Automatic chicken feeders can be a great way to save time on any chicken operation and production. They are well-made devices that allow you to feed multiple chickens over a period of time without having to change the feed out daily.
Automatic chicken feeders are devices that save you time and money by feeding allotted amounts of feed to your chickens without you having to change out their feed multiple times per day. It gives them just the right amount of chicken feed, that keeps feed from falling to the ground.
When it comes to any livestock operation, time management is a concern. You must be able to effectively run your operation while still being able to hold a job and get things done around the house.
Chicken operations are a great way to produce your own eggs and your own meat. They are a healthy alternative to buying from supermarkets, higher quality and they just taste better!
Feeding your birds is one of the most important parts of ensuring that the chickens stay healthy and produce the maximum amount of eggs and muscle for meat production. It can be a lot of work but rewarding. That’s why training your birds to eat from an automatic feeder can save you a ton of time and cut down on feed that gets lost to the ground.
Reasons to Buy an Automatic Chicken Feeder
There are many reasons you might be considering an automatic chicken feeder. The benefits they provide are well worth the investment. If you are considering making a purchase here are a few reasons you should consider buying one.
- Save time (and money)
- A smoother running operation
- Less feed waste
- Less work
Saving time and money is the biggest reason to get one of these awesome devices. They will no doubt save you a ton of time from not having to feed your birds multiple times per day.
Chickens eat a lot; they need a constant supply of feed when they are hungry. While you can fill up their dishes throughout the day, if you have the time, there is a better way. The obvious answer is automatic chicken feeders!
Adding these devices to your operation will make your day run much smoother, with less time spent on the feeding process. These machines also make the amount of feed lost to the ground less by keeping all of it contained. This is much better than having open troughs that can be knocked over and spilled constantly.
The next biggest reason to buy one is that it takes less work! You can feed all your birds and keep them happy with less effort, which gives you more time with your loved ones and your own daily duties.
Best Automatic Chicken Feeders
We have put together this list of the best automatic chicken feeders. All of these devices work well and provide you with quality materials and machinery that help you run your chicken operation smoothly.
The best part about them is that they save you a ton of time. These are our top picks for automatic chicken feeders.
- Grandpa’s Feeders Automatic Chicken Feeder
- Galvanized Hanging Poultry Feeder
- Royal Rooster Tube Chicken Feeder
- Treadle Feeder
- Little Giant High Capacity Poultry Feeder
- PECk-O-MATIC Demand Bird Feeder Kit
- Ware Chicken Trough Feeder
- Harris Farms Hanging Poultry Feeder
- Wise Cage Poultry Feeder
Here are the pros and cons of our favorite automatic chicken feeders. Read carefully to make sure you find the one that best suits your specific needs.
Grandpa’s Feeders Automatic Chicken Feeder
Grandpa’s automatic chicken feeder is at the top of our list of chicken feeders. This model is one of the best-made products out there. It’s made from galvanized steel. It has a covered top, and a mechanism that opens up to let the chickens feed when they step on the bottom lever.
It has a system that allows you to train your chickens to use it by placing a pin in the top that leaves the top partially open for the first week. Then a second slot for a pin that leaves the top open a little lower.
After that, the chickens have been trained to step on the lever and know that it’s time for dinner!
| Pros: |
| ☑ It’s made from quality materials. |
| ☑ Holds a lot of chicken feed. |
| Cons: |
| ☒ It’s pricy but well worth the investment. |
| ☒ You have to train your chickens to use it. |
This is a great machine and although you have to train your chickens to use it, they seem to get it right away. They advise you to use the partially open system for a few weeks, but some chickens can figure out in moments.
Compare prices and specs for Grandpa’s Automatic Feeder on Amazon.
Miller Galvanized Hanging Poultry Feeder
The miller galvanized hanging chicken feeder is a great starter feeder. It’s made out of galvanized metal and can be hung up on a post, allowing chickens to come and go for feeding.
It holds around 12 pounds of feed and can last 10-12 birds almost two weeks before having to refill.
