Treadle Chicken Feeders: Do They Work and Which to Buy

A treadle chicken feeder keeps feed under a lid that opens only when a hen stands on a platform. It is worth buying for an adult flock that has rats, wild birds or rain at the feeder, and it is a poor buy for chicks, very light birds or a flock whose only problem is spilled feed. Expect to pay $65 to $240 on the pages I checked, and plan on about two weeks of training.

How treadle feeders work

A treadle feeder is a feed box with a weighted lid that a platform lifts when a hen steps on it. The lid drops when she steps off, so feed stays closed for everything lighter than the activation weight. Grandpa’s Feeder lists approximate activation weights of 14 oz (500 g) for its Standard model and 2 lb (900 g) for its Large (maker’s page).

Makers tune the lid in different ways. ratproofchickenfeeder.net fits a cabinet-door soft-close cylinder on its small and medium models and a counterweight system on its large one (maker’s site). In the GRIT build, moving the riser arms closer to the hinge makes the lid easier to lift but opens it less, and moving them farther back opens it wider but needs more weight. That trade-off is why a feeder set for heavy hens can fail a light one.

Pros and cons

Treadle feeders give you a covered, high-capacity feeder that rodents and wild birds find harder to use, in exchange for a high price, a training period and moving parts. The claims on both sides come from sellers, so I label them.

On waste, the evidence splits. ratproofchickenfeeder.net claims many customers save 50 percent on feed once rats and mice are stopped, a vendor report and not a measurement. A keeper in a Facebook backyard poultry group cut their feed bill by about half after adding treadle feeders. Dine-A-Chook, which sells a competing feeder, argues that a treadle box does nothing to stop hens raking feed out, that an open lid lets rain in, and that springs and hinges rust or fatigue (Dine-A-Chook). That is a competitor’s view with no cited data, but it lines up with owner reports of latch failures and water getting in on the RentACoop listing below.

Best treadle chicken feeder picks

For most adult flocks the Grandpa’s Feeder is the best treadle chicken feeder because it publishes activation weights and a training plan, and it states its own limits. The RentACoop 25 lb comes with a rain cover and a lower price, the Rat Proof Chicken Feeder Medium is a U.S.-made option with a soft-close door, and the Feedomatic is sold for chickens and ducks. Prices below were checked 2026-10-09, except the Feedomatic, checked on Amazon 2026-10-20. The full chicken feeder hub has the port and trough options.

Best treadle Grandpa's Feeder

Grandpa's Feeder Treadle Feeder

adult hens in a flock of 6 to 40 or more, with a keeper who will follow the training plan

$189.99–$239.99checked 2026-10-09

Capacity

Standard about 20 lb, Large about 40 lb

Activation weight

Standard 14 oz (500 g), Large 2 lb (900 g), approximate

Maker's flock size

Standard up to 12 hens, Large 12 or more

Body

Galvanized steel with a weight-activated lid

Training

Two stages of about one week each

Feed

Dry feed only, not for baby chicks

• Activation weights published for both sizes
• Two-stage training plan from the maker
• Galvanized steel body
• Priciest treadle here
• Maker says it is not a rat, wildlife or weather guarantee
• No wet mash or damp feed
• Bantams not addressed by the maker

What owners report

The maker's page carries no customer reviews. Keepers in a Facebook backyard poultry group recommend Grandpa's and other treadle feeders with guards for deterring wild birds.

See feeder sizes and price Amazon · Affiliate link The dated price above is from the cited seller. Check Amazon for its current price.

Alternative RentACoop

RentACoop 25 lb Automatic Metal Treadle Feeder

6 to 14 hens when you want a rain cover and a lower price than Grandpa's

$179.95checked 2026-10-09

Capacity

25 lb (a 40 lb version is $219.95)

Body

Galvanized metal body, stainless-steel hardware

Weather

Rain cover included

Maker's feed time

About 6 adult hens for up to 10 days

Activation weight

Not stated

Training

Separate instructions page

• Rain cover included
• Maker says it blocks rats, mice, squirrels and wild birds
• Stainless-steel hardware
• No activation weight stated
• Owners report lid latch failures and water getting in
• Assembly problems reported
• Bantam suitability not stated on the page

What owners report

Reviewers on the RentACoop listing report lid latch failures, water getting in and difficult assembly. They describe showing hens the treadle by stepping on it. One says a bantam Cochin could not open the treadle once it hung lower, and one describes a serious accident with birds trapped at the side of the feeder, so read that review before you buy.

