6 Best Gravity Feed Storage Containers For Chickens That Reduce Feed Waste
Reduce feed waste and save money with a gravity feeder. Discover our top 6 picks that keep food clean, dry, and accessible for a healthier flock.
You toss a scoop of expensive organic feed into a trough, and within minutes, your chickens have kicked half of it into the bedding. It’s a frustratingly common sight that costs money and attracts pests. The solution isn’t just about finding a container to hold feed; it’s about finding a system that outsmarts a chicken’s natural instinct to scratch and forage. A good gravity feeder is one of the smartest investments you can make, turning wasted feed back into saved dollars.
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Why Gravity Feeders Cut Down on Chicken Feed Waste
Chickens are messy eaters by nature. Their instinct is to scratch and peck, a behavior that works wonders for finding bugs in the dirt but is disastrously wasteful with a trough full of crumble or pellets. They use their beaks to flick feed aside, searching for the "best" bits, and before you know it, a significant portion is soiled in the litter.
Gravity feeders solve this by changing how feed is presented. Instead of a wide-open trough, they use small ports or a narrow feeding pan. Feed flows down from a protected reservoir, refilling the access point as chickens eat. This simple design prevents them from getting their feet in the food and makes it nearly impossible to "bill out" or scatter large amounts.
The benefits go beyond just saving feed. By keeping the bulk of the feed contained and sealed, it stays clean from droppings and moisture, which can lead to mold and illness. A cleaner feeding area also means less spilled grain to attract rodents and wild birds, reducing both disease risk and pest pressure on your entire homestead.
RentACoop T-Feeder: Top Pick for Wall Mounting
The RentACoop T-Feeder is a brilliantly simple design that excels in coops where floor space is a premium. It’s essentially a vertical PVC tube with two or more T-shaped feeding ports at the base. You mount it directly to a wall or post, lifting the entire system off the floor.
This design is highly effective at reducing waste. Chickens must stick their heads into the port to eat, which contains the feed and prevents them from flicking it sideways. By mounting it, you also eliminate the possibility of it being knocked over or filled with bedding as the birds scratch around. It’s an elegant solution for coops housing anywhere from 4 to 12 birds.
The main consideration is that you need a sturdy, flat surface for mounting. It’s not ideal for temporary setups like chicken tractors unless you add a dedicated mounting post. While most adult birds adapt instantly, very young chicks might need a temporary block to stand on to reach the ports comfortably.
Harris Farms Hanging Feeder for Large Flocks
For those with a dozen or more birds, a high-capacity hanging feeder is often the most practical choice. The Harris Farms model is a classic example: a large plastic or metal reservoir that holds 15, 30, or even more pounds of feed, suspended from the coop ceiling. Its sheer volume is its biggest advantage, drastically cutting down on the frequency of refills.
The key to making a hanging feeder work is getting the height right. You want the lip of the feeding pan to be level with the back of your average-sized chicken. This simple adjustment makes it awkward for them to scratch feed out with their feet or aggressively flick it with their beaks. If you hang it too low, it becomes just as wasteful as a ground trough.
While excellent for large flocks, these feeders take up significant space. They need adequate clearance all around so birds can access them without being crowded. They are less effective at pest-proofing than a sealed port feeder, as mice can sometimes climb the chain and access the feeding pan, but keeping it suspended helps deter casual ground-level theft.
RentACoop Feeder Ports for DIY Bucket Systems
If you’re a fan of DIY projects and want ultimate control over capacity, feeder ports are the answer. These are not a complete feeder but rather a set of durable plastic ports that you install into your own container. All you need is a food-grade 5-gallon bucket and a hole saw.
This approach offers unmatched flexibility. You can create a feeder that holds 30 pounds of feed for a week or modify a 50-gallon drum for a massive system that only needs filling once a month. The port design is highly efficient, keeping feed contained and protected from the elements, especially when paired with a bucket that has a tight-fitting, waterproof lid.
The tradeoff is the initial setup. You have to supply the bucket and do the installation yourself, which requires a few basic tools. However, for anyone managing a large flock or wanting to build a system perfectly tailored to their coop, the small amount of upfront effort pays off in a cost-effective, high-capacity, and low-waste feeding solution.