It keeps feed off the ground, it doesn’t rust and it is an inexpensive alternative to automatic chicken feeding. The container drops feed into the lower pan as the feed is used.
| Pros: |
| ☑ This is a good cheap automatic chicken feeder. |
| ☑ Keeps feed off the ground and feeds the birds for almost two weeks. |
| Cons: |
| ☒ This one does not have a top and works best for indoor coops. |
| ☒ Does not keep rodents away from the feed. |
This one is a great automatic feeder for those of you who feed your chicken in an indoor coop. Since it does not have a top you will need to watch for rodents. One last drawback to this one is that sometimes you must shake the feeder to get the feed to refill the bottom pan.
Compare prices and specs for the Miller Galvanized Feeder on Amazon.
Royal Rooster Tube Chicken Feeder
This automatic feeder is a large vertical tube that holds enough feed to sustain 4-6 chickens for one week. It’s made from a UV safe plastic and holds up well to outdoor use. There is a top lid and a rainproof bottom that allows the chickens to feed without it holding water.
This is an inexpensive gravity fed automatic feeder. It’s best suited for smaller flocks and doesn’t require any training. It’s easy to clean and move around.
| Pros: |
| ☑ This feeder won’t break the bank. |
| ☑ Works with pellets and other types of feed. |
| Cons: |
| ☒ It must be mounted to a wall or pole. |
| ☒ Requires some maintenance. |
This is a great feeder for those who have fewer birds and do not want to deal with all the moving parts of some of the other automatic feeders. It’s gravity-fed and easy to clean.
Compare prices and specs for Royal Rooster Tube Feeder on Amazon.
Treadle Feeder
This is an extremely well-made automatic chicken feeder, similar to the grandpa’s feeder design but with half the price! It keeps rodents out of the feed and has a mechanism that the birds step on to open the feeder.
Some training is needed to use this feeder, but the birds catch on pretty quick. It is made from high quality galvanized steel and it also has a few plastic parts which is why it is slightly cheaper than the Grandpa’s Feeder.
It holds around 44 pounds of feed and can feed up to 12 chickens for about a week before needing a refill. They do come in multiple sizes to accommodate different flock sizes.
| Pros: |
| ☑ Well-made device that keeps out rodents. |
| ☑ Half the price of other high-quality automatic feeders. |
| Cons: |
| ☒ Lots of moving parts, harder to take apart and clean. |
| ☒ The large model can be heavy to move around. |
This is the second-best automatic chicken feeder on the market. If you are looking to accommodate a large number of birds, we suggest using this high-quality feeder!
One of the best parts about these types of feeders is that they secure the feed from rodents, which can be a big problem in chicken operations.
Compare prices and specs for the Treadle Feeder on Amazon.
Little Giant High Capacity Poultry Feeder
This is another great galvanized steel automatic chicken feeder. It can hold up to 22 pounds of feed that accommodate 6-7 chickens for around a week before needing a refill.
It’s made of high-quality materials and has a grid at the bottom that keeps the feed from spilling over, saving any feed from being wasted.
It can be mounted to a wall or post or used as a stand-alone feeder. These hold plenty of feed to keep your birds fed and allows them to come and go as they get hungry.
| Pros: |
| ☑ Holds a lot of feed. |
| ☑ Keeps rodents out. |
| Cons: |
| ☒ Does not feed baby chicks, for adult birds only. |
| ☒ If used as stand-alone runs the risk of tipping over. |
This is another great automatic chicken feeder for chicken operations that have a few birds to ones that have 6-8 birds. This one is priced in the mid-range and holds up well to the weather.
Compare prices and specs for the Little Giant Feeder on Amazon.
PECk-O-MATIC Demand Bird Feeder Kit
This automatic feeder has a neat design that allows you to change the settings to feed different sizes and types of feed. The device is set up inside a 5-gallon bucket that you must purchase separately.
It lets the feed fall from the bucket into a lower bowl, keeping the main feed secure from rodents and the weather.
