Feed is the biggest cost in egg production, so knowing how much your hens should eat matters — it tells you whether you're overfeeding (wasting money) or underfeeding (losing eggs). Here's a practical feed intake guide.

1. Daily intake by stage

A laying hen in full production eats roughly 110–130 grams of layer mash (ground-up feed mix) a day, depending on her size, age and the temperature. As a planning guide:

  • Point-of-lay (hens just starting to lay, 18–20 weeks): ~90–100 g/day, rising as laying begins.
  • Peak production (25–45 weeks): ~110–130 g/day.
  • Late production (45+ weeks): ~105–120 g/day, declining slowly with egg output.

Use these as planning ranges — heavy breeds eat more, and birds in hot weather eat less.

2. Why intake matters

  • Underfeeding — the hen doesn't get enough energy or calcium, so egg production drops and shells thin.
  • Overfeeding — wasted feed and fat birds that lay poorly.

3. What changes intake

  • Heat — birds eat less in hot weather; feed in the cooler hours.
  • Age and weight — bigger, older birds eat more.
  • Egg output — peak layers eat the most.
  • Feed quality — a balanced mash satisfies at the right amount.

4. Tracking it on your farm

Record how much feed you put out each day and divide by the number of birds. A sudden drop in intake is an early warning of disease or stress; a rise without more eggs means waste. For the full flock picture, see our egg production guide and how to blend cheaper layer feed.

Key takeaways

  • A layer eats roughly 110–130 g of mash a day at peak.
  • Heat, age and egg output all move intake.
  • Track daily intake — a sudden drop warns of trouble.
  • Feed the right mash to avoid over- or underfeeding.