Too many fines in chicken feed pellets affect pellet durability, reduce feed intake, and lower the efficiency of your feed mill. If you want stable performance in poultry feed processing, here are the five most common, real-world reasons behind high fines — and what you can do to fix them.
1. Formula has too much fat or sugar
One of the biggest causes of fines is unbalanced feed formulation. When the recipe contains too much oil, fat, or sugar (like excessive molasses), the material becomes slippery and cannot bind well. This directly reduces pellet durability (PDI) and increases breakage during cooling and handling.
Fix:
Reduce added oil, or apply part of the oil after pelleting. Review your formulation to avoid excess fat levels.
2. Conditioning time is too short (less than 30 seconds)
Short steam conditioning time prevents starch from properly gelatinizing. Without enough heat and moisture, particles cannot form strong pellets, leading to high fines at the pellet mill outlet.
Fix:
Increase retention time to more than 30 seconds. Ensure the conditioner provides even mixing and stable steam flow.
3. Conditioning temperature is too low (must be above 78°C)
Low temperature is a common issue in many mills. If the conditioning temperature stays below 78°C, the material does not soften enough to produce dense, durable pellets.
Fix:
Use clean, dry steam and keep operating temperature above 78°C. Variations in steam quality can cause big changes in pellet quality.
4. Moisture after conditioning is too low (should be >14.5%)
Good moisture control in feed production is essential. When the material after steam conditioning is too dry, pellet compression becomes weak and fines increase.
Fix:
Maintain post-conditioner moisture above 14.5%. Adjust steam volume or use controlled water mist if necessary.
5. Die L/D ratio is too short — chicken feed requires about 1:13
A short die compression ratio reduces pressure inside the pellet mill. For poultry diets, a proper pellet die compression ratio is key to improving PDI.
Fix:
Use a die with an L/D ratio of around 1:13 for chicken feed. Regularly check for die wear to maintain consistent results.
Practical checklist to reduce fines
- Optimize feed formulation (avoid excess fat/sugar).
- Increase steam conditioning time (>30 seconds).
- Maintain conditioning temperature above 78°C.
- Control moisture after conditioning (>14.5%).
- Use a suitable die compression ratio (L/D ≈ 1:13).
- Keep steam quality stable to support consistent pelletizing.
Final thoughts — small adjustments, big improvement
In most feed mills, fines come from several small issues working together. Step-by-step adjustments in formulation, steam conditioning, moisture, and die selection often bring a large improvement in pellet quality, capacity, and energy efficiency.
If you're upgrading equipment or optimizing a poultry feed line, you can explore our related solutions here:
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