# Feed Intake Monitoring and Adjustment for Layer Flocks ## Key Takeaways - Accurate feed intake monitoring, measured as feed consumed per hen per day, is a critical early warning system for flock health and environmental stress, with sudden drops of 5% or more often signaling disease onset, heat stress, or water system failure 24-48 hours before other clinical signs. - Feed intake targets should be established based on breed-specific standards, adjusted for the diet's energy density, and validated by regular 2-week body weight checks to ensure hens are meeting their nutrient requirements without excess fat accumulation. - Distinguishing between feed disappearance (total feed delivered minus leftovers) and actual feed intake (feed consumed by hens) is crucial, as waste from spillage, fines, or contamination can inflate disappearance figures and mask true consumption levels, with optimal waste below 3-5%. - Gradual feed adjustments (over 3-5 days) are essential when changing rations or responding to environmental shifts like heat stress, where increasing nutrient density or feeding during cooler periods helps maintain intake, while cold weather necessitates allowing for naturally increased consumption. - Feed intake records are invaluable for disease surveillance, particularly for highly pathogenic avian influenza, where a sharp, unexplained drop is a primary indicator, prompting immediate veterinary consultation and adherence to reporting protocols. - Integrating feed intake data with egg production, body weight, mortality, and water intake records provides a holistic view of flock performance, enabling proactive management decisions and economic optimization by tracking feed efficiency (kg feed/dozen eggs). --- Feed is the single largest variable cost in commercial egg production, often accounting for 60 to 70 percent of total production expenses. Yet many flock managers treat feed intake as a background detail rather than a live management signal. That approach leaves money on the table and can mask early signs of disease, environmental stress, or equipment failure. This guide explains how to measure layer feed intake accurately, interpret what the numbers mean, and adjust rations and feeding practices to match flock needs at every stage of production. It is written for commercial egg producers, farm managers, and poultry service technicians who want a practical, record-based system for feed management. ## At a Glance - Track feed intake daily per flock, then calculate average intake per hen per day. - Compare your numbers against breed-specific standards, but treat those standards as a starting point, not a fixed target. - Watch for sudden drops in intake of 5 percent or more, as these often signal heat stress, disease onset, or water system failure. - Adjust feed amounts gradually over 3 to 5 days rather than making sharp changes overnight. - Use body weight checks every 2 weeks during lay to confirm that feed intake matches energy needs. - Measure feed intake separately from feed disappearance, which includes spillage, waste, and feed left in the system. - Keep records in a simple spreadsheet or paper log, and review trends weekly, not just at the end of the flock cycle. - Call a veterinarian or extension agent when intake drops sharply with no obvious cause, when intake stays low for more than 48 hours, or when low intake accompanies other signs of illness. ## Why Feed Intake Monitoring Matters Layers are precision animals. A modern commercial hen needs a specific amount of energy, protein, calcium, and other nutrients each day to maintain her body, produce an egg, and stay healthy. Feed intake is the bridge between the diet you formulate and the nutrients the hen actually consumes. If intake falls short, the hen pulls nutrients from her own body reserves, egg production drops, shell quality suffers, and the flock becomes more vulnerable to disease. If intake runs too high, hens gain excess fat, which reduces feed efficiency, shortens peak production, and increases the risk of fatty liver syndrome. [Monitoring feed intake](/knowledge/animal-farming/farm-management/monitoring-feed-intake-tools-techniques) gives you an early warning system. Hens do not announce that they are getting sick, that the barn is too hot, or that the water lines are clogged. They simply eat less. A drop in intake often appears 24 to 48 hours before other visible signs of trouble. Catching that change early lets you correct the cause before production losses compound. Feed intake records also drive your purchasing and delivery schedule. When you know how much a flock actually consumes, you can order feed with confidence, avoid emergency deliveries, and reduce the risk of running out on a weekend or holiday. Accurate intake data also helps you evaluate whether a feed change actually worked. If you switch to a new ration and intake drops while production holds steady, the new feed may be more nutrient-dense than the old one. If intake drops and production drops with it, something else is wrong. ## Understanding Normal Feed Intake Patterns Feed intake in layers follows a predictable arc over the laying cycle, but the exact numbers vary