Feed accounts for between 65 and 75 percent of the total cost of raising a broiler in Zimbabwe. Everything else — chicks, medication, labour, litter, electricity — shares the remaining quarter. That single fact should shape how you buy.
This guide covers current broiler feed prices across the three-phase feeding programme, explains what each phase actually does, and shows you how to calculate the total feed cost per bird so you know your break-even before you place a single chick.
The three-phase broiler feeding programme
Commercial broiler production in Zimbabwe generally follows a three-phase feeding programme, and each feed is formulated for a specific growth stage.
Broiler starter (day 1 to roughly day 14). The highest protein specification, typically 21 to 23 percent crude protein, usually supplied as crumbs so day-old chicks can physically handle it. This is the most expensive feed per kilogram, but birds eat relatively little of it — usually around 350 to 500 grams per bird across the whole starter phase.
Broiler grower (roughly day 15 to day 28). Protein steps down to around 19 to 20 percent as the emphasis shifts from frame development to muscle growth. Intake rises sharply through this phase.
Broiler finisher (day 29 to slaughter). Protein drops again to around 18 percent with higher energy density to lay down weight economically. This is where the bulk of your feed spend goes — a bird typically eats more feed in the final two weeks than in its first three combined.
Broiler feed prices by phase
Prices are indicative ranges for 50kg bags collected in Harare, checked August 2026. Starter commands the highest price per kilogram, with grower and finisher progressively cheaper. Expect regional premiums outside Harare, and expect meaningful discounts on tonne-plus orders collected directly from mill depots.
The major suppliers are National Foods, Profeeds, Novatek and Agrifoods, with a network of independent millers serving regional markets. Independents are often cheaper but consistency between batches varies more, which matters more in broilers than in most livestock because the production cycle is so short — a bad batch of feed in week three cannot be recovered by week six.
How much feed does one broiler eat?
A Cobb 500 or Ross 308 broiler raised to a live weight of about 2kg over 35 days will consume roughly 3.2 to 3.6kg of feed in total under good management. Push through to 42 days and a heavier bird of about 2.7kg, and total intake rises to somewhere around 4.5 to 5kg.
That total is the number to build your budget on. Multiply your expected total intake per bird by your blended feed cost per kilogram, and you have your feed cost per bird. Add your chick cost, then add roughly 20 to 25 percent for medication, litter, labour, electricity and mortality, and you have a working cost of production.
For a practical worked comparison of broiler economics against the alternative, see our analysis of roadrunner versus broiler profitability in Zimbabwe, which sets out where each system makes and loses money.
Feed conversion ratio: the number that decides your profit
Feed conversion ratio, or FCR, is total feed eaten divided by total live weight produced. A well-managed Zimbabwean broiler batch should achieve an FCR between 1.6 and 1.8. Above 2.0 and something is wrong.
The usual culprits are feed waste from overfilled feeders, heat stress reducing intake efficiency during the hot months, poor quality or stale feed, subclinical disease, or simply keeping birds longer than the market requires. Every 0.1 improvement in FCR on a 500-bird batch saves roughly 100kg of feed — real money at current prices.
Buying strategy that actually saves money
Buy the whole cycle up front where you can. Feed prices in Zimbabwe rarely fall, and having starter, grower and finisher secured before chicks arrive removes the risk of a mid-cycle price rise or stock-out forcing you to switch brands. Switching feed brands mid-batch is a common cause of a growth check.
Store feed off the floor on pallets, away from walls, in a dry rodent-proof room. Rodents are not a minor loss — an uncontrolled rat population can take a meaningful percentage of a batch’s feed and contaminate far more than it eats.
Check the manufacture date on every bag. Vitamin activity degrades over time, and starter feed is the most sensitive of the three.
Getting paid properly at the end of the cycle
Managing feed cost is only half the business. The other half is not giving your margin away at the point of sale. Farmers who sell to the first middleman who arrives at the gate routinely accept below-market prices simply because they have no visibility of what birds are worth that week.
You can list your birds on ChickenPrices and reach verified buyers directly, and check current market rates on our price tracker before you negotiate.
For breed-specific nutrient specifications and target performance figures, the management handbooks published by Aviagen (Ross) and Cobb-Vantress (Cobb 500) are the primary sources and are free to download.
Prices checked August 2026 and quoted as indicative ranges. Confirm current rates with your supplier before ordering.
