed each day.

Table of Contents

• Laying Hens- Feed Amount Calculator
• How much to feed laying hens- quick reference
• Broiler- Feed Amount Calculator
• How much to feed meat birds-quick reference cheat sheet

Quality and type of chicken feed

These recommendations arebased on a complete, dry feed recipe; one that contains all the essential vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and proteins necessary to raise productive, healthy chickens.

Your local feed store will sell commercial starter, grower/ finisher, and layer ration that meet this criteria.

Commercial poultry feed is optimized for each stage. You do not need to add additional minerals such as calcium or grit to a hen’s diet when they are fed entirely on store bought ration¹.

• Chick starer- 1-42 days (6 weeks)
• Grower- 43 – 140 days (20 weeks)
• Layer ration- at site of first egg, approximately 20 weeks onward

Chicken owners can mix their own feed and the recommended feed amount will remain the same, assuming that the nutritional balance is met in the specific grain combination used. Good news, you can supply your flock high-quality feed solely from store bought ration, entirely on homemade chicken feed, or a combination of the two.

How much to feed laying hens per day in cups

Most commonly, chickens will consume 3/4 cups of feed per day, although there is a window of recommendation from 80 g- 150 g. Weighing and measuring standard commercial crumble ration, this equates to 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp through to 1 cup + 2 Tbsp of feed per chicken per day.

CHICK

How much to feed chicks per day in cups

Week 1 -4: 3 Tbsp of chick starter per chick per day

Week 4-8: 6 Tbsp (a heavy 1/4 cup) of chick starter per chick per day²

PULLET

How much to feed pullets per day in cups

Weeks 9-20 (until first egg is laid): 1/2 c + 1 Tbsp of grower feed per day.

ADULT HEN

How much to feed mature chickens per day in cups

On average, an adult chicken will eat 3/4 cups of feed per day. Different breeds have slightly different feed requirements based on their size.

• Small breeds – feed a heaping 1/3 cup. Silkies and other bantam breeds need 60 grams of feed a day.
• Medium sized breeds- feed 3/4 cups. Wyandottes, Rhode Island Reds, Plymouth Rock, and Barred Rock consume 100 grams of feed a day
• Large poultry- feed just over 1 cup. Cochin, Brahma, Jersey Giants, or Orpington will eat closer to 150 grams of layer ration per day.

Quick reference

Commercial feed with supplemental grains mixture for layers

The following is a simple recipe combining the vitamin and mineral benefits of the commercial layer crumble, with common local grains³:

These recipes produces 25 kg (55 pounds) of feed, equivalent to one regular sized bag from the feed store.

For adult laying hens

• Example 1
• 20% layer ration = 37 cups (approximately 1/2 of a five gallon pail)
• 50% wheat= 92.5 cups (approximately 1 five gallon pail and 1 ice cream pail)
• 25% barley= 46 cups (approximately 3/4 of a five gallon pail)
• 5% calcium= 9 cups(approximately 1/2 of an ice cream pail)

• Example 2
• 20% layer ration= 37 cups (approximately 1/2 of a five gallon pail)
• 20% barley= 37 cups ( ” ” )
• 20% oats= 37 cups ( ” ” )
• 25% wheat= 46 cups (approximately 3/4 of a five gallon pail)
• 5% calcium= 9 cups (approximately 1/2 of an ice cream pail)

Note: Legumes (excluding Faba beans) can be substituted for 20% , canola up to 10%, and rye up to 20% (but only for adult chickens, as young birds cannot digest rye).

It is recommended to put hard grains through a roller or mix mill, however, a chicken’s crop will strengthen and they will be able to crush and digest the whole grains.

Gradually increase the whole grain content from 5% up to 50%. It is good practice to roll the remaining 50% to ensure optimal absorption of nutrients.

Soaking your grains over night or fermenting for up to 3 days, would be a good alternative to rolling the grain. This will also reduce the amount of feed your chickens will consume due to the added nutrient density of the fermentation process and absorbed water content.

Fermented feed will reduce consumption by 50%

Learn how to ferment your chicken feed here.

Homemade layer ration recipe

Combine your own grains for a 25 kg (55 lb) bag of layer feed⁴.

Adult laying hens

• 30% corn=55 cups (approximately 3/4 of a five gallon pail)
• 30% wheat=55 cups ( ” ” )
• 20% peas= 37 cups (approximately 1/2 a five gallon pail)
• 10% oats= 18.5 cups (approximately 1 ice cream pail)
• 10% fish meal= 18.5 cups ( ” ” )
• 2% Poultry Nutri-balancer= 4 cups
• Free choice minerals : Kelp, Aragonite (Oyster shells)

FAQ

My backyard flock is free range, will that affect the amount of grain to feed?