by breed, body weight, housing system, diet energy level, and environmental temperature. A young flock coming into lay eats less than a mature flock at peak production. Intake climbs through the early weeks of lay, peaks somewhere between 25 and 40 weeks of age, then slowly declines as egg production tapers. Molting or forced rest programs change this pattern dramatically. The most important factor controlling feed intake is dietary energy concentration. Hens eat to meet their energy needs first. If you increase the energy density of the feed, hens eat less total feed. If you lower energy density, they eat more. This relationship means that feed intake targets must always be interpreted in the context of the ration you are feeding. A hen eating 110 grams per day of a 2,850 kcal per kilogram diet is getting a very different energy load than a hen eating 110 grams per day of a 2,700 kcal per kilogram diet. Body weight is the second major driver. Larger hens need more feed to maintain themselves. A 1.8 kilogram hen needs roughly 15 to 20 grams more feed per day than a 1.5 kilogram hen at the same production level and temperature. This is why breed standards always list expected feed intake alongside expected body weights. If your flock is heavier than the breed standard, expect intake to run above the published figure. Environmental temperature changes intake through the same energy pathway. Hens in cold weather burn more energy to stay warm and eat more. Hens in hot weather eat less, both to reduce metabolic heat production and because heat suppresses appetite directly. As a rule of thumb, feed intake drops about 1.5 to 2 percent for each degree Celsius above the thermoneutral zone, which for layers is roughly 18 to 24 degrees Celsius. In practical terms, a heat wave that pushes barn temperature from 24 to 32 degrees Celsius can cut intake by 12 to 16 percent. ## How to Measure Feed Intake Accurately Accurate feed intake data starts with accurate feed weights. You need to know exactly how much feed goes into the barn and exactly how much comes back out. The method you use depends on your housing system, but the principles are the same. For flocks fed with manual or semi-automatic feeders, weigh every bag or tote of feed before it goes into the hoppers. Record the weight in a logbook or spreadsheet with the date, time, and flock identification. At the end of each day, weigh the feed remaining in the hoppers and troughs. Subtract the leftover weight from the total added to get the day's actual consumption. This sounds simple, but it requires discipline. Do not estimate bag weights. Do not round to the nearest kilogram. Weigh everything. For flocks on automatic chain or auger feeding systems, you still need to measure the feed delivered to each barn. Many operations install a weigh hopper or load cell on the feed bin that records every delivery. If you do not have that equipment, weigh the feed as it leaves the mill or the bulk truck. Record the weight before it enters the bin and track the number of days the bin lasts. Divide the total delivered weight by the number of days to get average daily use, but remember this is a broader measure that includes any feed lost to spillage or waste. The critical distinction is between feed intake and feed disappearance. Feed disappearance is simply the amount of feed that leaves your storage. Feed intake is the amount that actually enters the hen. The difference is waste. Spillage from poorly adjusted feeders, fines that sift to the bottom of the trough and go uneaten, feed that is contaminated by manure or moisture, and rodents or wild birds stealing feed all inflate disappearance numbers. A well-managed layer barn should keep waste below 3 to 5 percent. If your disappearance numbers run consistently above that, you have a feeder adjustment or feed quality problem, not a consumption problem. To calculate average intake per hen per day, divide total daily feed consumption by the number of hens in the flock. Use the actual number of hens present, not the number placed. Mortality and culling reduce flock size over time, and using the original placement number will understate per-hen intake. Update your hen count regularly, ideally weekly, and use the current count for your calculations. ## Recording Feed Intake Data A feed intake record does not need to be complicated, but it must be consistent. The most useful records include the date, flock identification, house or pen number, number of hens, total feed delivered, total feed refused or leftover, calculated feed intake per hen, and a notes column for anything unusual. That last column matters more than most producers realize. A note that says "barn hot, fans running full" explains a drop in intake that would otherwise look alarming. A note that says "new feed delivery, looks dusty" flags a possible palatability issue. Record intake daily if you can. If daily recording is not realistic for your operation, record at least three times per week on the same days each week. Weekly averages smooth out day-to-day variation and give you a clearer picture of trends. Track both the daily number and the 7-day rolling average. The rolling