If you have several chickens in our coop, you know that they can be quite messy, and much of their food can get wasted. It can be challenging to know which chicken feeder to purchase to prevent waste if you are unsure what you need. We have chosen several different brands to review for you so you can see how they work and how they differ. We’ve also included a short buyer’s guide to discuss what you should look for if you continue to shop to help you make an informed purchase.
A Quick Glance at Our Favorites in 2023
Image Product Details
Best Overall
PawHut Automatic Chicken Feeder
Wall-mounted design
Durable
Small-animal proof
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Best Value
Moultrie Feed Station
40-pound capacity
UV resistant
Easy to install
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Premium Choice
RentACoop Metal Poultry Feeder
Six feeders
Holds 65 pounds of foods
Made in the USA
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PawHut Automatic No-Waste Feeder
Holds 25 pounds of feed
Keeps out small animals
Durable
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Chicken Feeder
Easy to install
Holds 20 pounds of feed
Keeps food dry
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The 8 Best Chicken Feeders to Prevent Waste
The PawHut Automatic Chicken Feeder is our pick as the best overall chicken feeder to prevent waste. It features a wall-mounted design that is easy to install. It’s has a flip-open lid that makes it extremely easy to fill. The large opening on top also makes it easy to clean so you can complete your tasks in less time. The steel design is durable, and the design helps keep out small animals.
Material: Alloy Steel
Size: 11.25 x 8.5 x 13.75 inches
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Some users report that the PawHut Automatic Chicken Feeder is a little small if you have several chickens. It holds a lot of food, but the feeding area doesn’t give the chickens much room.
Pros
Wall-mounted design
Durable
Small-animal proof
Easy to fill and clean
Cons
A little small
The Moultrie Feed Station is our pick as the best chicken feeder to prevent waste for the money. It has a large 40-pound capacity, so you can use It to feed plenty of chickens. It’s lightweight and easy to install. It comes with a strap you can use to attach it to a tree, and the durable plastic construction is also UV resistant, so it won’t fade or become brittle.
Wall-mounted design
Durable
Small-animal proof
Easy to fill and clean
- Wall-mounted design
- Durable
- Small-animal proof
- Easy to fill and clean
A little small
- A little small
Material: Plastic
Size: 10 x 17.5 x 18.75 inches
The Moultrie Feed Station is a great inexpensive feeder, and the only real problem with it is that the lid doesn’t fit tightly, so the food inside can get wet.
Pros
40-pound capacity
UV resistant
Easy to install
Cons
The lid doesn’t fit tight
The RentACoop Poultry feeder is our premium choice chicken feeder to prevent waste. It’s extremely wide at 23 inches, and it can hold up to 65 pounds of food. The galvanized steel won’t rust and is extremely durable. The six feeders have covers that prevent moisture from getting into the food.
40-pound capacity
UV resistant
Easy to install
- 40-pound capacity
- UV resistant
- Easy to install
The lid doesn’t fit tight
- The lid doesn’t fit tight
Material: Galvanised Steel and plastic
Size: 23 x 17 x 11 inches
The downside to the RentACoop is that it’s fairly heavy at almost 15 pounds, so it can be a little difficult to install. Another problem was that the roof was flat instead of peaked, which allowed the chickens to stand on top. It could also let squirrels and other small animals stand on top.
Pros
Six feeders
Holds 65 pounds of foods
Made in the USA
Cons
Heavy
Flat top
- PawHut Automatic Chicken and Poultry No-Waste Feeder
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Material: Steel
Size: 11.75 x 11.75 x 15.75 inches
The PawHut Automatic Chicken and Poultry No-Waste Feeder is the second feeder on our list from this company because they work quite well. It uses a durable steel construction that won’t rust, and it’s large enough to hold up to 25 pounds of food. The design works to keep out other animals like a squirrel that might attempt to eat the food. The large lid opens so it is easy to fill, and you can get inside to clean it. It’s easy to install and doesn’t require any assembly.
Six feeders
Holds 65 pounds of foods
Made in the USA
- Six feeders
- Holds 65 pounds of foods
- Made in the USA
Heavy
Flat top
- Heavy
- Flat top
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Material: Steel
Size: 11.75 x 11.75 x 15.75 inches
The downside to this PawHut feeder is that some of our more aggressive eaters still made a little mess around the feeder while using it.