The device has 6 disks that can be moved around depending on the type and size of feed you are using accommodating for pellets and other types of high-quality chicken feed.
| Pros: |
| ☑ Protection from rodents and from the weather. |
| ☑ Keeps birds fed for at least a week. |
| Cons: |
| ☒ Must train chickens to use this one. |
| ☒ Does not come with the 5-gallon Bucket. |
This automatic chicken feeder can be hung up from the handle of the five-gallon bucket, making it easy to place it anywhere you need and to move it around. It can be used with multiple birds and although it takes some training for the birds it’s easy to use.
Compare prices and specs for the PECK-O-Matic Feeder on Amazon.
Ware Chicken Trough Feeder
The Ware Chicken Trough Feeder is a rectangular trough-like feeder design. It’s made from rustproof galvanized metal. The feeder design has a grid over the top that keeps the chickens from pecking the feed out onto the ground.
It’s another inexpensive piece of equipment that comes with a few drawbacks such as it not keeping the feed safe from rodents. It can also be kicked over as it does not mount to anything and is a trough-like shape.
| Pros: |
| ☑ Cost-effective design. |
| ☑ Wastes less feed. |
| Cons: |
| ☒ Can be spilled if kicked over. |
| ☒ It is open to the elements with no top cover. |
This feeder is best used for indoor use. It comes at an easy to afford price and works just as well as the others in keeping the birds fed. It holds less feed than some of the other feeders but overall it is a good pick.
Compare prices and specs for the Ware Chicken Trough Feeder on Amazon.
Harris Farms Hanging Poultry Feeder
The Harris Farms chicken feeder is a low volume feeder that is made of high-quality plastic. It’s an inexpensive feeder that is best used for a smaller flock. It’s easy to clean and is easy to take apart and reassemble.
This is a hanging feeder that does not have a top, but a top can be purchased separately. It holds around 7 pounds of feed and can feed 3-4 birds for about 5 days before needing a refill.
| Pros: |
| ☑ This is a good cheap automatic feeder. |
| ☑ Easy to clean and assemble/reassemble. |
| Cons: |
| ☒ Does not come with a top. |
| ☒ The tray separates easy spilling some of the feed during refill. |
This one is good for beginners and those who have a smaller flock of birds. It’s made from high-quality plastic and is cost-effective. You may want to consider this one if you need to move your feeder around, since its smaller and holds less feed.
Compare prices and specs for the Harris Farms Hanging Feeder on Amazon.
Wise Cage Poultry Feeder
The Wise Cage feeder is a great model. For one, it allows the chickens to feed from both sides of the feeder. It’s made from light-weight plastic that is high-quality. It’s an easy to fill unit that can be attached to a wall or stand-alone.
This feeder works best for inside chicken coops. It does have a hood that keeps rainwater from getting in though. It doesn’t hold as much feed as some of the others (it holds around 10 pounds of feed) but it does the job.
| Pros: |
| ☑ Two-sided so it can be filled from the outside. |
| ☑ Light-weight easy to move. |
| Cons: |
| ☒ Slightly expensive. |
| ☒ Lower capacity holds less feed. |
This feeder may seem a little bit expensive, but its ease of access and light-weight design makes it a great choice. It also has the option of adding an extender (sold separately) for it to hold more feed.
Compare prices and specs for the Wise Cage Feeder on Amazon.
Keeping Rodents Out of Feeders
The best way to keep rodents out of your feeders is to purchase ones that have tops or to make a top for them. You can also add certain natural herbs to your chicken coop (basil, sage, mint, and lavender) by dry hanging them around the coop to repel rodents.
Not all of the feeders on this list prevent rodents from getting into the feed so if you choose a model that does not have these functions you must stay vigilant in keeping your coop rodent-free. Rodents can spoil your expensive feed and cost you money.
Related Questions
How hard is it to assemble these feeders? Most of these automatic feeders have few parts and the ones that are more complicated come already put together. They have easy instructions and are easy to clean and put back together.
Do chicken feeders reduce the amount of wasted feed? Most of the feeders on this list have mechanisms that keep the birds from pecking the feed out onto the ground. Some of them can be spilled over but are sturdy enough that they should hold up. This helps reduce the amount of wasted feed.