Chicken Feeders: Everything you need to know

Chicken feeders ensure that all the chicken feeds are utilized properly without any wastage. It is easy to make a good choice and end up with the right tool to feed your birds.

Ending up with 6 best products for chicken feeders has taken me many hours scouring through the internet to get the best value for your money.

It has prompted me go through many products and filtered only to end up with 6 that will not disappoint you.

This made me go deeper and find out how people who have used these tools had to say about them. I picked every detail and read through each line to make sure that what you are about to settle on and swipe your card will meet your needs.

What is a chicken feeder

A chicken feeder is a vessel that holds, stores and dispenses poultry feed to chickens. These tools have openings that chickens are able access and feed freely from.

They are available in different sizes and shapes. Some are made of metallic sheets while others are made of plastic material

The best chicken feeders are made of plastic because they are good on resisting elements such as heat and cold.

Feeders that have several chambers in them are good as chickens can feed from these chambers minimizing wastage of chicken feed.

Chicken feeders can be hanged several inches from the ground either suspended from the ceiling or mounted on the wall.

This will help minimize feed wastage and also prevent contamination of feeds with beddings that are scattered as chickens scatter the ground.

Importance of chicken feeders

Feeders do not just dispense food to your birds but they have other important roles they play. Let’s continue reading to find out more:

They dispense feeds to chickens

Feeders have the major role of dispensing feeds to your flock of chickens. They hold the feeds and chickens can freely feed from these tools.

Feeds remain clean in feeders

Feeds placed in chicken feeders remain clean and are not contaminated. Beddings and poop easily mix with feeds that are scattered on the ground. Kitchens scratch on the floor looking for grubs and spread the litter all over even on the feed.

They keep the feed dry

Feeders keep the feeds dry because they are in different containers and different points from chicken waterers. Some types of feeders are designed in a way that they have rain cover that prevents entry of rain water especially when kept outside.

6 Best Feeders for Chickens

How I ended up on these 6 feeders and branded them is not mystery but through experience and thorough research I settled on them.

Though they differ in terms of cost with each having a different price with the other, they also differ in sizes, shapes and features.

Some are large for a bigger flock while some are small for few chickens and also baby chicks. I have first-hand experience as a chicken enthusiast and I have seen how some of these tools work.

Let’s go through each of them to know what features they have and their good and bad side.

RentACoop 65lb Capacity 6 port All weather metal Poultry Feeder

Key Features:

Material: Metallic

Size: 23 by 17 by 11 inches

Weight: 14.77 pounds or 6.65kgs

Made in: USA

This all-weather chicken feeder is an excellent option for any chicken keeper as it is not deterred by elements. Come rain come sun it will serve you best.

It has a cuboid design with a water proof lid that allows the feed to remain dry throughout and free from dampness. This allows the feed that remains after your birds stomachs are full stay fresh.

The design does not allow contamination of food with poop and beddings because it is closed only allowing openings that chicken feed from remain open.

Feed wastage is not a problem as chicken only get their heads in the feeder to feed. This denies them the chance to scatter the feed all over like they do when feeding from open troughs.

Rodents such as rats, mice and squirrels are kept at bay as they are unable to access the chicken feed and get free meals. The openings where chickens feed from are narrow enough only for chickens to put their heads.

This amazing chicken feeder is made of galvanized metallic material that cannot rust or corrode giving you a long service span. You don’t have to worry about leaving it outside overnight thinking you will find it rusted in the morning.

It has 6 ports that allow multiple chickens to feed once. This large feeder can accommodate 65lbs of chicken feed allowing your birds to have food for several days without any worries.

RentACoop 65lb feeder has a lid and handle attached on it. The lid makes it easy for you to put the contents while the handle makes it easy to carry along.

Pros

• It is easy for chickens to use.
• This feeder reduces feed spillage and wastage.
• The feed remains dry.
• It holds a lot of feed.

Cons

• The flat top makes it easy for chickens to perch on it.
• Its corners are not rolled and can cause injury.
• Portal covers are easy to lose as they are not permanently fixed.

Poultry Pro Feeder DIY Port PVC Gravity Fed Chicken Feeder 3 ports

Key Features:

Size: 27 by 26.1 by 9.4cm

Manufacturer: Poultry Pro Feeder

Weight: 430.92 grams

Material: Plastic

As for me, this is the best overall product that I have ever used to feed my flock. The designer was sure as they engineered this amazing tool for simplicity. Assembling this tool to your container of choice can be done with your eyes closed as it is simple and easy.

This feeder is very versatile and gives you an option to use any container available. May it be a 5 gallon bucket, plastic bins, PVC pipes to name just but a few. It gives any chicken enthusiasts an easy time as they are spared from scratching their heads looking for the right set to fit it.