average is more useful for spotting real changes because it filters out normal day-to-day fluctuation. Use a simple spreadsheet with columns for each data field. Many producers set up a template that calculates per-hen intake automatically once they enter total consumption and hen count. Paper logs work just as well, but they are harder to analyze for trends. Whatever system you use, keep the records for the full flock cycle and beyond. Those records become your baseline for comparing future flocks and for identifying chronic problems that recur at specific ages or seasons. ## Setting Feed Intake Targets Every layer breed has a published feed intake standard, usually expressed as grams per hen per day at specific ages, body weights, and production levels. These standards are useful reference points, but they are not commandments. They were developed under specific conditions, typically with a specific diet energy level and at a specific barn temperature. Your flock may legitimately run above or below the standard by 5 to 10 percent and still be perfectly healthy and productive. The better approach is to set your own flock-specific target based on three things: the breed standard, your actual diet energy level, and your observed flock performance. Start with the breed standard, adjust for your ration's energy content, then refine based on what your hens actually do. If your hens maintain body weight, produce at or above the breed curve, and show good shell quality, your current intake is correct regardless of what the standard says. Body weight is the best check on whether intake is adequate. Weigh a sample of 50 to 100 hens every 2 weeks during lay. Use the same sampling method each time, ideally weighing birds from the same areas of the house at the same time of day. Compare the average body weight to the breed standard and to your flock's own previous weights. A stable or slowly increasing body weight through lay is normal. A declining body weight while intake stays flat means the hens are not getting enough nutrients, either because the feed is too low in energy or protein, or because intake is not actually as high as your records suggest. ## Adjusting Feed Amounts for Flock Age and Production Stage Feed management changes across the laying cycle. The pullet flock coming into lay needs a different approach than a flock at peak production or a flock in late lay. During the pre-lay and early lay period, from about 16 to 22 weeks of age, feed intake rises rapidly as hens approach sexual maturity. The priority in this phase is to ensure that intake does not lag behind the birds' increasing energy and calcium needs. Many producers switch to a pre-lay or layer ration 1 to 2 weeks before the first egg appears. Calcium levels should step up gradually to prepare the hen for shell formation without overwhelming her system. Monitor intake closely in this phase because a dip in intake during the transition to lay can delay peak production and reduce total egg output for the entire cycle. At peak production, roughly 25 to 40 weeks of age, hens are at their highest daily nutrient demand. Feed intake should be at its maximum, and the diet should deliver enough energy, amino acids, and calcium to support high egg output. The main adjustment in this phase is to ensure that feed delivery keeps pace with intake. Feeders should never run empty. If your feeding system delivers feed on a schedule, check that the schedule matches actual consumption and adjust the timing so that troughs are never bare for more than a short period. In mid to late lay, after about 40 to 45 weeks, egg production begins a gradual decline. Feed intake also declines, but not as fast as production. This is the phase where overfeeding becomes a real risk. If you keep delivering the same amount of feed while production drops, hens gain weight and become less efficient. Adjust feed amounts downward gradually, in small steps of 2 to 3 grams per hen per day, and monitor body weight to confirm that the reduction is not causing hens to lose condition. ## Adjusting Feed for Environmental Temperature Temperature is the most common reason feed intake deviates from expectations, and it is also the most manageable. When the barn is hot, hens reduce intake to lower their metabolic heat production. When it is cold, they increase intake to stay warm. Your job is to manage the barn environment and adjust the diet so that hens consume the nutrients they need despite these shifts. In hot weather, the goal is to maintain nutrient intake even as total feed intake drops. The standard approach is to increase the nutrient density of the diet so that each gram of feed carries more energy, protein, and calcium. Many commercial producers switch to a summer ration with higher fat content, because fat provides more energy per gram than carbohydrates and produces less metabolic heat. You may also add supplemental vitamins and electrolytes to the water to support intake and reduce heat stress effects. Practical hot weather feeding strategies include feeding during the cooler parts of the day, typically early morning and late evening, when hens are more inclined to eat. If you feed once