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Hens eating from a covered metal feeder in a backyard run in morning light
Best feeders

The Best Chicken Feeders for Backyard Flocks

A covered feeder that holds a week of feed and sits at back height beats a cheap open trough for most flocks.

By Kyle Updated 13 min read Prices checked
On this page
  1. Quick picks
  2. How I chose these feeders
  3. Best overall and best no-waste port feeder
  4. Best treadle feeder
  5. Best for a small flock that has rats
  6. Best large chicken feeder for a big flock
  7. Best big-capacity gravity feeder
  8. Best metal trough with a rain hood
  9. Best budget metal feeder
  10. Best budget feeder for small birds
  11. How big a feeder do you need?
  12. Where to put a chicken feeder
  13. Gravity, hanging or trough: which should you buy?
  14. Which feeder type wastes the least?
  15. Cleaning a chicken feeder and fixing common problems
  16. Feed, water and the rest of the setup

The best chicken feeder for most backyard flocks is a covered feeder with hooded ports or a lid, sized to hold about a week of feed and set at back height. A laying hen eats about a quarter pound a day (University of Kentucky), so the feeder should hold hens times days times 0.25 lb and keep that feed dry. Below are eight picks from the makers’ spec pages and Amazon listings with owner complaints linked, a sizing table, and a straight look at which feeder designs waste the least.

Quick picks

The right pick depends on flock size and whether your trouble is spilled feed, rain or rats. Capacity is the maker’s number, and the “hens for 7 days” column divides it by 1.75 lb, which is one hen’s week of feed at 0.25 lb a day, rounded down.

Feeder Type Capacity Hens for 7 days Rain cover Rodent claim Price (checked 2026-10-09, Amazon picks 2026-10-20) Buy
RentACoop 25 lb 4-Port Bucket Port bucket 25 lb about 14 Hooded ports, lid Covers close at night $69.95 Check price
Grandpa’s Feeder Treadle 20 lb or 40 lb about 11 or 22 Weight-activated lid, no weatherproof guarantee Makes feed harder to reach, no guarantee $189.99–$239.99 Check price
Roamwild PestOff Spring-loaded ports 8 lb about 4 Maker says weatherproof Maker says pest-proof by design $49.99 Check price
RentACoop 65 lb Flock Feeder Six-port 65 lb about 37 Rain hoods, peaked lid None claimed $159.95 Check price
OverEZ 50 lb Three-port gravity 50 lb about 28 Port overhang, per the listing None claimed $79.99 Check price
RentACoop 25 lb Trough with Lid Trough 25 lb about 14 Removable rain hood Maker says it deters pests $89.95 Check price
Harris Farms 15 lb Hanging pan 15 lb about 8 None listed, needs a roof None claimed $19.00 Check price
RentACoop 10 lb 4-Port Port bucket 10 lb about 5 Covered ports Covers close at night $42.95 Check price

How I chose these feeders

I ranked these on published specs, extension intake data and linked owner reviews, and I write “not stated” when a maker leaves a number out. I have not run a controlled comparison of any of them. Every rodent claim below is the maker’s, and none comes with independent data. What I care about most is capacity against flock size, whether the ports and lid are covered, what the body is made of, and what owners complain about most.

Best overall and best no-waste port feeder

The RentACoop 25 lb port feeder is the best chicken feeder for most flocks of 6 to 14 hens because it covers its ports, steers feed down with an interior diverter and costs about $2.80 per pound of capacity. No feeder is truly no-waste, because hens still scratch, but the hood and the diverter go after scatter at the opening. The catch is the plastic body, which owners say does not last forever outdoors.

Best treadle feeder

Grandpa’s Feeder is the best treadle chicken feeder because the maker publishes activation weights, a two-stage training plan and honest limits. Its galvanized steel body and weight-activated lid keep feed closed whenever no hen is standing on it. It costs about three times the port feeder above, so buy it for rat or wild-bird pressure, not for waste alone. The treadle feeder guide covers how they work and how to train hens.

Best for a small flock that has rats

The Roamwild PestOff is the best pick for two to four hens with a rat problem, because it holds the feed behind two spring-loaded ports that open under a hen’s weight and costs $49.99. The maker says it needs no adjustment or training. It holds 8 lb, which feeds four hens for about a week, so it suits a small backyard flock and not a big one.