Check treadle feeder price Amazon · Affiliate link The dated price above is from the cited seller. Check Amazon for its current price.

U.S.-made option Rat Proof Chicken Feeder

Rat Proof Chicken Feeder Medium

a flock of around ten hens that wants a refill every ten days or so

$85 plus shippingchecked 2026-10-09

Capacity

Maker says the medium feeds ten hens for ten days

Door

Soft-close cylinder option on small and medium models

Made in

U.S. (maker)

Other sizes

Small from $65 plus shipping, Extra Large $182.50 and holds about 67 lb of feed

Activation weight

Not stated

Materials

Not stated

• Soft-close door option
• Maker says it is made in the U.S.
• Sizes from small to extra large
• No activation weight, materials or dimensions in the page text
• Maker says the closing noise made training harder
• Shipping is extra
• The 50 percent feed saving is the vendor's claim

Check feeder fit and sizes Rat Proof Chicken Feeder · Direct seller

Chicken and duck option Olba B.V.

Feedomatic Automatic Poultry Feeder, 12 kg

a mixed flock of adult chickens and ducks, if the seller confirms your lightest bird can open it

$90.99checked 2026-10-20

Capacity

12 kg (about 26 lb)

Mechanism

Lid opens only when a bird steps on the treadle

Material

Metal and UV-resistant plastic

Size

23.62 × 14.57 × 9.45 in, about 10 lb

Birds

Chickens and ducks, per the listing

Activation weight

Not stated

• About half the price of Grandpa's
• Sold for both chickens and ducks
• Listing says it keeps rats and mice out
• No activation weight or training advice listed
• Rodent claim is the listing's, with no independent data
• Size on Amazon differs from the Stromberg's listing, so measure your space against the unit you receive

See Feedomatic details Amazon · Affiliate link The dated price above is from the cited seller. Check Amazon for its current price.

Other treadle feeders you will see

Farm-supply sellers stock the Feedomatic card above too. Stromberg’s sells a 26 lb version and calls it weatherproof, but lists different dimensions, 10.1 by 13.8 by 20.8 inches, and the one review on its page reports a unit that arrived dented (Stromberg’s). The Amazon listing rates it 4.2 out of 5 from 578 ratings on Amazon, 2026-10-20 (Amazon listing).

Hatching Time sells a metal plate that mounts at the base of the 26 lb and 44 lb Feed-O-Matic models, which the seller says cuts rodent access to spilled feed at the base (Hatching Time). Treat that as a sign of where treadle feeders leak: at the trough edge and the ground, where hens drop what they rake out. Galvanized treadles from marketplace brands also turn up in shopping results. Check any of those listings for an activation weight before price or capacity, because that is the number that decides whether your lightest hen can eat.

Where to set up a treadle feeder

Put it on a flat, firm base under a roof. A treadle that rocks or tilts binds or fails to close, and a platform sitting in mud gets heavy with muck that changes how it moves. Keep feeders protected from moisture, wild animals and free-flying birds, ideally inside the coop (Utah State Extension). A paving slab under the platform keeps it level and easy to sweep.

Count how many birds can eat at once, not only how many days the hopper lasts. One treadle trough feeds only a few large hens at a time. Add a second feeder for a bigger flock so low-ranking hens are not waiting behind the boss.

Expect hens to stand on the lid and leave droppings there. Do not set the feeder under a roost, and place it where perching on top is awkward.

Leave open space on the side hens approach from, so a bird on the platform is not trapped between the box and a wall, and so a low-ranking hen can get on without being cornered. Place it away from the roost so droppings do not land on the lid or platform.

Choosing Grandpa’s Standard or Large

Choose the size using both capacity and your lightest bird. The seller’s listing gives about 20 lb for Standard and 40 lb for Large. At the University of Kentucky’s intake estimate of 0.25 lb per laying hen per day, ten hens would empty those capacities in about eight or sixteen days. These are planning calculations. Spillage and changing intake shorten them.

The larger hopper comes with a heavier stated trigger. The listing labels Standard’s approximate trigger as 14 oz (500 g), but those units disagree: 500 g is about 17.6 oz. Ask the seller which figure applies to the unit you will receive. Large is listed at about 2 lb (900 g). Do not buy the Large only to refill less often if a light hen cannot operate it by herself.