Pros
Holds 25 pounds of feed
Keeps out small animals
Durable
Easy to fill and clean
No assembly
Cons
Gets food on the ground
- Chicken Feeder
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Material: Plastic and metal
Size: 10 x 14 x 10 inches
The Chicken feeder is an easy-to-install feeder that you can place anywhere on your property. It’s extremely lightweight at less than three pounds but is large enough to hold up to 20 pounds of feed. The design helps keep moisture out of the food and helps prevent small critters from stealing the food.
Holds 25 pounds of feed
Keeps out small animals
Durable
Easy to fill and clean
No assembly
- Holds 25 pounds of feed
- Keeps out small animals
- Durable
- Easy to fill and clean
- No assembly
Gets food on the ground
- Gets food on the ground
Material: Plastic and metal
Size: 10 x 14 x 10 inches
The Chicken Feeder is attractive and works well. We didn’t like that there are only two feeders, so you will need more than one if you have several birds. The lid is challenging to remove when it’s time to refill it, and we had to struggle quite a bit which could damage it over time.
Pros
Lightweight
Easy to install
Holds 20 pounds of feed
Keeps food dry
Cons
Only two feeders
Difficult to open the lid
- KEBONNIXS Automatic Chicken Cup Waterer and Port Feeder
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Material: Plastic
Size: 17.17 x 12.91 x 7.8 inches
KEBONNIXS Automatic Chicken Cup Waterer and Port Feeder is a two-pack to hydrate your birds and feed them, which is especially important during the hot summer months. Each box is lightweight, easy to install, and doesn’t require assembly. The feeder is hooded, so moisture won’t get into the food, and the boxes are easy to clean.
Lightweight
Easy to install
Holds 20 pounds of feed
Keeps food dry
- Lightweight
- Easy to install
- Holds 20 pounds of feed
- Keeps food dry
Only two feeders
Difficult to open the lid
- Only two feeders
- Difficult to open the lid
Material: Plastic
Size: 17.17 x 12.91 x 7.8 inches
The downside to the KEBONNIXS is that it’s a little small if you have more than a few birds and the water box tends to leak, so you won’t want to put it over wood or dirt. We also found some food around the boxes as well.
Pros
Waters and feeds
Prevents moisture in the food
Easy to clean
Lightweight
Cons
Small size
Water leaks
Gets some food around
- RentACoop Chicken Poultry Feeder
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Material: Wood, metal, polyvinyl
Size: 6 x 6 x 17.5 inches
The RentACoop Chicken Poultry Feeder is the second feeder from this company, and this model is perfect for someone looking to install a feeder in a tight location due to its space-saving design. It’s easy to install, doesn’t require any assembly, and holds up to 10 pounds of food. The hooded opening prevents rain and snow from entering the food, and it’s tall enough to keep out most predators.
Waters and feeds
Prevents moisture in the food
Easy to clean
Lightweight
- Waters and feeds
- Prevents moisture in the food
- Easy to clean
- Lightweight
Small size
Water leaks
Gets some food around
- Small size
- Water leaks
- Gets some food around
Material: Wood, metal, polyvinyl
Size: 6 x 6 x 17.5 inches
The downside to this RentACoop is its small size. It can only hold about ten pounds of food, and the single opening means it’s only suitable for a few chickens,
Pros
Hooded
Easy to install
Space-saving
Cons
Small size
Single feeder hole
- Royal Rooster Chicken Feeder with Rain Cover and Valve-Cup Waterer
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Material: Steel
Size: 9 x 10 x 20 inches
Royal Rooster Chicken Feeder with Rain Cover and Valve-Cup Waterer is the final chicken feeder on our list of reviews, but it still has plenty to offer. It comes in a two-pack, and one box feeds while the other provides your chickens with fresh water. It is a hooded feeder which will prevent moisture from getting in, and the durable construction uses UV stable plastic so it won’t get brittle if you use it outside.
