How Much to Feed Chickens Per Day in Cups Jenny Graham, July 11, 2024July 12, 2024 As a new chicken keeper, you may be wondering how much to feed chickens per day in cups. Feeding the correct amount is sure to produce happy, healthy chickens that lay lots of fresh eggs. How Much to Feed Chickens Per Day in Cups, On Average After doing some research, I found that the average chicken needs 1/4 pound of feed per day, 1/3 pound of feed for extra large chickens. As a general rule of thumb, chickens need 1/2 to 3/4 cups of feed per day per chicken. Let’s Measure Out How Much to Feed Chickens Per Day in Cups Different feeds will measure out differently depending on whether it is mash, crumbles, or pellets. Let’s take a look at some average measurements of the different types of complete layer feed used for egg production. This is a sure way to decide how much to feed chickens per day in cups. How Does Layer Crumble Measure Out? 3/4 cup of layer crumble is 1/4 lb. So, one average size chicken should be fed 3/4 of a cup of feed per day if on a crumble. Whereas 1 cup of layer crumble is 1/3 lb. So, an extra large chicken should be fed 1 whole cup of feed per day if on a crumble. How Do Layer Pellets Measure Out? 3/4 cup of layer pellets also measured out to be about a 1/4 pound of feed. A cup of layer pellets measured out to be just over 1/3 of a pound. How Does Layer Mash Measure Out? Layer mash measured out a little differently. A 1/2 cup of mash weighed about 1/4 of a pound. 3/4 cup of mash was about 1/3 of a pound. How Much to Feed Chickens Per Day In Cups? It Depends. The type of feed you are using effects how much to feed chickens per day in cups along with several other factors. Let’s take an even closer look at the other things you’ll need to consider when deciding how much to feed chickens per day in cups. The Age of Your Chickens Adult chickens will require more feed than chicks that are only a few weeks of age. Because of this and to control unwanted bullying, chicks should be kept separate. Activity Level of Your Chickens The more energy a chicken uses, the more feed they require. Do you have chickens that are high energy and flighty? Or chickens that are cool, calm, and collected? How much to feed chickens per day in cups will vary slightly with different energy levels. What Breed of Chickens Are You Raising? Backyard chickens that are used for egg production, like the Rhode Island Red, grow out slower requiring less feed. Whereas meat birds, like the Cornish Cross, will eat pounds and pounds of feed in their short eight weeks of life. After years of raising meat chickens, we’ve figured out how much feed meat chickens eat. Weather Will Effect Feed Intake During the fall and winter months, your chickens will require more feed. Colder weather can increase their feed intake by up to 25%. Fall is also a common time for chickens to molt, which will also require more feed intake. How Much Feed Do Free Range Chickens Need? Since they’ll have access to other food sources, free range chickens won’t need nearly as much feed. They will naturally seek out bugs, grass, and grit to satisfy their nutritional needs. However, it doesn’t hurt to throw them a little feed to encourage them to scratch in new areas to find more. My flock is strictly free range so they require very little feed. They are happy scratching through cow patties finding high-protein fly larvae. How much to feed chickens per day in cups will vary greatly when comparing free range chickens to cooped up chickens. Egg Laying Chickens When chickens lay eggs, they use up a lot of energy. A laying hen will require more feed during their egg-laying years. Having them on the correct amount of high-quality feed will give you the best eggs to gather from the chicken coop. What Type of Feed is Best? Layer Pellets, Crumbles, or Mash? The short answer is that it’s up to you. Every flock is different. Some folks prefer pellets or crumbles because they are less dusty and less wasteful compared to mash, depending on your feeding style. If you are ground feeding, you may find you have less waste by using pellets or crumbles. Mash tends to get lost on the ground and is better to use in a feeder. At my farm, we prefer to feed mash, mainly because of cost. It also ferments better and is easier to digest than pellets. I can go to the feed mill and get mash in bulk, which significantly reduces our feed bill. Now that my chickens have been on mash, they tend to waste pellets if I switch it up. How much protein do they need? Chickens used for egg production will need different amounts of protein at different stages of life. However, some breeds, like Cornish Cross meat birds, thrive on a higher protein chicken feed throughout their life. I keep my meat birds on high-protein chick starter from start to finish. Not my egg layers though. Egg Layer Chicken Feed for Different Ages and Stages Chick Starter- Chicks require a starter feed with around 18%-22% protein. Grower- Around 12 weeks old, they can start on a finisher feed with about 18% protein. Layer- At about 18 to 20 weeks old, they can start on a 16% layer feed. How Many Times a Day Should You Feed Chickens? Chickens prefer to eat throughout the day, as needed. Putting chicken feed out as free choice will give them unlimited access to it. If you choose not to feed free choice or free range, you’ll need to be throwing small amounts of feed out throughout the day. Who has time for that? Can You Over Feed Chickens? Chickens