How To Make Chicken Feed？

This article will give you a comprehensive analysis of the processing technology and equipment of fish feed, and will also introduce the process and investment cost of building a chicken feed production line. If you are interested in starting a chicken feed processing business, feel free to contact us to obtain information such as production line design plans, equipment quotes, layout plans, civil engineering plans, etc.

What is chicken feed? Types of chicken feed

Chicken feed refers to a nutritional formula specially designed for chickens to meet their growth, egg production and health needs. The main ingredients of chicken feed include energy feed (such as corn, wheat), protein feed (such as soybean meal, fish meal), minerals, vitamins and additives.

According to the type and growth stage of chickens, chicken feed can be divided into the following categories:

• Broiler feed: specially designed for broilers to promote rapid growth and weight gain. Usually divided into brooding, growing and fattening feeds.
• Laying hen feed: designed for laying hens to improve egg production and egg quality. Usually divided into brooding, growing and laying feeds.
• Breeder feed: designed for breeders to improve reproductive performance and hatchability.
• Special chicken feed: such as organic chicken feed, antibiotic-free chicken feed, etc., to meet specific market needs.

How to make chicken feed for broiler?

Processing process of broiler feed

The processing process of broiler feed usually includes the following steps:

1. Raw material reception and cleaning: receiving raw materials such as corn and soybean meal, and cleaning them to remove impurities.
2. Crushing: crushing the raw materials to an appropriate particle size to improve mixing uniformity and digestibility.
3. Batching: weighing various raw materials in proportion according to the formula.
4. Mixing: mixing the ingredients evenly to ensure that the nutritional content of each batch of feed is consistent.
5. Granulation: the mixed powder is made into granules by a chicken poultry feed pellet machine to improve the palatability and utilization rate of the feed.
6. Cooling: cooling the hot granules to room temperature to prevent mildew.
7. Screening: removing unqualified granules and powder.
8. Packaging: packaging the finished feed for easy storage and transportation.

What equipment is needed to process broiler feed?

The following main chicken feed making machine is needed to process broiler feed:

• Cleaning equipment: such as primary cleaning screen and magnetic separator, used to remove impurities.
• Pulverizer: such as hammer mill, used to crush raw materials.
• Batching system: including electronic scale and batching bin, used for accurate batching.
• Mixer: such as double-shaft paddle mixer, used to evenly mix raw materials.
• Chicken feed pelletizer: such as ring die pelletizer, used for pelleting.
• Cooler: such as countercurrent cooler, used to cool pellets.
• Screening machine: such as vibrating screen, used to screen pellets.
• Packaging machine: such as automatic packaging machine, used to package finished products.

What are the mainstream broiler feed processing technologies currently used in different countries?

Different countries adopt different broiler feed processing technologies according to their resources and technical levels, such as the following four chicken feed technical directions:

United States:

Adopts highly automated production lines, focuses on high efficiency and environmental protection, and widely uses extrusion technology.

Europe:

Focus on the safety and sustainability of feed, and widely use low-temperature granulation technology.

China:

Use the traditional crushing-mixing-granulation process, and gradually introduce puffing and expansion processes in recent years.

Brazil:

Use large-scale, low-cost production processes and focus on the localization of raw materials.

How to make chicken feed for laying hen?

The processing flow of laying hen feed

The processing flow of laying hen feed is similar to that of broiler feed, but the formula and process are different:

1. Raw material receiving and cleaning: receiving and cleaning raw materials.
2. Crushing: crushing raw materials to appropriate particle size.
3. Batching: batching according to the nutritional needs of laying hens.
4. Mixing: uniformly mixing various raw materials.
5. Packaging: packaging finished feed.

At present, some customers also add maturation or puffing technology during the processing of laying hen feed to mature the raw materials and obtain higher feed conversion rate.

In some projects, the laying hen feed processing technology used by customers is the same as that of broiler feed, but the size of the processed laying hen feed is smaller than that of broiler feed.

What equipment is needed to process laying hen feed?

The equipment required to process laying hen feed is similar to that of broiler feed, but the selection of some equipment is different:

• Cleaning equipment: such as primary cleaning screen, magnetic separator.
• Pulverizer: such as hammer mill.
• Batching system: including electronic scale and batching bin.
• Mixer: such as double-shaft paddle mixer.
• Packaging machine: such as automatic packaging machine.

What are the mainstream egg-laying feed processing technologies currently used in different countries?

Different countries also have different egg-laying feed processing technologies:

United States:

adopts efficient and automated mash feed production lines and widely uses extrusion technology.

Europe:

focuses on the safety and environmental protection of feed and widely uses low-temperature granulation technology.

China:

adopts the traditional crushing-mixing-granulation process, and has gradually introduced puffing and expansion processes in recent years.

Japan:

adopts high-precision batching and mixing processes, and pays attention to the uniformity and stability of feed.

What are the differences in the processing technology of broiler feed and egg-laying feed?

The processing technology of broiler feed and egg-laying feed differs in the following aspects:

• Formula: broiler feed focuses on high energy and high protein to promote rapid growth; egg-laying feed focuses on minerals such as calcium and phosphorus to improve egg production rate and eggshell quality.
• Particle size: broiler feeds are usually coarser in size to facilitate digestion; layer feeds are finer in size to improve mixing uniformity.
• Pelletizing temperature: broiler feeds are pelletized at a higher temperature to improve the hardness and durability of the pellets; layer feeds are pelletized at a lower temperature to retain more nutrients.