Yes! Free-range chickens that have access to pasture will reduce their feed intake by 20% and will also have increased egg production.

3/4 cup average intake – 20%= 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp of feed per day per chicken when on pasture.⁵

For happy chickens, consider growing fodder to offer fresh greens to your flock durning the winter, or if they don’t have access to pasture⁶.

Can I feed table scraps to my backyard chickens to reduce grain consumption?

Yes, reduce grain portion to 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp, rather than 3/4 cups for average size chickens.

Some homesteaders break their flock’s nutritional needs into thirds: 1/3 grains, 1/3 greens (including grass, hay, vegetable scraps), and 1/3 protein (bugs, dairy, meat- unsure if meat is acceptable to feed to chickens in your area? Read this).

This means that one could estimate a reduction of grain feed to 1/2 cup per chicken with the addition of table scraps.

Do I have to feed grain to my chickens at all?

No, it is not necessary to feed your chickens grain, although it will take more creativity and effort to make sure they are getting all of the vital nutrients and total protein they need from alternative sources.

Check out this guide to feeding your chickens without grain and slashing feed cost.

To ensure your flock stays healthy and productive offer a wide variety such as:

• comfrey
• stinging nettle
• duckweed
• grass clippings
• hay
• animal carcasses
• garden bounty
• fruit tree excess
• access to cover crops
• extra farm products: eggs, dairy, butcher scraps

Will my chickens need more feed in the winter?

Yes, chickens will consumer 1.5 times the calories during the colder months as the digestion process keeps them warmer⁷.

Average sized chickens will need 1 cup +2 Tbsp of feed per chicken per day during the cold winter months compared to 3/4 cup per day during the warmer months.

My chickens seem hungry, should I feed them more?

Chickens will constantly be active; scratching and foraging for food, this does not necessarily mean that they are hungry. It is their instinct.

You may need to examine your feed ratios if you are offering a self-mixed feed to ensure they are receiving the proper balance of protein and nutrients.

The best way to know if your hens are getting the appropriate amount of feed is to monitor egg production on a regular basis. If there appears to be a dip in production and you are getting fewer eggs, you may want to increase their feed to the higher end of the scale-just over 1 cup of feed per bird.

Broilers (Meat chickens)

These feeding recommendations are based on a dry feed, balanced diet with the appropriate percent protein, mineral, and vitamin content for broiler birds such as the Cornish cross.

Ration from commercial feed mills will contain all of the necessary elements to raise healthy birds, but it is possible to mix your own feed or supplement commercial feed to reduce costs.

• Chick Starter: Day 1- 14 days
• Grower/Finisher: Day 15 – harvest

Some products suggest feeding chick starter for the first 28 days, use your own judgement.

How much to feed broiler chickens per day in cups

Quick Reference- how much to feed meat birds

Broiler feed recipe supplementing commercial ration

Below is a recipe for a combination of commercial feed and common local grains⁸. Measurements produce a 25 kg (55 lb) bag.

• 20% Grower ration=37 cups (approximately 1/2 of a five gallon pail)
• 35% Wheat=65 cups (approximately 1 five gallon pail, minus 1 ice cream pail)
• 30% Barley=55 cups (approximately 3/4 of a five gallon pail)
• 15% Oats=28 cups (approximately 2 ice cream pails)

Broiler birds need their feed soaked, fermented, or rolled. When offering a combination of commercial grower and whole grains, the birds will pick through and leave the whole grains. If they are fed entirely on whole grains, their consumption and growth rate may be significantly decreased.

Common meat birds, such as the Cornish cross will need 15 lbs⁹ ( some sources say up to 23 lbs) of feed to reach ideal harvest weight. These hybrid meat birds will over eat. Watch for signs of obesity- difficulty walking, leg problems, sudden death.

FAQ

Do I need to feed my meat birds oyster shells?

Broiler birds do not need added calcium or oyster shells since they will be harvested before they begin laying eggs.

My meat birds are on grass and moved everyday, will they eat less feed?

Broilers can consume 3-5% of their diet from pasture, however, still require additional feed as they expend more energy and burn more calories walking, foraging, and keeping warm or cool in the outdoor temperatures. Most of the depletion of pasture observed is a result of trampling¹⁰.

Will feeding table scraps reduce grain requirements for my Cornish cross?

