A layer feed intake chart is useful only when you know what it represents.
It is a benchmark, not a feeding command.
A good chart helps you answer three practical questions:
- Is the flock close to the expected body weight for its age?
- Is feed intake roughly where it should be?
- Is the flock developing evenly enough to move to the next feeding stage?
Use the chart to check the flock. Do not force the flock to fit the chart.
Which layer chart are we using?
For this guide, Phoenix Agribiz uses the current Hy Line Brown Commercial International Standards as the main reference.
The December 2025 Hy Line guide is based on commercial flock data from different parts of the world. Hy Line itself says the figures are management guidance and that local environmental and disease conditions can change actual performance.
That fits Nigerian farm reality very well. We can use a strong breeder standard as the reference, then read it against our heat, feed quality, housing, disease pressure and actual bird performance.
Why not use one “Nigerian layer chart” for every breed?
Commercial layer strains do not all grow at exactly the same rate.
Hy Line Brown, ISA Brown, Lohmann Brown and other commercial layers have their own performance standards.
But in Nigerian practice, farmers often work with the best reliable commercial standard available and then adjust management to the flock in front of them.
That is acceptable as long as the chart is clearly identified as a reference and not presented as a universal genetic specification.
Phoenix reference body weight and feed intake chart
The figures below are selected checkpoints from the Hy Line Brown International Standards. They are not a replacement for the full breeder guide.
| Age | Reference body weight | Reference feed intake | What the farmer should check |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 week | 69 to 73 g | 16 to 17 g/bird/day | Brooding, crop fill, chick activity and early uniformity |
| 4 weeks | 266 to 281 g | 26 to 28 g/bird/day | Growth trend, feeder access and chick health |
| 6 weeks | 456 to 482 g | 37 to 40 g/bird/day | Whether the flock is ready for the next rearing phase |
| 8 weeks | 668 to 706 g | 48 to 52 g/bird/day | Body weight and flock uniformity |
| 10 weeks | 871 to 921 g | 57 to 61 g/bird/day | Steady frame development without excess fat |
| 12 weeks | 1046 to 1105 g | 63 to 68 g/bird/day | Whether smaller birds are falling behind |
| 14 weeks | 1186 to 1254 g | 68 to 73 g/bird/day | Uniformity, feeder space and growing condition |
| 16 weeks | 1302 to 1377 g | 73 to 78 g/bird/day | Readiness for the final rearing stage |
| 17 weeks | 1357 to 1434 g | 77 to 82 g/bird/day | Body weight before sexual maturity accelerates |
| 18 weeks | 1411 to 1492 g | 81 to 86 g/bird/day | Sexual development and approach to lay |
| 19 weeks | 1467 to 1551 g | 86 to 92 g/bird/day | Rising production and feed intake |
| 20 weeks | 1524 to 1611 g | 91 to 98 g/bird/day | Transition into early lay |
| 22 weeks | 1638 to 1732 g | 101 to 108 g/bird/day | Rapid climb toward peak production |
| 26 weeks | 1810 to 1913 g | 109 to 117 g/bird/day | Body weight, egg mass and stable intake |
| 32 weeks | 1877 to 1984 g | 110 to 118 g/bird/day | Whether feed intake supports production and egg size |
After peak, daily feed intake in the Hy Line Brown standard is commonly around the low 110 g range per bird, but actual intake still changes with temperature, egg mass, feed energy, body weight and management.
What this chart does not mean
It does not mean that a 20 week pullet must eat exactly one number every day.
It does not mean that every brown layer strain must weigh exactly the same.
It does not mean that Nigerian birds should drink the same amount of water as birds kept under cooler conditions.
And it does not mean that a farmer should restrict feed simply because the birds ate more than the chart.
Why feed intake can differ on Nigerian farms
Feed intake changes with:
- temperature;
- feed energy level;
- ingredient quality;
- feed form;
- body weight;
- egg production;
- egg size;
- health;
- water supply; and
- housing conditions.
In hot weather, birds may eat less. If the ration is too low in nutrient density, the flock may then fail to consume enough nutrients even though feed is always available.
See our Heat Stress in Poultry Guide for the practical side.
Water intake should not be copied blindly from a chart
Water use can change sharply with heat.
That is especially important in Nigeria.
A breeder guide can give a reference figure, but your farm water record is more useful once you know the normal pattern for your flock.
Watch for sudden changes in water use. They can point to:
- heat stress;
- water line failure;
- salt problems;
- disease;
- reduced feed intake; or
- leaking drinkers.
How to calculate daily feed requirement
Use this simple formula:
Number of birds × feed intake per bird = total feed required per day.