What is the difference between the equipment for processing broiler feed and layer feed?

The equipment for processing broiler feed and layer feed differs in the following aspects:

• Pulverizer: broiler feed pulverizers usually choose higher power to process high-energy raw materials; layer feed pulverizers choose lower power to process finer raw materials.
• Pellet mill: broiler feed pellet mills usually choose larger die holes to produce coarser pellets; layer feed pellet mills choose smaller die holes to produce finer pellets. If you are processing mash feed, there is no need to configure a chicken feed pelletizer.
• Cooler: broiler feed coolers usually choose higher air volume to quickly cool high-temperature pellets; layer feed coolers choose lower air volume to slowly cool low-temperature pellets. If you are processing mash feed, there is no need to configure a chicken feed pellet cooler.

Is it more expensive to process broiler feed or layer feed?

The costs of processing broiler feed and layer feed differ in the following aspects:

• Raw material costs: The raw material costs of broiler feed are usually higher because high-energy, high-protein raw materials are required; the raw material costs of layer feed are lower because more minerals and vitamins are required.
• Equipment costs: The equipment costs of broiler feed are usually higher because higher-powered grinders and pelletizers are required; the equipment costs of layer feed are lower because lower-powered equipment is required.
• Energy costs: The energy costs of broiler feed are usually higher because higher pelleting temperatures and larger cooling air volumes are required; the energy costs of layer feed are lower because lower pelleting temperatures and smaller cooling air volumes are required.

How to build a chicken feed production line?

To build a chicken feed factory, you need to consider the following aspects:

1. Site selection: Choose a site with convenient transportation, sufficient water source and stable electricity.
2. Equipment procurement: Select appropriate cleaning equipment, crusher, batching system, mixer, granulator, cooler, screening machine and packaging machine according to production needs.
3. Plant construction: Build a plant that meets production needs, including raw material warehouse, production workshop, finished product warehouse and office area.
4. Personnel training: Train production operators, quality inspection personnel and equipment maintenance personnel.
5. Trial production: Conduct trial production, debug equipment and optimize process.
6. Formal production: Formal production and market promotion.

How much does it cost to build a chicken feed factory?

The cost of building a chicken feed production line can vary significantly depending on several factors, including the scale of production, the level of automation, the quality of equipment, and regional labor and material costs. Below is a breakdown of the key cost components and an estimated range for setting up a chicken feed production line:

Equipment Costs

（1）Chicken Feed Grinder/Crusher:

For grinding raw materials like corn, soybean, and other grains.

Cost: 5,000–20,000 USD (depending on capacity and quality).

（2）Chicken Feed Mixer:

For blending ingredients uniformly.

Cost: 3,000–15,000 USD

（3）Chicken Feed Pellet Mill:

For forming feed into pellets.

Cost: 10,000–50,000 USD (depending on capacity and automation level).

（4）Chicken Feed Cooler and Dryer:

For cooling and drying pellets.

Cost: 5,000–20,000 USD.

（5）Chicken Feed Conveying System:

For transporting materials between machines.

Cost: 2,000–10,000 USD.

（6）Chicken Feed Packaging Machine:

For weighing and packaging the final product.

Cost: 3,000–15,000 USD.

（7）Dust Collection System:

For maintaining a clean production environment.

Cost: 2,000–8,000 USD.

Raw Material Costs

Ingredients like corn, soybean meal, wheat bran, vitamins, and minerals.

Cost: Varies based on local prices and feed formulation.

Labor Costs

Skilled and unskilled labor for operating the production line.

Cost: Depends on regional wage rates and the level of automation.

Factory Setup Costs

（1）Land and Building:

Renting or constructing a facility.

Cost: Highly variable depending on location.

（2）Utilities:

Electricity, water, and fuel for running the machinery.

Cost: Depends on local utility rates.

（3）Permits and Licenses:

Regulatory compliance costs.

Cost: Varies by country and region.

Miscellaneous Costs

Transportation, maintenance, and initial marketing expenses.

Estimated Total Cost

The total cost of setting up a chicken feed production line can range widely based on the scale and complexity of the operation:

（1）Small-Scale Production Line (1–2 tons/hour):

Cost: 50,000–150,000 USD

Suitable for small farms or local businesses.

（2）Medium-Scale Production Line (5–10 tons/hour):

Cost: 150,000–500,000 USD

Suitable for regional feed manufacturers.

（3）Large-Scale Production Line (20+ tons/hour):

Cost: 500,000–2,000,000+. USD

Suitable for industrial-scale feed production.

Factors Affecting chicken feed plant Cost

• Automation Level: Fully automated lines are more expensive but reduce labor costs.
• Equipment Quality: High-quality, durable equipment costs more upfront but reduces maintenance and downtime.
• Location: Labor, land, and utility costs vary by region.
• Production Capacity: Higher capacity lines require larger investments.
• Regulatory Requirements: Compliance with local regulations may add to the cost.

The cost of building a chicken poultry feed production line can range from 50,000 USD for a small−scale operation to over 2 million USD for a large-scale, fully automated facility. Careful planning, market research, and budgeting are essential to ensure a successful and cost-effective setup.

Chicken feed processing is a complex and delicate process involving multiple links and equipment. Through scientific processing technology and advanced equipment, high-quality chicken feed can be produced to meet the nutritional needs of different chickens.

Whether you want to start a small-scale chicken feed processing or a large-scale chicken feed business, feel free to contact RICHI MACHINERY for a full solution and get information such as equipment quotation, plant layout, civil engineering plan, etc.