Layer Hen Feed Consumption: Inc. Chart, Calculator, Cost, Per Day/Week

Layer feed consumption is arguably the most critical agribusiness metric when estimating poultry egg farming profit.

It comprises some 70% of the overall operational overhead.

Therefore accurately estimating the rate of layer hen feed consumption will play a very influential role in controlling the cost efficiency of your layer farm.

As this is a well known fact for most poultry farmers starting up, we (as poultry consultants) often get asked questions like:

• “How may bags of feed do I need for (x) layers?” or,
• “What is the cost of rearing (x) layers?“

Whilst we are always keen to answer each question via The Big Book Project with individual care and consideration…

…we find sometimes it add far greater value if we build a more sustainable solution to the problem.

In the case of layer feed consumption, we decided to put together this layer feed consumption calculator to assist you practically in making firmer plans.

Without further ado, as they say:

The Layer Feed Consumption Online Calculator

(!) But first, some house keeping before the main event…

1. The metrics underpinning this calculator can be found for reference purposes within the Hy-Line Brown Commercial Layers: Management Guide (PDF).
   • including:
     • numbers based on the Hy-Line Brown Layer bird stock, as standard
     • all other handling variables are assumed to be in line with Hy-Line Management Guide
     • steep increase in the rate of feed consumption until week 23 when the rate decreases and plateaus at week 25, without further increase – standard feed consumption profile
2. Limitations:
   • doesn’t account for:
     • feed composition or nutritional balance
     • type of feed
     • supplements
     • variations (water consumption, geographic location, breed, brand of feed, particle size, formula etc.)

The chart/table for reference

*Want a look at the consumption figures in a chart or table, direct from source? Read the Hy-Line Management Guide.

Instructions for the calculator

This layer feed consumption calculation tool is purposed to give you the most accurate estimation for answering the following questions:

• how much feed each bird requires per day (intake in kg), at a given age (in weeks)?
• how much the entire flock consumes (kg / bags) at a given age (in weeks) per day & per week?
• how many bags of feed will use in a week at a given flock size and age in weeks?
• how much money will the total weekly feed requirement (kg / bags) cost me?
• how much feed cumulatively would my flock/batch consume (kg / bags) by a certain age in weeks?
• how many bags of feed would be equivalent to my cumulative layer feed consumption figure (kg)?
• what would it cost me to buy the required no. of bags of layer feed for the no. weeks to date cumulatively?

Field Inputs

Before using this calculator – you will need to research & decide on the following:

• No. of birds in this batch
• Age in weeks
• Quantity of feed per bag
• Cost of feed per bag (bag price)

Use

One particularly useful application for this calculator would be to plan a feed buying schedule & budget for rearing a batch of layer birds from 1 day old chick to 72 week mature layer (beyond which they become a spent hen).

To do this, simply input your baseline figures for flock size, quantity of feed per bag and bag price – then run the figures from week 1 to 72 making note of calculated feed prices. A good hack for writing a solid project report.

Country

This calculator can be used for calculating feed consumption for layer farms in ANY country: equally as accurate for a farm in South Africa as well as in India, for example.

Enjoy the calculator – feel free to leave your comments, or ask questions below.

The Calculator