It is weather proof because it can not affected by rain or sunshine. The plastic material that makes this feeder is water proof keeping the feed dry and free from contamination at all times.

This chicken feeder is specially made in a way that rats, mice squirrels and other types of rodent cannot get a chance to sneak in and get free food.

It is an automatic gravity fed style poultry feeder making work easier as feed falls near the chicken’s beak and your birds eat with ease. The feed remains fresh and free from mold even when the weather is very humid.

Poultry Pro Feeder is made of durable and tough food grade plastic material that last for long and serve you as you desire.

Pros

• It is easy to set it up.
• No contamination and feed spillage.
• Feeds remain dry and free from molds.

Royal Rooster Chicken Feeder With Rain Cover and Valve Cup water

Key Features:

Size: 9 by 10 by 20 inches

Color: White

Weight: 4.06 pounds

These feeders are specially made in a pocket friendly model that allows no feed wastage at all. Such unique features make sure that more money meant for buying extra feeds is saved.

The unique division in the feeder does not give a chance to your birds to rake into the feed and scatter it all over. It also denies your birds a chance to mix their food with beddings and poop as it has a cap cover.

It has a cover that prevents rain water from getting in and turning the contents marshy. You can put it outside no matter the weather and have your birds fed. This cover also helps keep free meal opportunists like squirrels and game birds at bay.

These gravity fed style chicken feeders helps reduce the amount of time used to feed chickens and also ensures there is enough food for your flock all the time. The valve cup allows constant and steady supply of clean and fresh drinking water.

It is one of the best winter waterers as a heater can be put inside. This will keep the water several degrees warm and prevent it from freezing.

Each set comes along with 4 to 6 brackets that make it easier to mount this tool on the fence or on the wall. Mounting it will ensure that your birds don’t get beddings and other litter in the feeder when they scratch in the coop.

This chicken feeder is made of high quality and durable plastic material that lasts for long serving you longer and cuts down the cost of buying feeders more often.

Pros

• It is easy to assemble.
• This feeder reduces the chances of feed wastage.
• It is easy for chickens to use.
• This product is not affected by weather.
• It uses very little space in the coop.

Cons

• It is not ideal for many birds.

25LB Outdoor Rainproof Galvanized Chicken Feeder 20 Liter Capacity

Key Features:

Size: 17 by 13 by 7.9 inches

Weight: 8.4 pounds

Material: metallic

Brand: RentACoop

This chicken feeder has a cuboid shape making it completely rainproof making it easy to keep the feed dry and free from mold.

It can hold up to 25lbs of feed. This helps to keep your birds fed for long and you don’t have to worry leaving your birds as you only need to fill it and the chickens are fine.

Cases of feed spillage are rare as the openings only allow chickens to get their heads in to eat. This model also makes it hard for rodents and other vermin to get free meals and contaminate the feeds and spread diseases.

This tool comes with screws to help you mount it on the wall or on the fence. Also, the manufacturer provides a manual that guides the user how to assemble and fix it as required for easier usage.

It is suitable for all kinds of poultry that are above 12 weeks old. A variety of chicken feeds like marsh, grains and pellets can be served in this feeder.

Pros

• It is easy to refill as you only need to lift the lid and put the feed.
• This feeder has openings that are wide enough for your chickens to reach for food with ease.
• It keeps the feeds clean and dry.
• All kinds of poultry can use it.
• It can hold large amount of feed.

Cons

• It lacks a handle making lifting hardy especially when full.
• You have to open to check the feed level.
• Some birds have to wait in line to feed as only few can eat at a time.
• The lid is light in weight and will easily be blown by wind.
• It has a flat top that can be a perfect spot for chickens to perch on.

SuperHandy Chicken Feeder Automatic 20lbs (9kgs) Capacity

Key Features:

Weight: 12 pounds

Size: 19.7 by 17 by 11.2 inches

Manufacturer: Intradin (Shanghai) Co.Ltd

This item is has a large trough that can hold up to 9kgs of feed enough to keep 6 chickens fed for 10 days. Such a model gives you freedom to go on with your daily chores knowing that your birds are not hungry.

It has a special design with a flick grill that makes it hard for chickens to spill and waste feed. Moreover, this ensures that rodents like rats other vermin and game birds don’t get a chance to taste free meals. This reduces the extra cost of feeds that these unwanted guests steal.

Cases where your flock spend the day hungry, no worries as a treadle plate on this amazing tool provides a large surface area for your birds to stand and access food with ease.

Rust and corrosion are no longer an issue with this tool. It is made of high quality galvanized steel material that is resistant to rust and elements.

