Best Chicken Feeders: 2023 Buyer's Guide
How do I know what chicken feeder is best for my flock?
It’s possible you’ll need a different type of poultry feeder to make your birds happier and healthier. As homesteaders who have had many chicken feeder experiences during many years in raising poultry, our hope is that we can help ease your search. Together, we will find most effective chicken feeder for your chickens! Lets start looking!
Choosing the best chicken feeder to meet the needs of your flock can be tricky! Do you need a rainproof feeder? Are you looking to prevent rodents or reduce waste? Only have a few chickens? Whatever your priorities, there is a feeder for you. We have compiled a list of the best chicken feeders to help you meet your needs.
There are some key factors any chicken lover should consider when purchasing the best chicken feeder:
- How big is your flock?
- Will your feeder need to be rainproof?
- How much feed should your feeder hold?
- Do you have a rodent problem?
- How big/old are your chickens?
Chicken feeders can range from about $15 to $200. The cost ranges from relatively inexpensive feeders from plastic with basic forms and sitting on the ground to complicated, fully mechanized chicken feeders. So, we’ve made it easy to do your homework and invest in the best chicken feeder to meet your flock’s needs.
If you’ve been asking yourself, “How do I find the right chicken feeder?”, you’ve come to the right place. You will be able to compare the different types of feeders at a glance, as well as read a more thorough explanation. Then, when you’ve found what’s best for your flock, we even have an easy shopping table to help you find the best value!
Quick overview of our best chicken feeders
The most common categories of chicken feeders are: the hanging poultry feeder, gravity feeder (or automatic chicken feeder), treadle chicken feeder, and baby chick feeder.
Type of Feeder
Chick Feeders
Trough Feeders
Hanging Feeders
Gravity Feeders
Treadle Feeders
How many chicken feeders will I need for my flock?
Your love your backyard chickens. You want them to be happy, healthy, and well-fed. This is a simple question; then again, it’s not. The average number of birds per feeder is around 7-10. But sometimes (ok, almost always), you will have a domineering chicken that guards the food and won’t let the more bashful chickens to the feeder. Those timid birds need a feeder (perhaps smaller) set away from the main feeder. It’s kind of like not sitting by the bully at lunch in middle school! That being said, it’s a good idea to have more than one feeder for your flock.
Choosing a feeder isn’t easy. So- we’ve made some comparisons of several different feeders in each category. Take a look at our comparison table below. We will also explain some of the pros and cons of each and share our top recommendations.
Chick Feeders
For chicks less than six weeks old, the mason jar feeder is an effective and inexpensive solution. Once your little peeps start perching and scratching, you will need to move to a better option.
The RentACoop Chick2Chicken feeder is our top choice in this category.
It has a rain-proof hood to keep feed dry, adjustable mounting options, and an anti-roost lid. It’s a good size for both babies and larger chickens, as well.
Good
Better
Best
Trough Feeders
The ease of use of these feeders makes them an attractive, flexible option. The plastic feeders are inexpensive, require no setup, and are easy to fill and clean. They do need to be cleaned often and spilled feed can be a problem. The Little Giant trough keeps waste to a minimum, but it does not do a good job of deterring chickens from roosting on top, which leads to a lot of mess in your feeder.
Our top choice in the trough category is the Miller trough with an anti-roost roll bar. This trough is up off the ground a bit which deters critters, galvanized for easy cleaning, and easy to fill.
Good
Better
Best
Hanging Feeders
Hanging feeders are great for more enclosed spaces. They range in size and capacity, making them a good fit for any size flock. Hanging feeders help keep rodents and other critters out of your feeder.
Our best hanging feeder comes from RentACoop. The Chick2Chicken 4 Port Feeder is a manageable size for filling, carrying, and cleaning up. It’s easy to fill, has rain-proof hoods, and has an anti-roost roof. This feeder can also sit on the ground and will accommodate baby chicks.
Good
Better
Best
Gravity Feeders
Gravity feeders, or automatic chicken feeder, are the flagship of feeders. The Royal Rooster PVC Chicken Feeder is plastic construction and is as simple as they come. It must be mounted to a wall or fence. The Royal Rooster and the RentACoop Food Dispenser are easy to fill and have rain-proof hoods. They allow a larger flock to feed freely but being low to the ground, they both have easy access for rodents.
Our top recommendation in this category is the RentACoop 65lb Capacity 6-Port All-Weather Metal Poultry Feeder. This feeder is a behemoth! Large capacity, rain-proof hoods, and easy lid access. This feeder is NOT for baby chicks- they can crawl inside and get stuck!
Good
Better
Best
Treadle Feeders
The treadle chicken feeders here all work similarly. They all report keeping critters out of the feed and reducing feed waste. The Rural365 has some plastic on it, while the SuperHandy is all galvanized steel. The SuperHandy has side guards to reduce side feeding chickens and also has an “anti-flick” grill to help keep more feed in the feeder.
Our top pick in this category is the Grandpa’s Feeder. It’s definitely the gold standard in treadle feeders. It’s a little pricey, but it’s durable, has no plastic parts for mice to chew, and holds up to 20 lbs of feed.
Good
Better
Best
Top 5 Best Chicken Feeders: Editor's Pick
Chickens are notoriously messy. They flick around and scatter food, and attract wildlife, rats & other pests that can cause health problems. Pests are a major problem for chickens. They also contaminate the feed of the chickens. Then they spread disease. It translates into stressed chickens, and stressed animals experience decreased eggs. Use this article as an informational tool in finding ways in which chicken nutrition can keep your birds healthy and content.
Chicken Feeder Q & A
Q: Are metal or plastic chicken feeders better?
A: Plastic is usually less expensive, lighter and easier to clean. But it can wear out quickly or be chewed up by vermin. Metal, or galvanized steel, is typically more expensive and more durable.
Q: Should chicken feeders be in the chicken coop?
A: Keeping chicken feeders in the coop can protect them for the elements, but chickens are messy eaters. Their feed wastage can inadvertently attract critters to the coop. If you have a bully hen, she may guard the feeder in the coop and not let the shy bird feed.
Q: What is the best way to feed chickens?
A: Deciding on the best chicken feeder for your flock doesn’t have to be complicated. It’s an individualized decision based on your specific needs:
- How many chickens are in your flock?
- Will your feeder be in a covered area or out in the elements?
- How much chicken feed should your feeder hold?
- Do you have critters getting into your feed or chewing your feeder?
- Are there any baby chicks in your flock?
- How much do you want to spend?
Q: Why is keeping the feed mess down so important?
A: Chickens are messy. They flick around and scatter food, and attract wildlife, rats & other pests that can cause health problems. Pests are a major problem for chickens. They also contaminate the feed of the chickens. Then they spread disease. It translates into stressed chickens, and stressed animals experience decreased eggs.
Now that you’ve seen some of the best feeders out there, the decision is yours!
Want to know more about raising chickens?
If you love chickens as much as we do, check out these books about raising our favorite feathered friends.
Want to know more about chicken coops?
Check out our article on everything chicken coops below.