daily, consider splitting the feeding into two or three smaller meals timed to the coolest periods. Ensure that water is cool, clean, and freely available. Hens will not eat if they cannot drink, and warm water reduces drinking and eating both. In cold weather, hens need more energy to maintain body temperature. Feed intake rises naturally, but you can also adjust the diet to help. Increasing the energy density of the ration reduces the amount of feed hens need to consume to meet their energy requirement, which can be helpful if your feeder capacity is limited. More commonly, producers simply allow intake to rise and monitor body weight to ensure hens do not lose condition. ## Adjusting Feed for Diet Changes Changing the feed formulation is a routine part of layer management, but it requires care. Hens are creatures of habit, and a sudden change in feed texture, ingredient composition, or palatability can cause a temporary drop in intake. This is normal, but it should be minimized and managed. When you switch to a new ration, do it gradually over 5 to 7 days. Start by mixing 25 percent new feed with 75 percent old feed for 2 days, then 50/50 for 2 days, then 75/25 for 2 days, then full new feed. This gradual transition gives the hens' digestive systems time to adapt and reduces the risk of intake depression. The same principle applies when you change feed suppliers or when a new batch of feed arrives from the mill with a different ingredient source. After any diet change, watch intake closely for 3 to 5 days. A small dip of 2 to 3 percent is normal. A drop of 5 percent or more that persists beyond 2 days warrants investigation. Check the feed itself for mold, off-odors, or unusual fines. Confirm that the feed was formulated correctly and that the delivery matches what you ordered. If intake does not recover within a few days, consider switching back to the previous ration and investigating the new feed before reintroducing it. ## Common Mistakes in Feed Intake Management Several recurring mistakes undermine feed intake monitoring programs. Recognizing them in your own operation is the first step to fixing them. The most common mistake is confusing feed disappearance with feed intake. If you never measure feed left in the troughs or lost to spillage, your records will overstate what the hens actually eat. This leads to overfeeding, wasted money, and a false sense that the flock is consuming more than it really is. Weigh refusals and account for waste at least weekly. Another frequent error is using the wrong hen count. If you calculate per-hen intake using the number of birds placed rather than the number present, your numbers will be too low. As mortality and culling reduce flock size, the gap widens. Update your hen count at least monthly, and more often during periods of higher mortality. A third mistake is reacting to a single day's intake number. Feed intake varies day to day for many reasons, including feeding time, temperature swings, and even the time of day you weigh leftovers. A single low day may mean nothing. Wait for a pattern over 3 to 5 days before making changes. Use a rolling average to smooth out the noise. A fourth mistake is adjusting feed amounts without checking body weight. Feed intake is a means to an end, and the end is a hen that maintains appropriate body condition and produces well. If you adjust feed down and body weight drops, you have cut too far. If you adjust feed up and body weight climbs, you are overfeeding. Always pair feed adjustments with body weight monitoring. A fifth mistake is ignoring water intake. Feed and water are linked. Hens that do not drink enough will not eat enough. If you see a drop in feed intake, check the water system first. Look for clogged nipples, low pressure, or warm water in the lines. In many cases, fixing the water problem fixes the feed problem. ## Recognizing and Responding to Abnormal Feed Intake Not every change in feed intake is a management issue. Some changes signal real problems that need immediate attention. The key is knowing when to act and how fast. A sudden drop in intake of 5 percent or more over 24 to 48 hours is a red flag. Check the obvious causes first: water delivery, feed availability, feeder function, and barn temperature. If all of those check out, consider disease. Many common layer diseases, including infectious bronchitis, Newcastle disease, and [avian influenza](/knowledge/bacteria/avian-bacteria/avian-influenza-cdc-global-surveillance), cause a sharp drop in feed intake as one of the earliest signs. If intake drops suddenly and multiple hens show other signs such as respiratory distress, reduced egg production, or increased mortality, contact your veterinarian immediately. A gradual decline in intake over 1 to 2 weeks is less alarming but still worth investigating. This pattern often reflects a slow environmental problem such as rising barn temperature, increasing ammonia levels, or deteriorating feed quality. It can also indicate a chronic disease process. Review your records for the past 2 weeks, check environmental conditions, and inspect the feed for quality issues. If you cannot identify a cause, consult your