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

To everyone’s amusement, his first program optimized the nutritional content of chicken feed.

From MIT Technology Review

Misakyab ku sa sabud sa mga manuk, I threw the chicken feed to the chickens.

From Project Gutenberg

"No chicken feed for me," he would say when they were set before him.

From Project Gutenberg

However, to do him justice, the transaction was more or less what he would have called "chicken-feed stuff."

From Project Gutenberg

Carolus stood in the yard eating Madam Land's chicken-feed and sour milk with excellent appetite.

From Project Gutenberg

For this reason this plant is hated by the Syrians, although they use tares very extensively as chicken feed.

From Project Gutenberg