7 Best Anti-Roost Feeders For Chickens To Keep Them Clean That Stop Waste
Reduce feed waste and contamination with an anti-roost feeder. These designs stop chickens from perching, keeping food clean. We review the top 7 picks.
Nothing will teach you about waste faster than watching a chicken scratch half its feed onto the ground. A good feeder isn’t just a container; it’s a tool for managing your resources and your flock’s health. Choosing the right one means less money spent on spilled grain and less time spent cleaning up a mess.
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Why Anti-Roost Feeders Save Feed and Time
Chickens have a natural instinct to perch on the highest point available, and a standard open feeder is often the most convenient option in the coop. When they roost on their feeder, they inevitably poop in it, contaminating the feed. This not only spreads disease but also forces you to throw out perfectly good grain, wasting money with every scoop.
Beyond contamination, roosting and scratching leads to spillage. A chicken perched on the edge can easily knock grain out, and their vigorous scratching habits mean a significant portion of feed ends up in the bedding. An anti-roost feeder, with its sloped top or spinning bar, eliminates the perch point. This simple design change directly translates to less wasted feed and a cleaner, healthier coop, saving you both time and money.
Grandpa’s Feeders: The Ultimate Pest-Proof Option
If you’re battling rats, squirrels, or wild birds, a treadle feeder like Grandpa’s is a game-changer. The concept is simple: a chicken steps on a platform, and its weight opens the lid to the feed trough. When the chicken steps off, the lid closes, locking out pests and protecting the feed from the elements. This is the most effective solution for eliminating feed theft from freeloaders.
The main considerations are cost and training. These feeders are a significant investment upfront compared to simpler models. You’ll also need to train your flock to use it, which can take a few days of propping the lid open and gradually lowering it. For those with serious pest pressure, however, the feed savings over time can easily justify the initial expense and effort.
Harris Farms Hanging Feeder for Small Flocks
For a small backyard flock of three to ten birds, a simple hanging feeder is often the most practical choice. By suspending the feeder, you immediately make it an unstable and undesirable roosting spot. It also keeps the feed off the ground, away from moisture and soiled bedding, which is critical for preventing mold.
The design of the Harris Farms feeder, with its divided trough, helps minimize the amount of feed chickens can rake out with their beaks. It’s lightweight, easy to fill, and incredibly affordable. The tradeoff is its limited capacity, requiring more frequent refills, and its open design offers no protection against determined pests like rodents.
Miller Galvanized Trough Feeder with Spin Bar
The galvanized trough is a classic for a reason: it’s durable, simple, and effective. The key feature is the spinning reel, or bar, that runs along the top. When a chicken tries to hop on, the bar spins freely, preventing them from getting a solid foothold. It’s a low-tech but brilliant anti-roosting solution.
These feeders are fantastic for raising chicks, as the low profile gives them easy access. They are also built to last for years. The main drawback is that they are completely open to the elements and pests. Chickens can also still flick a good amount of feed out of the trough, so while it solves the roosting problem, it doesn’t completely eliminate waste from messy eaters.
RentACoop T-Post Feeder for Easy Installation
If you use T-posts for your fencing or run, this feeder offers unmatched convenience. It’s designed to mount directly onto a standard T-post, getting it off the ground and out of the way without needing to drill into coop walls. This makes it a fantastic option for rotational grazing setups or temporary enclosures where permanent fixtures aren’t practical.
The feeder uses feeding ports that chickens stick their heads into, which dramatically reduces the "billing out" or raking of feed. This port system is one of the best designs for minimizing spillage. While the plastic construction is durable, it may not hold up as long as galvanized steel in harsh sun over many years, but its installation flexibility is a major advantage.
Royal Rooster Feeder for Tidy, Wall-Mounted Use
For those who prioritize a clean, organized coop, a wall-mounted feeder is an excellent choice. The Royal Rooster feeder keeps feed contained and off the floor, preventing it from getting mixed with bedding and manure. Mounting it at the correct height (about shoulder-height for your birds) ensures easy access while discouraging scratching.
This model includes a rain cover over the feeding bay, offering good protection from weather and preventing poop from falling in from above. The divided feeding trough also helps stop birds from sweeping feed onto the floor. It’s a tidy, space-saving solution that works best inside a coop or a covered run where you have a solid surface for mounting.
OverEZ Automatic Feeder for All-Weather Protection
The OverEZ feeder is built for convenience and durability, especially for those who can’t tend to their flock daily. Made from UV-stabilized, food-safe PVC, it’s designed to withstand the elements without cracking or degrading. Its large capacity means you can fill it and forget it for several days, depending on your flock size.
The gravity-fed design with covered ports keeps the feed clean, dry, and protected from rain and sun. This design also prevents chickens from soiling the feed or scratching it out. It’s a robust, no-fuss system ideal for a set-it-and-forget-it approach, though its bulk and price point make it better suited for medium-sized flocks rather than just a few birds.
Brower Galvanized Feeder for Larger Homesteads
When you have a flock of 20, 30, or more birds, you need a feeder built for volume and durability. The Brower range-style feeder is a workhorse, constructed from heavy-gauge galvanized steel that can handle years of use and abuse. The sharply sloped lid is a simple but highly effective anti-roosting feature that also sheds rain with ease.
This feeder’s significant capacity reduces your daily chores, a crucial factor on a busy homestead. Its weight and design make it very stable on the ground, suitable for both coop and pasture environments. While it’s a serious investment and complete overkill for a small backyard setup, for a larger, self-sufficient operation, its durability and capacity are unmatched.
Ultimately, the best feeder is the one that fits your flock size, your setup, and your tolerance for waste. Investing in a feeder that keeps chickens out and feed in is one of the smartest moves you can make. It protects your flock’s health and saves you real money over the long haul.