veterinarian. An increase in feed intake without a corresponding increase in production can indicate feed waste, a feeder problem, or a diet that is too low in energy. Check for spillage, adjust feeder heights and gaps, and review the feed formulation. If intake rises while body weight also rises, you are overfeeding. If intake rises while body weight stays flat, the feed may not be delivering the energy the label claims. ## Feed Intake as a Disease Detection Tool Feed intake is one of the earliest and most sensitive indicators of flock health. Hens that feel unwell stop eating before they show other clinical signs. This makes daily feed intake records a valuable disease surveillance tool, especially for diseases that spread quickly through a flock. In the context of serious notifiable diseases such as highly pathogenic [avian influenza](/knowledge/bacteria/avian-bacteria/avian-influenza-cdc-guidelines-poultry-pandemic-preparedness), a sudden drop in feed and water intake is often the first sign a producer notices. The World Organisation for Animal Health and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service both emphasize early detection as critical to controlling disease outbreaks. If you see a sharp unexplained drop in intake, do not wait to see if it resolves on its own. Isolate the affected house, limit movement of people and equipment, and contact your veterinarian or state animal health authority immediately. Your feed intake records also help the veterinarian make a diagnosis. A detailed record showing exactly when intake dropped, how fast it fell, and which houses were affected gives the veterinarian valuable information about the timing and spread of a potential disease. Keep your records organized and accessible so you can share them quickly if needed. ## When to Call a Veterinarian or Extension Agent You do not need to call for help every time feed intake wavers. Minor fluctuations are normal. But certain situations warrant professional advice. Call a veterinarian when feed intake drops sharply, by 10 percent or more, within 24 to 48 hours and you cannot identify a clear cause. Call when low intake persists for more than 48 hours despite your corrective efforts. Call when low intake accompanies other signs such as reduced egg production, poor shell quality, increased mortality, respiratory signs, or diarrhea. Call immediately if you suspect a notifiable disease such as [avian influenza](/knowledge/bacteria/avian-bacteria/avian-influenza-climate-change-impact-cdc-surveillance-and-global-mapping), and follow the reporting requirements for your jurisdiction. Call your extension agent or a poultry nutritionist when you need help adjusting rations for changing conditions. Extension agents can help you interpret feed intake data, evaluate whether your current feeding program matches your flock's needs, and connect you with diagnostic services. They can also help you compare your operation's performance to regional benchmarks and identify areas for improvement. When you call, have your records ready. Be prepared to share the flock age, breed, current body weight, egg production, feed intake for the past 7 to 14 days, barn temperature, and any recent changes to feed, water, or management. The more information you provide, the faster the professional can help you. ## Building a Feed Intake Monitoring System A good feed intake monitoring system does not require expensive equipment or complex software. It requires clear procedures, consistent execution, and regular review. Here is a step-by-step approach to building a system that works for your operation. Step one is to define your measurement points. Decide how you will weigh feed going into each house and how you will measure what is left. Install a scale or weigh hopper if you do not have one. Identify who is responsible for weighing feed and recording data on each shift. Step two is to set up a recording template. A spreadsheet with columns for date, house, hens, feed in, feed refused, calculated intake per hen, and notes is sufficient. Create a template that calculates the key numbers automatically. Train all employees who handle feed to use the same template and to record data at the same time each day. Step three is to establish a review schedule. Review intake data daily for obvious problems, weekly for trends, and monthly for broader patterns. The weekly review should compare current intake to the previous week and to the same week in previous flocks. The monthly review should examine body weight trends, feed efficiency, and the relationship between intake and production. Step four is to set action thresholds. Define what level of change triggers a response and what that response is. For example, a 5 percent drop in intake triggers a check of water, feed, and environment. A 10 percent drop triggers a call to the veterinarian. Write these thresholds down and make sure everyone on the team knows them. Step five is to review and refine the system regularly. At the end of each flock cycle, evaluate how well your monitoring system worked. Did you catch problems early? Did your records help you make better decisions? Adjust your procedures and thresholds