6 Best Large Crates For Storing Animal Feed That Rodent-Proof Your Barn
Protect your barn’s feed from pests. Our guide reviews the 6 best large, rodent-proof storage crates, comparing durable, chew-proof options to secure your supply.
Every farmer knows the feeling of walking into the barn and seeing a feed sack torn open, its contents spilled and fouled. It’s more than just an annoyance; it’s a direct hit to your budget and a threat to your animals’ health. Winning the war against rodents isn’t about setting more traps—it’s about cutting off their food supply at the source.
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Why Rodent-Proof Feed Storage Is Non-Negotiable
Losing feed to pests is a slow, expensive leak in your farm’s budget. A single mouse doesn’t eat much, but a family of them will chew through bags, contaminating far more than they consume with urine and feces. Once that happens, the entire bag is a loss. You wouldn’t let your animals drink dirty water, and you can’t let them eat spoiled grain.
This isn’t just about money, it’s about biosecurity. Rodents are notorious carriers of diseases like leptospirosis, salmonella, and hantavirus, which can sicken your livestock and even you. A simple, secure feed bin is one of the most effective health management tools you can have. It stops being an expense and becomes an investment in the well-being of your entire homestead.
Behrens Galvanized Can: The Classic Farm Solution
Get durable, rust-proof trash disposal with this 6-gallon steel can. It features a locking lid and is proudly made in the USA.
You’ve seen these in every old barn for a reason. The simple, galvanized steel trash can is the baseline for rodent-proof storage. Mice and rats cannot chew through steel, period. A 31-gallon can comfortably holds a 50-pound bag of feed with room to scoop, making it a perfect, no-fuss solution for chicken pellets, scratch grains, or goat feed.
The weak point, however, is the lid. Standard lids are often loose-fitting and can be easily knocked off by a determined raccoon or even a large rat. Look for a can with a tight-fitting, locking lid. If you can’t find one, a simple bungee cord stretched over the top is a cheap and effective upgrade that will secure your investment against most four-legged thieves.
The Vittles Vault: Airtight Plastic Protection
![Gamma2 Vittles Vault Pet Food Storage Containers - Sealed Dog and Cat Food Storage Container, Fits up to 50lbs, Made in the USA - [14"L x 20"H]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41GP3rs5AzL._SL500_.jpg "6 Best Large Crates For Storing Animal Feed That Rodent-Proof Your Barn 3")
If you’re storing more expensive, pelleted feeds that can go stale, the Vittles Vault is a fantastic option. Made from heavy-duty, food-grade plastic, its real advantage is the screw-on, gasket-sealed lid. This design makes it completely airtight, which locks out moisture and keeps feed fresh for much longer than a simple can.
While the thick, slick plastic is a serious deterrent to chewing, it’s not invincible like steel. A highly motivated rat in a dark corner could theoretically gnaw its way in over time. For this reason, Vittles Vaults are best used inside a more secure space like a tack room or shed, rather than left in the middle of an old barn. They are perfect for specialty feeds, minerals, or smaller quantities you want to keep in peak condition.
High Country Plastics Bins for Bulk Feed Storage
When you graduate to buying feed by the hundreds of pounds, you need a more dedicated system. High Country Plastics and similar brands make purpose-built feed bins that are a major step up. These are typically large, durable polyethylene containers designed to hold multiple bags of feed at once.
Their design is all about function. Many have hinged lids for easy access and sloped interiors that make scooping out the last bits of feed simple. They are tough and weather-resistant, but their security depends on the quality of the latches and hinges. They provide excellent organization, allowing you to dedicate separate bins for different animals, but inspect the hardware to ensure it’s robust enough to foil a clever raccoon.
Lifetime Deck Box: A Weatherproof Feed Locker
Here’s a clever solution hiding in plain sight at your local hardware store. A high-quality deck box, designed to store patio cushions, is an almost perfect feed locker. They are built from thick, double-walled polyethylene, are completely weatherproof, and offer massive storage capacity—often over 100 gallons.
The biggest advantages are security and volume. The tough plastic is extremely difficult for rodents to chew, and most models come with a spot for a padlock. This secures your feed not just from rodents and raccoons, but from any unwanted visitors. Their rectangular shape fits neatly against a barn wall, and they can easily hold four or five 50-pound bags, making them an excellent, cost-effective choice for bulk storage.
Behlen Stock Tank: Ultimate Rodent-Proofing
For absolute, 100% chew-proof certainty, nothing beats a galvanized steel stock tank. It is, quite simply, a metal fortress for your feed. No mouse, rat, or raccoon will ever gnaw its way through the side of a Behlen tank. You can drop multiple bags of feed directly inside and have complete peace of mind.
The only thing a stock tank lacks is a lid, but that’s an easy fix. A custom-cut piece of heavy plywood that sits snugly on the inner lip of the tank is all you need. For added security, place a cinder block or heavy rock on top. This setup is indestructible, offers massive capacity, and will likely outlast your barn. It’s the ultimate solution for anyone storing large quantities of feed in an area with high pest pressure.
The Upcycled Chest Freezer: A DIY Feed Vault
One of the best feed bins you can get is one that wasn’t designed to be a feed bin at all. A non-working chest freezer is an insulated, steel-lined vault with a heavy, gasket-sealed lid. You can often find them for free from people who are just happy to have you haul them away. They are completely rodent-proof, insect-proof, and weather-proof.
There is one critically important safety rule with this method: you must permanently disable or remove the latching mechanism. A functional freezer latch can trap a child or animal inside, creating a deadly situation. Once you’ve made that modification, you have a top-tier feed storage system for next to nothing. It’s the perfect example of homestead ingenuity.
Choosing the Right Feed Bin for Your Homestead
There is no single "best" feed bin, only the one that’s right for your situation. The choice comes down to a few key factors: how much feed you store, what kind of pests you’re dealing with, and your budget. Don’t overbuy, but don’t undershoot your needs, either.
Start by assessing your needs.
- For 1-2 bags: A galvanized can with a secure lid or a Vittles Vault is perfect.
- For 3-5 bags: A large deck box offers a great balance of security, capacity, and cost.
- For serious bulk storage: A steel stock tank or a disabled chest freezer provides maximum, impenetrable security.
The goal is simple: get your feed up off the floor and into a sealed container that pests can’t open or chew through. Making a smart choice here will save you hundreds of dollars in wasted feed and protect the health of your animals for years to come.
Securing your feed is the first and most important step in pest management. It’s a simple change that shifts the battle in your favor. A good feed bin isn’t just a purchase; it’s a permanent solution that pays for itself the first time you find tiny teeth marks on the outside instead of in your grain.