Best large chicken feeder for a big flock

The RentACoop 65 lb flock feeder is the best large chicken feeder here because it holds enough for 20 hens for about 13 days at 0.25 lb a day and puts rain hoods over six ports. It is a feeder for birds over 12 weeks old. Owners report shipping dents, pellets that will not flow and condensation inside, so check the unit the day it arrives.

Best big-capacity gravity feeder

The OverEZ 50 lb feeder is the pick when you want a big hopper for less than half the price of the RentACoop 65 lb. At $79.99 it works out to about $1.60 per pound of capacity, and 50 lb lasts 20 hens about 10 days at 0.25 lb a day. The trade-off is three feeding ports, which the listing says feed three birds at once, so a flock that size will queue or need a second station. The listing rates it 4.5 out of 5 from 1,764 ratings on Amazon, 2026-10-20 (Amazon listing).

Best metal trough with a rain hood

The RentACoop 25 lb galvanized trough is the pick if you want all metal and a rain hood instead of a plastic bucket. The maker builds it from galvanized sheet metal with stainless steel screws, adds a magnetic lid, and says it is designed to minimize waste. Owners say hens can still make a mess.

Best budget metal feeder

The Harris Farms 15 lb hanging feeder is the cheapest feeder on this page at $19.00, and it is all galvanized steel with rolled edges. It is an open pan, so it does nothing about rats, and no rain cover is listed, so hang it under a roof. The listing says spring-loaded clips adjust it, and it rates 4.5 out of 5 from 3,952 ratings on Amazon, 2026-10-20 (Amazon listing).

Best budget feeder for small birds

The RentACoop 10 lb port feeder is the cheapest covered option here at $42.95, and the listing pitches it at small to medium adult chickens and chicks as young as 3 days. Owners say the ports are too small for full-grown hens and that rain protection is mixed, so buy it for bantams or a pair of small hens and not a mixed flock.

How big a feeder do you need?

Multiply hens by days by 0.25 lb. Six hens for a week need 10.5 lb, and ten hens for a week need 17.5 lb. Alabama Extension puts a hen at 100 to 150 grams a day, so 10 hens finish a 50 lb bag in about 20 days.

Hens 3 days 7 days 14 days
4 3 lb 7 lb 14 lb
6 4.5 lb 10.5 lb 21 lb
10 7.5 lb 17.5 lb 35 lb
12 9 lb 21 lb 42 lb
20 15 lb 35 lb 70 lb

Hens that sit at the top of Alabama’s 100 to 150 gram range eat about a third more than the table. Use 0.33 lb a day instead, which turns 10 hens for a week into about 23 lb. Free-ranging birds eat more as well (University of Kentucky).

Space matters as much as capacity. Utah State Extension allows 2 to 3 linear inches of feeder per adult bird, so 12 hens need 24 to 36 inches of feeding width. Count the ports or trough edge, and add a second feeder if the low-ranking hens get pushed off. Alabama Extension links too little feeder space to fighting and feather pecking, so a second station is cheap insurance in a flock with a bully. One large chicken feeder is easier to fill, but two smaller ones spread the pecking order out. Set the bottom of the feeder at about back height (Alabama Extension) and place it so birds cannot roost on it.

Where to put a chicken feeder

Put it inside the coop or under a solid roof. Utah State Extension says to keep feeders where they are protected from moisture, wild animals and free-flying birds, and prefers inside the coop. Raise it off the ground on a stand, a hook or blocks, and keep it away from the roost bars so nothing drops into it overnight. Alabama Extension adds that hens roosting on a feeder contaminate the feed, which is why some feeders come with anti-roost guards (Alabama Extension).

Leave room to walk around it. You will refill it, check the ports and clean under it, and a feeder jammed into a corner is the one that stops getting checked. Keep it a few steps from the waterer so splashed water does not wet the feed.

If you offer oyster shell, give it its own small dish rather than mixing it into the feeder. Alabama Extension says extra oyster shell is probably unnecessary for hens on a good complete layer feed, but that it is cheap and does no harm. The oyster shell for chickens guide covers when to start it and how it differs from grit.

Gravity, hanging or trough: which should you buy?

A gravity chicken feeder moves dry feed from a hopper into a tray or port as hens eat. It can be a bucket, a suspended feeder or a metal trough. Hanging changes the mounting, not the feed delivery or rodent protection. Compare the opening and the support rather than treating those names as separate guarantees.