Miller Manufacturing 30lb Galvanized Feeder
In the world of farm equipment, sometimes the old ways are best. The Miller Manufacturing galvanized steel feeder is a testament to this. It’s a heavy-duty, no-frills hanging feeder built to last for decades, not just a few seasons.
Its primary advantage is durability. Unlike plastic, galvanized steel is completely rodent-proof—rats and squirrels cannot chew through it. The material also withstands brutal sun and freezing temperatures without becoming brittle. The weight of the steel provides stability, making it harder for birds or other animals to jostle and spill.
This is the feeder for someone who prioritizes longevity and has issues with pests chewing through plastic equipment. It functions like other hanging feeders, where height adjustment is key to minimizing waste. The main downsides are its weight, which can make it cumbersome to hang and refill, and the potential for the metal to become hot if placed in direct, intense sunlight.
Royal Rooster PVC Feeder for Limited Coop Space
The Royal Rooster feeder shares the same vertical, space-saving concept as other PVC tube feeders but often comes with features specifically for tight or exposed spaces. Many models include a single feeding bay with a rain cover, making them an excellent choice for mounting on the outside of a run or in a chicken tractor.
The design is optimized for small flocks. By providing a single, sheltered feeding point, it minimizes competition and protects the feed from rain. This makes it a perfect fit for a small backyard coop, a breeding trio, or any situation where the feeder can’t be fully enclosed within a structure.
Because of its compact nature, its capacity is generally lower than larger hanging or DIY systems. It’s not the right choice for a large flock, as it would require constant refilling. But for a flock of six or fewer birds, it offers a clean, weatherproof, and waste-reducing option that fits almost anywhere.
Grandpa’s Feeders Treadle for Pest-Proofing
When your biggest feed-waste problem isn’t your chickens but the local wildlife, a treadle feeder is the definitive solution. Grandpa’s Feeders is the best-known brand for this design: a large, covered feed hopper with a lid connected to a treadle platform. The lid only opens when a chicken stands on the platform.
This mechanical system is virtually 100% pest-proof. Rats, mice, sparrows, and squirrels are too lightweight to trigger the mechanism, meaning your expensive chicken feed is reserved exclusively for your chickens. The feed savings can be staggering, often paying for the feeder’s higher initial cost within a year in pest-heavy areas.
The primary tradeoff is the upfront investment and the required training period. You have to spend a week or two teaching your flock how to use it by propping the lid open and gradually lowering it. But once they learn, the peace of mind and long-term savings are unmatched by any other feeder type.
Choosing the Right Feeder for Your Flock’s Size
There is no single "best" feeder; the right choice depends entirely on your flock size, coop layout, and primary challenges. Thinking through these factors will point you to the perfect solution.
A simple framework can help guide your decision:
- For Small Flocks (2-8 birds) & Tight Spaces: Wall-mounted PVC feeders like the RentACoop T-Feeder or Royal Rooster are ideal. They save precious floor space and are highly efficient.
- For Medium-to-Large Flocks (8-25+ birds): Prioritize capacity to save labor. A large Harris Farms Hanging Feeder or a DIY Bucket System using feeder ports will minimize refill frequency.
- For Durability & Rodent Resistance: If pests chew through your plastic gear, the Miller Galvanized Feeder is an indestructible, long-term investment.
- For Serious Pest Problems: If wild animals are eating more feed than your chickens, the Grandpa’s Treadle Feeder is the only solution that truly solves the problem. It’s an investment that pays for itself.
Ultimately, the goal is to create a system that works for you and your birds. A feeder that keeps food clean, dry, and accessible only to your flock is a cornerstone of an efficient and healthy homestead operation. Don’t be afraid to switch systems if your current one isn’t meeting your needs.
Investing in the right feeder is more than a convenience—it’s a strategic decision that impacts your budget, your workload, and the health of your flock. By matching the feeder’s design to your specific needs, you can reclaim your time and stop feeding the local wildlife. It’s a simple change that makes the entire system run more smoothly.
