What kind of feeders are best for chicken?

Chickens can be messy eaters, choosing the best chicken feeder isn’t difficult as long as you ask yourself a few questions before you start. The biggest deciding factor in choosing the right feeder for you depends on the size of your herd. If you have a small flock and are only filling the feeder every other day, a simple hanging bird feeder will do. If you have a large flock that demands a lot of feed, a high capacity automatic feeder will be what you are looking for.

For your small or backyard flock, anywhere from 1 to 50 birds, a hanging bird feeder is the way to go. Despite the name “hung”, the feeder does not have to be hung, you can place the feeder directly on a flat surface. Hanging bird feeders come in various sizes ranging from 1 to 20 pounds. The size depends on how much your chickens eat and how often you will fill it with food. Often for these smaller flocks you can select a size that you only have to fill once a day or every other day. Choosing to hang the feeder will create less clutter. If you are feeding once a day, a 10 pound or less feeder will do.

For a medium flock of 50-100 birds, you may need something different unless you’re okay with refilling hanging bird feeders more than once a day. Like the domestic duck, chicken feed can get messy at feeding time. Choosing a feeder-type feeder for your chicken flock may be the way to go. A feeder type feeder allows more ducks to eat at the same time with more space. The extra space helps prevent spills and fights over the feeder. This will save you time, chicken feed, hassle and money. Look for a 10-15 pound feeder if you can only feed him once a day.

For large flocks of 100+ birds, for large flocks of large birds, such as Orpington chicken, you are looking for a 20+ pound feeder. I have seen feeders that hold 110lbs and can handle 400 chickens a day! These feeders can easily cost a couple hundred dollars, but they are well worth it. The simplicity of pouring a bag or two of feed into the unit and forgetting about it is priceless.

Something else to keep in mind, depending on your coop and run setup, birds, squirrels, mice, chipmunks, etc. A rooster is a great way to keep these things out of the bird feeder. The feeders are also available with self opening and closing lids which are perfect for keeping crows out! The chicken approaches, the lid opens, the chicken eats and walks away, the lid closes. What more could you want?