Choose hooded gravity ports when hens rake feed out of a wide tray. Check that the opening fits the largest bird’s head and that the smallest bird can reach it comfortably. The RentACoop bucket above has sliding covers for nighttime closure; the larger flock feeder’s listing does not include port covers. Look inside the ports during daily checks. A full hopper can still leave hens hungry if damp feed or fines block the outlet.

Hanging chicken feeders suit a sheltered station where you can adjust the tray height as birds grow. A broad open tray makes it easy to see feed, but it also lets hens flick it into bedding. Before buying, check the manufacturer’s hanging instructions, the support attachment and whether the empty feeder swings when a hen feeds. Use a support that can carry the filled feeder. Keep the tray level and within reach of the smallest bird, and watch for hens guarding access.

A metal hanging chicken feeder is worth comparing when you want a tray you can inspect easily. Metal does not make an open tray rat-proof. Check for sharp edges, rust, a removable tray and a lid that keeps birds from roosting on the feed. The Harris Farms card above is the hanging pan option here. Backyard Poultry magazine says retail galvanized feeders rust quickly and are hard to clean, so check the seams each time you empty it. For the other models, follow the maker’s mounting instructions rather than hanging a bucket or trough by an improvised attachment.

Trough chicken feeders give hens an open feeding edge. The galvanized model above includes a rain hood and a grate that moves for cleaning, but owners still report spills. Choose a trough when you value access and easy inspection, then check the feeding width and the grate’s removal before choosing capacity. Keep it under shelter and close or remove feed at dusk.

Most feeders sold as “automatic” are gravity or treadle feeders: they refill the tray or open the lid on their own, with no power. Motorized feeders that dispense on a timer exist too, but they add batteries or a power line to a dusty coop, and a complete layer feed is meant to be available all day anyway (Alabama Extension). For hands-off refilling, read the automatic chicken feeder guide before deciding that a motor is necessary. For a homemade setup, the DIY chicken feeder guide compares bucket, PVC and trough builds.

Which feeder type wastes the least?

Hooded ports limit how far hens can rake feed out, while a closing lid limits access when hens step away. Those design features support the choices above. This page has no measured waste comparison for these exact models, so it cannot promise a winner by pounds saved.

Type Why it wastes less or more Rain Rodents
Open hanging trough Hens can reach in and flick feed over the lip Open to the weather unless it has a hood Open all night
Trough with lid Lid and grate slow scatter, owners still report spills Rain hood on the model above Lid closed only if you close it
Hooded port bucket Hoods and diverters cut scatter at the opening Hooded ports, mixed owner reports Covers shut at dusk if you close them
Treadle Lid closes when no hen is on it, hens can still rake feed from the trough Maker-dependent Harder to reach, not a guarantee
Spring-loaded ports Ports stay shut for lighter animals Maker says weatherproof Maker says pest-proof by design

Dine-A-Chook, which sells a competing feeder, argues that a treadle box still lets hens rake feed out and that a floating steel grate reduces waste without eliminating it (Dine-A-Chook). Read that as a competitor’s view, and note that it matches the owner reports on the trough above.

DIY is the other route. In a Facebook thread on feeder systems for a large flock, one keeper says they use several 6 inch PVC pipes with U-shaped joints at the bottom, and a thread on feeders for 9 chickens describes 5-gallon bucket feeders with DIY kits as popular for cutting daily filling. Neither thread measures waste, so treat both as owner ideas.

The feed matters too. Alabama Extension says adult chickens waste more feed when they eat crumbles. The University of Kentucky says pelleted feed means less spillage and less waste (source). If waste is your problem, change to pellets before you spend $200 on a feeder, and do not fill any feeder to the brim.

Cleaning a chicken feeder and fixing common problems

Empty the feeder all the way before you top it up now and then, and brush out what is left. Utah State Extension says to clean and brush feeders often so old feed does not build up and go stale or moldy. A port or gravity feeder that is only ever topped up keeps the oldest feed at the bottom, right where hens eat. Let it dry fully before refilling, because damp corners are where mold starts.

Buy feed in amounts you will finish. Alabama Extension says complete feed loses quality with age, suggests feed no more than about 3 months old, and says to store it somewhere dry and mild in a container rodents and insects cannot get into (Alabama Extension). It also warns that excess feed sitting in a feeder attracts rodents and insects.

