Poultry Feed Formulation for Layers: Chick, Grower, and Layer Mash

Getting poultry feed formulation right for your layers directly determines how well they grow and how consistently they lay. Protein needs change significantly as birds mature, from chick to grower to laying hen, and feeding the wrong ratio at the wrong stage costs you both growth and egg output. Here are real, workable formulations for each stage.

Chick mash (1 to 4 weeks)

Growing chicks need feed containing 18 to 20% Digestible Crude Protein (DCP). To make a 70kg bag of layer chick mash, use the following:

• 31.5kg whole maize
• 9.1kg wheat bran
• 7.0kg wheat pollard
• 16.8kg sunflower cake (or 16.8kg linseed cake)
• 1.5kg fishmeal
• 1.75kg lime
• 30g salt
• 20g premix
• 70g tryptophan
• 3.0g lysine
• 10g methionine
• 70g threonine
• 50g enzymes
• 60g coccidiostat
• 50g toxin binder

Growers mash (4 to 18 weeks)

Feed for growers (pullets or young layers) should carry 16 to 18% protein. This accelerates growth in preparation for egg production. To make a 70kg bag:

• 10kg whole maize
• 17kg maize germ
• 13kg wheat pollard
• 10kg wheat bran
• 6kg cotton seed cake
• 5kg sunflower cake
• 3.4kg soya meal
• 2.07kg lime
• 700g bone meal
• 3kg fishmeal
• 14g salt
• 1g coccidiostat
• 18g premix
• 1g zinc bacitracin
• 7g mycotoxin binder

Layers mash (18 weeks and above)

Start layer feed at 18 weeks. DCP level for layer feed should sit between 16 and 18%. To make a 70kg bag:

• 34kg whole maize
• 12kg soya meal
• 8kg fishmeal
• 10kg maize bran, rice germ, or wheat bran
• 6kg lime
• 175g premix
• 70g lysine
• 35g methionine
• 70g threonine
• 35g tryptophan
• 50g toxin binder

Calcium matters more at this stage than any other. Laying hens that don’t get enough calcium in their feed will pull it from their own bone tissue to build eggshells, which is why lime is a significant component of layer feed, not an afterthought.

Scaling up for larger flocks

If you’re managing more than 500 birds, it’s more efficient to prepare a full ton of feed at once, one ton contains 14 bags at 70kg each. Simply multiply each ingredient in the formulation above by 14 to scale it up.

Whatever quantity you prepare, use it within one month. Feed stored longer than that can lose nutritional quality and affect your birds’ health and productivity.

Key takeaways

• Protein needs drop as birds mature: 18 to 20% for chicks, 16 to 18% for growers, and 16 to 18% for layers, with calcium becoming far more important at the laying stage.
• Lime is a core ingredient in layer feed, not optional, since hens will draw calcium from their own bones to form eggshells if the diet falls short.
• For flocks over 500 birds, prepare feed in one-ton batches (14 bags) rather than mixing smaller amounts repeatedly.
• Use prepared feed within one month; quality and nutritional value decline with longer storage.

FAQ

What protein level do layer chicks need?

Chicks from 1 to 4 weeks need feed with 18 to 20% Digestible Crude Protein. This drops to 16 to 18% for growers and stays in that range for layers, with the diet shifting toward more calcium at the laying stage.

When should I start feeding my birds layer mash?

At 18 weeks. This is when hens are approaching point of lay, and their calcium needs rise sharply to support eggshell formation.

Why is lime included in layer feed?

Lime supplies the calcium hens need to form eggshells. Without enough calcium in their feed, laying hens will draw it from their own bone tissue instead, which affects their long-term health.

How long can I store prepared poultry feed?

No longer than one month. Feed kept beyond that can lose nutritional quality and negatively affect your flock’s health and productivity.