based on what you learned. ## Feed Intake and Flock Economics Feed intake is not just a biological variable, it is also an economic one. The difference between a well-managed feeding program and a poorly managed one can be substantial over a full laying cycle. Consider a flock of 100,000 hens consuming 110 grams per day each. That is 11 metric tons of feed per day, or roughly 400 metric tons over a 36 week laying period. A difference of just 5 grams per hen per day, which is well within the range of normal variation, amounts to about 18 metric tons of feed over the same period. At a feed price of 400 dollars per metric ton, that is a cost difference of more than 7,000 dollars. Over multiple flocks and multiple years, these differences compound into significant money. Feed efficiency, measured as kilograms of feed per dozen eggs or per kilogram of egg mass, is the metric that ties intake to economic performance. Track feed efficiency for each flock and compare it across flocks. If one flock consistently converts feed to eggs more efficiently than another, investigate what that flock is doing differently. The answer might be better feeder management, a more appropriate diet, or a healthier environment. ## Integrating Feed Intake with Other Records Feed intake data is most valuable when combined with other flock records. Egg production, egg weight, shell quality, body weight, mortality, and water intake all interact with feed intake. Looking at these records together gives you a more complete picture of flock performance than any single metric. For example, feed intake that drops while egg production holds steady suggests the hens are becoming more efficient, possibly because the diet is more digestible or the environment is more comfortable. Feed intake that drops while egg production also drops suggests a nutrient deficiency or a health problem. Feed intake that rises while egg production stays flat and body weight climbs indicates overfeeding. The patterns matter more than the individual numbers. Set up your recordkeeping so that all flock data lives in one place. A simple spreadsheet with tabs for feed, eggs, body weight, mortality, and water intake works well. Review all the tabs together at your weekly and monthly meetings. Look for correlations and anomalies. Ask why the numbers moved the way they did. This habit of asking why is what separates a good manager from a mediocre one. ## Troubleshooting Common Feed Intake Problems When feed intake deviates from expectations, work through a systematic troubleshooting process rather than guessing. Start with the most common and easiest to fix causes, then move to more complex ones. Check the feed delivery system first. Are the hoppers full? Are the augers or chains working? Are the feeder pans or troughs actually receiving feed? A mechanical failure can stop feed delivery without anyone noticing until the hens run out. Check the system visually and listen for unusual sounds. Check the feed itself. Does it look normal? Does it smell fresh? Are there fines accumulating at the bottom of the troughs? Fines are smaller particles that separate from the main feed and are less palatable to hens. If fines accumulate, hens may stop eating even though feed is present. Adjust the feeder to reduce fines and clean out accumulated fines regularly. Check the water system. Are the nipples or drinkers working? Is the water pressure adequate? Is the water temperature reasonable? Hens drink about 1.5 to 2 times as much water as feed by weight. If water intake drops, feed intake will follow. Check water consumption records if you have them, or observe the drinkers directly. Check the environment. What is the barn temperature? Is ventilation adequate? Are ammonia levels high? Are the lights on a consistent schedule? Hens are sensitive to environmental changes, and any disruption can reduce intake. Check the hens themselves. Are they behaving normally? Are they active and alert? Are they crowded at the feeders or avoiding certain areas of the house? Are there signs of illness such as ruffled feathers, drooping wings, or discharge from the eyes or nostrils? Observe the flock for 15 to 30 minutes during peak feeding times to see what is actually happening. If you have worked through all of these checks and cannot find a cause, contact your veterinarian or extension agent. Bring your records and a clear description of what you have already checked. Do not wait for the problem to resolve on its own. ## Frequently Asked Questions **How often should I weigh feed to get accurate intake data?** Weigh feed at least daily for the most accurate data. If daily weighing is not possible, weigh at least three times per week on the same days each week. The key is consistency. Weigh at the same time each day, ideally at the same point in the feeding cycle, so that your measurements are comparable. If you weigh feed in the morning one day and the evening the next, your numbers will not be reliable. A daily weigh-in takes 10 to 15 minutes per house and pays for itself in better feed management. **What is the normal feed intake for a commercial layer?