Most feeder trouble falls into a few patterns, and the owner reports on the cards above show most of them.

Problem Likely cause What to do
Feed will not flow into the ports or tray Fines, crumbles or damp feed packing at the outlet Switch to pellets, empty and dry the feeder, tap the outlet clear
Moldy feed in the bottom corners Condensation or rain getting in Move it under cover, empty it fully between fills
Hens ignore the new feeder Feed is still easier to get somewhere else Pick up the old feeder and loose feed once every bird has found the new one
Feed on the floor under it Feeder too low, open lip, crumbles Raise it to back height, use hooded ports, switch to pellets
Rats or mice at night Open feeder and spilled feed Close or pull it at dusk, see the rat-proof feeder guide
Hens roosting on it No anti-roost top, feeder near the roost Add a cone or sloped lid, move it away from the roost bars

Feed, water and the rest of the setup

Feed and water go together. Chickens drink about twice as much water as they eat by weight (University of Kentucky), so ten hens eating 2.5 lb of feed a day drink about 5 lb, or 2.5 quarts. Pair the feeder with one of the best chicken waterers, and keep both clear of the coop corners where rats travel. Rats eat what is abundant, and Norway rats favor cereal grains (UC IPM), so spilled feed anywhere near the coop is an invitation. The rest of the fix is a coop rats cannot enter, which the predator-proof coop guide covers. If rats are your main problem, start with the rat-proof chicken feeder guide. The full set of feeder guides lives in the chicken feeder hub.

Questions people ask

How much feed does a chicken eat per day?

A laying hen eats about a quarter pound of feed a day, according to University of Kentucky Extension. Alabama Extension gives 100 to 150 grams, which is 0.22 to 0.33 pounds. Free-ranging birds eat more, so size up if yours forage hard.

What chicken feeder wastes the least feed?

By design, a covered feeder with hooded ports or a weight-activated lid wastes the least, because hens cannot rake feed out over an open lip. Pellets spill less than crumbles (University of Kentucky, Alabama Extension), and a feeder with its bottom at about back height wastes less than one on the ground. No one has published measured waste for these exact models, so treat the ranking as design logic.

How big a feeder do I need for 10 chickens?

Ten hens eat about 2.5 pounds a day, so a feeder that lasts a week needs to hold about 17.5 pounds. It also needs 20 to 30 linear inches of feeding space, because Utah State Extension allows 2 to 3 inches per adult bird. A 25 lb feeder lasts those ten hens about ten days.

Should I leave the chicken feeder out at night?

I would pull it or close it at dusk. Hens roost after dark, and UC IPM says rats are mostly active at night and advises bringing outdoor food inside at night, so an open feeder feeds them instead. A feeder with closing ports or a weight-activated lid does this for you. The rat-proof feeder guide covers the rest of the fix.

Do treadle feeders stop rats?

They make feed harder for rats to reach, but no maker guarantees it. Grandpa's Feeder states on its own page that it is not a universal rat-proof guarantee. Read the treadle feeder guide for activation weights and training.

How high should a chicken feeder be?

Set the bottom of the feeder at about the height of your hens' backs, per Alabama Extension. Utah State Extension puts it level with the mid to upper breast. Either way it is off the ground, and you raise it as birds grow. Size it to your smallest hen, not your biggest.

Sources

  1. University of Kentucky Extension ASC-191: How much will my chickens eat?
  2. Alabama Extension: Feeding the laying hen
  3. Utah State University Extension: Basics for raising backyard chickens
  4. UC IPM: Rats pest notes (what rats eat)
  5. RentACoop: Chicken feeders collection (prices and capacities)
  6. Grandpa's Feeder treadle feeder (maker's product page)
  7. Roamwild PestOff Rat Proof Chicken Feeder (maker's product page)
  8. Dine-A-Chook: The problems with a treadle chicken feeder (competitor view)
  9. Amazon listing: OverEZ Chicken Feeder, 50 lb
  10. Amazon listing: Harris Farms Galvanized Hanging Poultry Feeder, 15 lb
  11. Backyard Poultry: How to pick the best chicken feeders and waterers
Kyle, the Raising Chickens rooster mascot

Written by Kyle

Kyle has kept backyard chickens on his own small farm for five years. He reads the extension research, the spec sheets and the owner complaints, then tells you what he would buy and what he would skip.

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