Recycled food is a viable option for raising broilers. A study showed that broilers raised on discarded hotel foods had identical growth rates and meat quantity as those raised on typical broiler feed. The farmers were able to control the amount of recycled food given to the broilers because it was processed into a measurable crumble/ pellet product¹¹.

Supplementing your meat birds with table scraps can have a significant impact on feed intake, however it can be difficult to gauge and monitor inputs when feeding fresh, unprocessed foods. It depends on how many birds you have, as well as the amount and type of scraps that are being offered.

I’m raising Grazers/ Red Rangers/ Freedom Rangers, are they fed differently than Cornish Cross?

The nutritional requirements and feed amounts are the same, however these alternative meat birds are slower growing and will not reach harvest weight for 10- 22 weeks, compared to the 6-10 weeks of growth for the Cornish cross¹².

Should I increase their feed in the winter?

In temperature controlled barns meat birds can be raised year round with no adjustment to their feed portion.

Generally, chickens eat 1.5 times their regular feed allotment when the weather is cold. If you are raising your meat birds later in the fall as the temperature drops, you can expect them to require more feed per day (exact amounts depend on the age of the broilers, reference here).

Can I let my meat birds have free choice feed all the time?

Yes, you can give your meat birds unlimited access to feed, many chicken keepers do, then gauge the slaughter date on bird condition, rather than time lines. However, the most important thing is to observe your birds for signs of unhealthy rapid growth and obesity such as sudden unexplained death, lethargy, and inability to walk.

Offer your broilers free choice for 12 hours, then removing the feed for the remaining 12 hours of the day.

Things to remember:

Consider splitting your chicken’s daily ration into two feeding times. This is known to reduce the likely hood of aggression and gorging.

Water

Laying hens typically drink twice as much water as they eat, equating to 1 cup of fresh, clean water per day per bird.

Chickens will require much more fresh water on hot days, nearing 4 cups per chicken.

Mature meat birds (6 weeks) require at least, 1 cup of water per bird per day¹³. It has been my experience that they drink significantly more- up to 6 cups of water per bird per day.

4 cups of water per broiler is consistent with drinking twice as much as they eat.

Grit

If chickens are on a complete diet of store bought feed, they will not need additional grit (gravel and small pebbles which help chickens crush and digest their food).

If you are providing your own grain mixture, grit will be needed.

Feeders

Consider chicken feeders that will help reduce waste.

How to transition feed types

When switching between types of commercial ration, there is no need to gradually introduce the new food. The feed stores bags do not contain different ingredients, the biggest difference being the crude protein content.

If you are introducing whole grains, best practices recommend to increase the percentage over 2 weeks concluding with 50% whole grain chicken feed, and 50% rolled grains.

Scooping and measuring containers

• Ice cream pail= 16 cups of crumble
• 1/2 five Gallon pail = 39.5 cups
• 1 five gallon pail = 79 cups

Storing your chicken feed

Store feed off of the ground (on pallets), in a secure location or barrel that cannot be penetrated by rodents. Bags of feed will stay fresh for 6 months in a cool, dry place.

You may be interested in

• Is the Rhode Island Red chicken a friend of foe?
• Black comb in chickens: Causes, Treatment, Prevention
• Is it safe to feed raw meat to chickens? Is it Legal?

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2. How Much Feed Does a Chicken Eat> Fresheggsdaily.blog ↩︎
3. Poultry- General Nutrition> General Nutrient Requirements>Saskatchewan.ca ↩︎
4. Mixing Your Own Chicken Feed>abundantpermaculture.com ↩︎
5. Feeding Forage in Poultry:A Promising Alternative for the Future of Production Systems> Vincenzo Tufarelli>mdpi.com ↩︎
6. How to Grow Fodder Indoors for Chickens>Bootstrapfarmer.com ↩︎
7. What Do I Feed Chickens in the Winter>Nature’s Nest Organic Feeds>organicfeeds.com ↩︎
8. Poultry- General Nutrition> General Nutrient Requirements>Saskatchewan.ca ↩︎
9. A Quick Guide to Raising Pasture Broilers>Penn State Extension>extension.psu.edu ↩︎
10. A Quick Guide to Raising Pasture Broilers>Penn State Extension>extension.psu.edu ↩︎
11. The Food for Feed Concept: Redefining the Use of Hotel Food Residues in Broiler Diets>Elisavet Giamouri and others> mdpi.com ↩︎
12. Cornish Cross versus Red Rangers: The Meat Bird Experiment> afarmishkindoflife.com ↩︎
13. Water Consumption of Broiler Chickens Under Commercial Conditions> GM Pesti, SV Amato, LR Minear> National Library of Medicine>pub.med.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ↩︎