** Most commercial white and brown egg layers consume between 100 and 120 grams of feed per hen per day during peak production, depending on breed, body weight, diet energy level, and barn temperature. The exact figure varies by breed, so check your breed's management guide for the specific standard. More important than the absolute number is the trend in your own flock. Compare your intake to the breed standard as a reference, but rely on body weight and egg production to confirm that intake is adequate. **Why has my flock's feed intake dropped suddenly?** A sudden drop in feed intake usually has one of several causes: a water system failure, a feeder malfunction, a heat stress event, a change in feed palatability, or the onset of disease. Check the water and feed delivery systems first, then check barn temperature and ventilation. If all of those are normal and intake does not recover within 24 to 48 hours, contact your veterinarian. A sudden drop of 10 percent or more with no obvious cause is a serious concern. **Should I restrict feed to reduce costs when egg prices are low?** Restricting feed to save money is risky and usually counterproductive. Hens that do not get enough nutrients will reduce egg production, lose body condition, and become more susceptible to disease. The lost production and increased health problems typically cost more than the feed you save. If you need to reduce feed costs, work with a nutritionist to reformulate the diet for lower cost ingredients rather than cutting the amount of feed you deliver. **How do I know if my hens are eating too much?** Signs of overfeeding include body weight above the breed standard, excessive fat accumulation, feed intake above the breed standard without a corresponding increase in production, and declining feed efficiency. If your hens are gaining weight while egg production stays flat or declines, you are likely overfeeding. Reduce feed amounts gradually by 2 to 3 grams per hen per day and monitor body weight to confirm that hens do not lose condition. **What should I do when I switch to a new batch of feed?** Switch gradually over 5 to 7 days to give the hens time to adapt. Start with 25 percent new feed mixed with 75 percent old feed for 2 days, then 50/50 for 2 days, then 75/25 for 2 days, then full new feed. Watch intake closely during the transition. A small dip of 2 to 3 percent is normal. If intake drops more than that or does not recover, inspect the new feed for quality issues and contact your feed supplier. **How does heat stress affect feed intake, and what can I do about it?** Heat stress reduces feed intake because hens eat less to lower their metabolic heat production. Intake can drop by 10 to 15 percent or more during extreme heat. To manage this, increase the nutrient density of the diet so hens get the same nutrients in less feed, feed during the cooler parts of the day, ensure water is cool and freely available, and improve ventilation and cooling in the barn. Adding fat to the diet helps because fat provides more energy per gram and produces less metabolic heat than carbohydrates. **When should I call a veterinarian about feed intake problems?** Call a veterinarian when feed intake drops sharply by 10 percent or more within 24 to 48 hours with no obvious cause, when low intake persists for more than 48 hours despite your corrective efforts, or when low intake accompanies other signs such as reduced egg production, increased mortality, respiratory signs, or diarrhea. If you suspect a notifiable disease such as [avian influenza](/knowledge/bacteria/avian-bacteria/avian-influenza-global-surveillance-and-pandemic-preparedness), contact your veterinarian or state animal health authority immediately and follow their instructions. ## Related Farming Guides This section will be populated with links to related farming guides on [poultry nutrition](/knowledge/animal-farming/poultry/poultry-nutrition-essentials-balancing-feed-for-optimal-health-and-growth), flock health management, and egg production best practices. Check back for updates or explore other guides in the poultry category for additional information. ## Related Clinical & Scientific Guides * [Poultry Farm Fencing: Materials, Design, and Predator Exclusion](/knowledge/animal-farming/poultry/poultry-farm-fencing-materials-design-predator-exclusion) * [Broiler House Wind Speed and Airflow Measurement](/knowledge/animal-farming/poultry/broiler-house-wind-speed-airflow-measurement) * [Broiler House Heating Systems: Types and Efficiency](/knowledge/animal-farming/poultry/broiler-house-heating-systems-types-efficiency) ## References - FAO Poultry Production: https://www.fao.org/poultry-production-products/en/ - USDA APHIS Poultry Health: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian - WOAH [Avian Influenza](/knowledge/bacteria/avian-bacteria/avian-influenza-global-surveillance-cdc-world-map): https://www.woah.org/en/disease/avian-influenza/ - FAO Animal Production and Health: https://www.fao.org/animal-production/en/ - WOAH (World Organisation for Animal Health): https://www.woah.org/en/home/ > This article is educational and is not a substitute for veterinary diagnosis, treatment, public-health guidance, or regulatory reporting.