Example:
If 200 hens are eating 110 g per bird per day:
200 × 110 g = 22,000 g = 22 kg feed per day.
If a 25 kg bag is used:
22 ÷ 25 = 0.88 bag per day.
For one week:
22 kg × 7 = 154 kg, or about 6.16 bags of 25 kg.
That is a planning calculation. The real flock intake should still be measured.
Do not feed from the chart alone
The breeder chart tells you what good performance may look like.
Your records tell you what is actually happening.
Every week, compare:
- body weight;
- uniformity;
- feed issued;
- feed left over;
- water intake;
- mortality;
- egg production;
- egg size; and
- shell quality.
Body weight is more important than age alone
A flock can reach the correct age and still be underweight.
This matters especially around point of lay.
If pullets are too small, do not rush the next feed stage just because the week number says so.
Check body weight and flock maturity first.
This is also why the Layer Feed Transition Guide uses the 18 to 20 week period and about 5% hen day production as practical benchmarks, while still asking the farmer to read the flock.
Uniformity matters as much as the average weight
An average can hide a bad flock.
For example, one group of heavy birds and one group of small birds can produce an average that looks acceptable.
Hy Line places strong emphasis on flock uniformity during rearing.
For age-based space planning, read our Floor Space for Broilers and Deep Litter Layers guide.
If uniformity is poor, check:
- feeder space;
- drinker access;
- brooding history;
- heat;
- disease;
- crowding;
- feed quality; and
- whether smaller birds are being pushed away.
Starter, grower and layer phases should follow development
Do not treat 0 to 6 weeks, 7 to 18 weeks and 18 weeks onward as rigid universal phases for every strain.
They are useful practical ranges, but the breeder programme and body weight should decide the exact transition.
Lohmann also states in its management guidance that diet changes during rearing should be based on body weight development rather than age alone.
See the Lohmann Brown Classic Management Guide.
Do layers need to gain a lot of weight quickly?
No.
That is not the aim of layer rearing.
Pullets need controlled, steady development so they reach sexual maturity with the right body weight and good uniformity.
Making pullets excessively heavy is not the same as preparing them properly for egg production.
Do not judge layer feed by crude protein alone
A statement such as “layer feed should be 16% protein” is too simple to stand alone.
The bird responds to the full nutrient package:
- energy;
- amino acids;
- calcium;
- available phosphorus;
- fat;
- vitamins;
- trace minerals; and
- actual feed intake.
Different feed intakes can require different nutrient concentrations.
For the basics, see our Layer Nutrition Guide.
Calcium should not be added casually
Layer hens need much more calcium than growing pullets because they are making eggshells.
But adding extra limestone, oyster shell or another calcium source without checking the complete ration can create imbalance.
Use the formulated feed specification first.
If shell quality is poor, also check:
- feed intake;
- vitamin D;
- phosphorus;
- heat stress;
- age;
- egg size; and
- disease.
How to use the chart when production starts
During the transition from rearing into production, feed intake rises quickly.
The current Hy Line Brown standard moves from roughly 81 to 86 g per bird per day at 18 weeks to roughly 109 to 117 g by 26 weeks.
That rise matters because egg production and egg mass are also rising fast.
A farmer should therefore watch the flock closely during this period instead of assuming the same daily feed allowance will work from point of lay to peak.
If feed intake is below the breeder reference
Check:
- heat;
- water;
- feed freshness;
- particle size;
- energy density;
- disease;
- feeder access;
- lighting; and
- recent feed changes.
Do not simply add supplements before you know why intake is low.
If feed intake is above the breeder reference
Do not immediately restrict the birds.
First check:
- whether feed energy is low;
- whether there is feed wastage;
- whether the birds are heavier;
- whether cold conditions are increasing demand;
- whether the egg mass is high; and
- whether the recorded bird number is correct.
Use cost per egg, not feed price alone
A feed that costs less per bag can still cost more per egg if birds eat more of it and produce less.
Track:
- feed cost per day;
- eggs produced;
- egg size;
- mortality;
- broken eggs; and
- body weight.
Use the Phoenix Feed Cost Calculator when comparing feeding cost.
Simple farmer checklist
- Know which breeder chart you are using.
- Weigh birds regularly.
- Check flock uniformity.
- Measure actual feed intake.
- Track water use.
- Compare production with age and body weight.
- Do not restrict feed just to match a table.
- Do not change feed stage by age alone.
- Adjust for heat and Nigerian farm conditions.
- Keep weekly records.
Bottom line
A layer feed intake and body weight chart is one of the most useful tools on a layer farm, but only when it is used correctly.
The chart gives you a benchmark. The flock gives you the final answer.
Start with the breeder standard, then manage the birds standing in front of you.