Hooded
Easy to install
Space-saving
- Hooded
- Easy to install
- Space-saving
Small size
Single feeder hole
- Small size
- Single feeder hole
Material: Steel
Size: 9 x 10 x 20 inches
The downside to the Royal Rooster Chicken Feeder is that it’s small and only holds about 6.5 pounds of food, so it’s only suitable for a few chickens, and you will need to refill it frequently. The single opening also reduces the number of birds that can access it.
Pros
Hooded feeder
Easy to install
Feeds and waters
UV stable
Cons
Single opening
Only holds 6.5 pounds
See also: 10 Best Chicken Roosting Bars in 2021 – Reviews & Top Picks!
Hooded feeder
Easy to install
Feeds and waters
UV stable
- Hooded feeder
- Easy to install
- Feeds and waters
- UV stable
Single opening
Only holds 6.5 pounds
- Single opening
- Only holds 6.5 pounds
Buyer’s Guide – How to Choose the Best Chicken Feeder to Prevent Waste
How Does a Chicken Feeder Prevent Waste?
Unfortunately, chickens are extremely messy animals when they eat, and even the best-designed products may still allow food to fall to the ground, but the designs on our list should at least help reduce the waste significantly. Most work by providing an area where your chicken can put its head inside the box to access the food, which helps prevent the seed from spilling over. Other devices might use a lip around the opening to prevent the seed from spilling over or a design that uses gravity and a wide base.
Hooded Openings
If you are considering a design that uses a hole that your chicken puts its head it, we recommend choosing a brand that provides a hood over the opening, or rain and snow will get into the food. Moisture in the food will cause it to freeze in the winter preventing access. In the summer, water can lead to mold, which can cause health problems for your chicken.
Materials
The material your feeder uses in its construction will have an impact on your experiences. Metal feeders are the most durable, but many are quite heavy and can be difficult to install. Another problem with metal feeders is rusting. Even feeders that use alloys or treatments can have screws, nails, nuts, and bolts that can rust. Plastic doesn’t rust, it’s lightweight, inexpensive, and easy to install, but it can crack and become brittle in the ultraviolet light from the sun. Plastic models can also bend and warp in the hot sun, so you will need to be careful about where you place them.
How Large Should My Feeder Be?
The size of your feeder will depend on several factors, including how many chickens you have and how many feeders you want to install. For example, some feeders have more openings allowing more chickens to eat at once, but the biggest factors are how much food you need to provide and how often you want to refill it.
How Much Will My Chicken Eat?
How much your chicken eats will depend on the breed, size, and age, so it will vary, but the following chart should give you a good starting point.
Chicken Age Chicken Weight Avg. Food Per Week
1 week 0.33 pounds 0.29 pounds
2 weeks 0.79 pounds 0.91 pounds
3 weeks 1.44 pounds 1.94 pounds
4 weeks 2.26 pounds 3.42 pounds
5 weeks 3.22 pounds 5.30pounds
6 weeks 4.22 pounds 7.66 pounds
7 weeks 5.21 pounds 10.26 pounds
8 weeks 6.15 pounds 13.12 pounds
9 weeks 7.05 pounds 16.23 pounds
To determine what size feeder you need, use the chart above to estimate how much food you will need to provide. For instance, if you have a single adult chicken that weighs about seven pounds, one of the feeders on our list with the ten-pound capacity would work. You would need to refill it about twice per week, giving you a chance to clean it. However, if you had several of these birds, you would need to refill it almost every day, so something a little larger would work better.
Conclusion
When choosing your next chicken feeder to prevent waste, we highly recommend our pick for the best overall. The PawHut Automatic Chicken Feeder can hold more than 28 pounds of food, making it perfect for people with several birds, and the large opening allows several birds to eat at once. It has a lip that reduces waste, and it’s extremely durable with a galvanized metal construction. Another smart choice is our pick for the best value. The Moultrie Feed Station is inexpensive and holds up to 40 pounds of food, making it well suited for almost any farm.
We hope you have enjoyed reading over these reviews and found a few brands you would like to try out. If we have helped your flock eat better while making less of a mess, please share these chicken feeders that prevent waste on Facebook and Twitter.
See also:
- How Long Can a Chicken Survive Without Its Head?
- 9 Natural Ways to Get Rid of Chicken Mites & Lice
- 10 Best Organic Chicken Feeds – Reviews & Top Picks!
