Meat Bird & Broiler Harvest Yield Calculator
Estimates total feed consumed, total dressed meat yield, cost per pound, and chest freezer space required for raising meat chickens.
Figures reviewed against university extension guidance · Last reviewed August 2026
- Dressed Meat Yield
- 118.8 lbs
- ~4.75 lbs / dressed carcass
- Total Feed Needed
- 7 bags (325 lbs)
- Feed Cost: $168.00
- Cost per lb Meat
- $1.41 / lb
- Direct feed cost only
- Freezer Space Needed
- 3.3 cu ft
- Chest freezer storage
What a batch of 25 meat chickens yields
Raising 25 Cornish Cross broilers to 7 weeks produces approximately 118.8 lbs of dressed meat (~4.75 lbs per bird). The batch requires 7 bags of feed (325 lbs total) costing about $168.00, and requires 3.3 cu. ft. of freezer space.
How the broiler calculation works
The calculator uses Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) data published by Ohio State University Extension and University of Minnesota Extension. Cornish Cross hybrids achieve an efficient FCR of ~2.0 (2 lbs feed per 1 lb live weight) with a 73% dressed carcass yield. Freedom Rangers have an FCR of ~2.6 with a 70% dressed yield.
Freezer space is estimated at the USDA standard of 1 cubic foot per 35–40 lbs of packaged poultry meat.
A worked example
A batch of 50 Cornish Cross birds raised to 7 weeks generates ~237 lbs of dressed meat. At $24 per 50 lb feed bag, total feed cost is ~$288 ($1.21/lb of dressed meat). You will need a 6.5 cubic foot chest freezer to store the harvest.
Sources
- Ohio State University Extension — Raising Meat Chickens (Ohioline ANR-0161)
- University of Minnesota Extension — Raising chickens for meat
Frequently asked questions
- How many weeks does it take to raise meat chickens for slaughter?
- Fast-growing hybrid broilers like Cornish Cross are ready for butcher in 6 to 8 weeks (Ohio State University Extension). Slower-growing colored broilers like Freedom Rangers take 10 to 12 weeks, while dual-purpose heritage cockerels typically take 12 to 16 weeks.
- How much meat do you get from a butchered chicken?
- Dressed carcass weight averages 70% to 75% of live weight for Cornish Cross birds and 65% to 70% for Freedom Rangers. A 6.5 lb live Cornish Cross yields approximately 4.7 to 4.9 lbs of dressed meat.
- How much feed does a meat chicken eat from chick to harvest?
- A Cornish Cross broiler consumes about 13 to 15 lbs of starter and grower feed total over 7 to 8 weeks. Slower-growing broilers consume 16 to 20 lbs per bird due to the longer growing period.
- How much freezer space is needed for processed meat chickens?
- Plan on 1 cubic foot of freezer space for every 35 to 40 lbs of packaged poultry meat (or about 0.1 cubic feet per dressed bird). A batch of 25 broilers yielding 115 lbs of meat requires roughly 3 cubic feet of chest freezer space.
- Is raising your own meat chickens cheaper than buying store chicken?
- Homegrown meat chickens generally cost $3.50 to $5.50 per lb in feed costs alone. While more expensive than commercial factory-farmed chicken, it provides pasture-raised quality, control over feed ingredients, and zero processing additives.