For a mixed flock, watch the smallest bird eating alone. Following a heavier hen to an open lid does not prove she can open it. If the maker cannot confirm suitable operation, a covered gravity feeder gives light birds access without a weight trigger. The best chicken feeder guide covers that option.

Training your flock, step by step

Grandpa’s seller listing sets out two training stages of about a week each. Follow the instructions supplied with your exact feeder, because training hardware differs between models. Keep feed accessible throughout the changeover and check each bird eating before you advance.

1. Set it where hens already eat. Put the feeder in the spot the old one used, at a height that lets every bird reach the platform.
2. Stage one, about a week. Secure the lid in its first open position so the flock eats comfortably while getting used to standing on the treadle (Grandpa’s).
3. Stage two, about another week. Move to the next position so birds get used to the treadle and lid moving.
4. Watch the bottom of the pecking order. Stretch a stage when timid or low-ranking birds need more time.
5. Remove the training hardware once every hen eats at the platform. Watch for hens eating from the side of the box, because the lid can swing into their heads when the feeding hen steps off (GRIT).
6. Retire the old feeder only after every bird can feed independently. If a hen still cannot open the lid, restore accessible feed and return to the earlier training stage. Do not force learning by withholding food.

A few tricks fit inside those stages. Bolt the lid open through the side holes for the first few days, so hens learn where the feed is before anything moves. Put favorite treats in the trough and call the flock the way you call them for treats. On a homemade feeder, prop the platform up for a couple of days until hens are standing on it. Once training is done, lock the feeder fully shut at night, so rodents cannot work at it while the hens sleep.

If hens refuse, you are not alone. Keepers trade fixes in threads such as Chickens scared of treadle feeder and Chickens hate the feeder style I want.

When a hen will not use the feeder

Stop using a feeder if its lid catches birds or its linkage sticks. An owner report about successful training does not establish that your feeder is operating safely.

Bantams and light birds

Your lightest hen sets the limit. A treadle opens only when a bird outweighs its activation weight, so a feeder that works for heavy hens can fail a bantam. Of the makers I checked, only Grandpa’s publishes the numbers, about 14 oz (500 g) for the Standard and about 2 lb (900 g) for the Large, and its page does not mention bantams. If your lightest hen weighs less than 2 lb (900 g), skip the Large.

For any other maker, email and ask for the activation weight in writing. RentACoop’s listing address calls the feeder suitable for bantams, but the page gives no minimum weight, and one reviewer’s bantam Cochin could not open it once the treadle hung lower. Weigh your lightest hen on a kitchen scale, then pick a feeder whose trigger sits well below that number. Keep chicks off treadles; Grandpa’s builds for trained adult birds.

Keeping the treadle working

During feed checks, remove spilled pellets and bedding from around the platform and moving arms. Look for a tilted base, loose fixings, bent parts or a lid that fails to close. Operate the mechanism without a bird present and keep fingers clear of the closing lid.

Empty the hopper before cleaning so old feed does not stay trapped under fresh feed. Follow the maker’s cleaning instructions, dry the feeder fully and refill with dry feed. Inspect corners and seams after wind-driven rain, even if the product carries a weather claim.

Use replacement parts and adjustments approved for the exact model. Changing springs, counterweights or arm positions can change both activation weight and lid movement. Confirm that every bird can still feed after a repair or adjustment.

Building your own

A DIY treadle costs little and teaches you how the lever works. The GRIT build uses edge-glued pine, cedar fence boards and exterior glue for under $20 in lumber. Its author credits it with keeping out songbirds, mice and other rodents, from personal experience rather than testing. Arm position sets how much weight the lid needs, so tune it to your lightest hen.

Homemade treadles hit two problems. First, the lid does not drop shut on its own when a hen steps off. Add weight to the lid, such as a strip of plywood screwed on as a counterweight, until it closes every time. Test it with no bird on the platform before you fill it: a lid that hangs open is just an open feeder. Second, hens scatter feed with their beaks and feet. A small opening in the bottom of the front lets kicked feed fall back in. If squirrels raid your feed, tune the trigger above their weight as well as the rats’. For rat weights to tune against, see the rat-proof chicken feeder guide.

4:32

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.

About KyleHow we research