chicken feed

noun

Slang.

1. an insignificant sum of money.

   He's so rich that $1000 is chicken feed to him.

2. small change, as pennies and nickels.

chicken feed

noun

1. slang,  a trifling amount of money

Word History and Origins

Origin of chicken feed¹

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40

Idioms and Phrases

Trifling amount of money, as in I'm not going to mow lawns for $5 an hour—that's chicken feed. This expression alludes to the fact that chickens can be fed corn and wheat grains too small for other uses. [Slang; early 1800s]

Example Sentences

“Their needs and their wants are completely different than what we need here,” said Pamela Davis, 40, who was loading bags of chicken feed into the back of her SUV in Yuba City.

From Los Angeles Times

That might be chicken feed for a company of the size of Red Bull.

From BBC

Politics was immensely lucrative for the Trump family during the first term, but that looks like chicken feed compared to what they're doing now.

From Salon

Grooming services became a bigger part of the business in recent years, as had selling organic chicken feed and dog food made from avocados.

From Los Angeles Times

Mr Da Conceicao said that Mozambique has banned the importation of chickens and their derivatives from South Africa, including eggs and chicken feed.

From BBC