will not eat too much food. They will naturally stop eating when their crops are full. Once they have digested the food in their crop, which usually happens overnight, they will be ready to eat again. How Much Feed Do Baby Chicks Need? Baby chicks will eat about 1-2 ounces of feed per day per chick. They will not eat too much food. I like to keep my feeders and water full in my brooder for unlimited access. Feeding free choice ensures they get exactly the right amount of feed and water. How to Save Money on Chicken Feed Costs Around here, we are always looking to save money, especially on livestock feed. All these critters around here eat a lot so saving money on their feed is a top priority so I don’t break the bank. Feeding the Right Amount Feeding your animals the correct amount is an obvious way to save money on feed. Do the research and take the guess work out of how much to feed your chickens and other animals on your homestead. Giving chickens free access to feed is an easy way to ensure they are getting the correct amount of feed. Feed Table Scraps Feeding kitchen scraps is a great way to save a little money on chicken feed. From leftovers to veggie scraps, chickens will eat just about any table scraps and be happy to do so. Rotationally Graze Your Chickens Rotational grazing your hens in a movable chicken tractor is a great way to save a little money on chicken feed. They love to be moved daily to a fresh patch of grass to forage on. Grow Them Fodder, Grains, Sunflower Seeds, Or Greens While you are at it in the garden, consider growing extra for your chickens. It literally will cost pennies to grow some veggies from seed for your chickens. Start a Black Soldier Fly Farm A black soldier fly farm is a great way to produce free food for your chickens. To learn more about black soldier fly farming, check out our friend Alayna over at the Houdestead. She has an amazing workshop that teaches all the black soldier fly things. Ferment Your Chicken Food Fermenting your own feed saves money. Fermented feed is also more nutritious. The best way to ferment feed is to fill up a five-gallon bucket halfway with dry feed, then top the bucket off with water. By the next day, you will have a full bucket of feed for your chickens. You can also let it ferment for a day or two. The fermentation process will unlock more nutritional value in your chicken feed for your flock. Buy Feed In Bulk From the Feed Store Find a feed mill in your area and buy in bulk. A bag of chicken feed from the big box stores costs around $20, which is significantly higher than the $13 bag of chicken feed that I get from our local feed mill. The more I buy from the feed mill the more money I save. Buy in bulk and store your livestock feed to save money. Let them Turn Your Compost Pile Chickens love to scratch through a compost pile to see what goodies they can find. Not only will it save you money on feed but they will also help turn your compost pile. It’s a win-win. Feed Extra Eggs To Your Hens Cooking up some extra eggs swill help save money on chicken feed. Don’t forget the eggshells either. Crumble those up into fine pieces to feed back to your hens. What are the Essential Nutrients That Chickens Need? A complete feed will have all of the essential nutrients that your flock needs. It makes giving your chickens a balanced diet easy. Look for These Essential Nutrients for a Complete Feed Feeding a complete feed will give your chickens the balanced diet that they need. That means you’ll be raising happy chickens and bringing in lots of fresh eggs into the kitchen. Amino acids Enzymes Trace elements Calcium Phosphorus Protein Vitamins Do I Need to Supplement with Oyster Shells? Providing a chicken layer feed with oyster shells will ensure your chickens are laying eggs that have strong shells. While not always necessary, if you notice your hens are laying eggs with weak shells, you may want to consider supplementing with oyster shells. Do Chickens Need Grit? Well, it depends. If your chickens are free range, they are likely finding and consuming grit on their own. However, chickens that are cooped up will need chicken grit. Chicken grit helps break down food during the digestive process, making the most out of the chicken feed. How Much Fresh Water Do Chickens Need? Chickens need to drink around a pint of water a day, depending on how hot it is. I always aim to keep their water clean and topped off. They cannot have too much water. How Much to Feed Chickens Per Day in Cups Now that we’ve taken the guesswork out of exactly how much to feed chickens per day in cups, you can feel confident that you are feeding your chickens the correct amount. Keep those chickens happy and healthy so they will give you lots of yummy, fresh eggs. Happy Homesteading & Chicken Keeping, Jenny @ The GrahamStead Family Farm Jenny and her family have been homesteading for over 20 years. They are currently farming on their 10 acre Florida farm, that they built from the ground up, 9 years ago, growing 100% of their meat and most of their vegetables. From their small herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle, pastured poultry, sheep, and seasonal pigs, they are able to raise enough meat for the family while selling extra to the community. Striving to butcher at home, as much as possible, using the bits and pieces of their harvest by preserving food, making bone broth, and (Jenny’s favorite) tanning all kinds of hides! Chickens Homesteading