The manufacturer of this tool added slide guards that train your birds to stand on the treadle plate and eat.

For large birds like roosters, their needs are sorted out. This tool has an outlet opening that give them equal feeding opportunities with other birds.

The treadle plate has diamond markings on it that prevents your chickens from slipping and sliding over while trying to reach for food.

Pros

• It holds large amounts of feed.
• There are no cases of feed spillage and wastage.
• The galvanized steel material does not rust making it to last longer.
• Chickens don’t have to line up to feed as they get equal feeding opportunities.
• The automatic opening and shutting features don’t allow rodents and other vermin to get free food.

Cons

• It is not ideal for young birds less than 1.8lbs
• This tool cannot be used on the open sun as plate gets too hot for the birds feet.

Harris Farms Free Range Hanging Poultry Feeder/ Twist Lock Base/ 10 Pound

Key Features:

Color: White

Brand: Harris Farms

Mounting Type: Hanging Mount

Size: 1 by 1 by 1 inches

Weight: 1.25lbs

This item is light in weight making it easy to carry a long. It is good for those with small to medium flocks not exceeding 25 chickens.

The handle is strong making hanging easy and secure to keep rodents and other vermin from stealing. Suspending this feeder makes it hard for you birds to contaminate the feed with poop and beddings.

It has a unique division that allows your chickens to feed without raking in the food causing wastage and spillage. This unique feature makes sure you not to incur extra cost on feed that could become waste.

Cleaning this chicken feeder is easy because it is made of food grade plastic material. All that you require to get rid of poop from it is soap and water and the dirt factor is sorted.

Filling this chicken feeder with feed is quite easy. Its top is open to allow you pour food inside with much ease. This tool has a deep base that allows it to hold much food enough for your birds. It is suitable on all kinds of poultry.

Pros

• It is very easy to clean.
• Monitoring the feed level is easy as you just look from the top.
• This feeder is suitable on poultry of all sizes and age.
• It is easy to fill this feeder.

Cons

• It is not suitable to use outside when it is rainy as it lacks a rain cover.
• Chickens can easily litter the feed with beddings.

How to Choose the Right Chicken Feeder

A decent chicken feeder is a great deal. You need to be sure on what you are about to put your hand in the pocket for and take it home. In this buying guide, I am going to take you through some of the factors to consider before making a purchase.

8 Things to Consider When Buying a Chicken Feeder

Here we go.

The number of birds you have

How many birds do you have in your flock? If there are many birds, consider having several chicken feeders as they will serve them better. Few chickens can have on small feeder and still serve them better.

And the cost…

How the feeders cost in the place you intend to buy from will affect the number you will take home. If you have enough cash you can carry as many as you want but with no cash your option becomes limited.

Some are very costly giving you a choice of picking one or two where you are short of finances. In a case where you get them cheap and you have enough money you can carry several that will best suit your birds.

Material

Is the feeder made of plastic or is it metallic? Plastic feeders when exposed in the sun for long end up becoming brittle and crack. However, unlike metallic ones that will easily rust and corrode, plastic will not.

Some metallic feeders when left out in the sun may become too hot and burn the chicken’s feet when stepped on. Others will rust and corrode reducing their service span.

Portability

How heavy or how light your feeder is will determine how it will be carried from one place to another. The size will also affect storage as big feeders will occupy and eat up much space unlike small ones.

Hanging/Mounting

Choose chicken feeders that can be easily mounted on the wall or on fences. This will reduce wastage of feed and reduce chances of rodents, vermin and game birds getting free meals.

Those feeders that have handles are also a great option as they can easily be suspended from the ceiling or from tree branches. However, when hanging them, consider the feeding height just to make sure your chickens access feed with ease.

Amount of feed it can hold

The volume of feed your chicken feeder can hold is very important. Feeders that can hold large amount of feed are very good for those that have other matters to attend to as they can go for days without worries.

Shallow feeders or those with little capacity will require you to top them up quite often. These types are good for people who spend much of their time around their birds.

Ease to clean

Plastic feeders are the easiest to clean as you only require soap and water. Cleaning is very important as it helps kill any bacteria that may have built up. Doing this to your tools at least twice a month with warm water, soap and mild bleach will get rid of bacteria.

Metallic feeders also require cleaning to kill bacteria too. But in cases where they are affected by rust, clean during the day and put them out in the sun to dry to remove any moisture.

Durability

How long will the chicken feeder serve you? This is a question you need to ask yourself as you need to get the value of your money. Quality products will serve you for long without cases of breakdown or failure.

Choose one that will last longer and serve you better. Happy chicken feeding!