6 Best Outdoor Benches for Storage
Discover dual-purpose outdoor benches that offer stylish seating and secure, weatherproof storage for your chicken feed. Keep it dry and safe from pests.
Storing chicken feed is a constant battle against two enemies: moisture and pests. You can have the best feed in the world, but if it gets damp, it molds. If rodents find it, you’re just running a free buffet for the local wildlife. A galvanized trash can works, but it’s ugly, often rusts, and doesn’t offer a place to sit and watch your flock.
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Why a Bench is Smart for Storing Chicken Feed
A storage bench is one of those simple, brilliant solutions that solves multiple problems at once. First and foremost, it gets your feed off the damp ground, which is the number one cause of caked, moldy feed. It provides a dry, sealed environment that protects your investment from rain, snow, and humidity.
Beyond simple storage, it offers convenience. Placing a bench right outside the coop means your feed is exactly where you need it, every single morning. No more hauling heavy bags from the garage or barn. It also gives you a designated spot to sit, put on your coop boots, or just enjoy a cup of coffee while your chickens forage.
The real genius, however, is in the pest control. A well-designed resin or hardwood bench with a tight-fitting lid is a formidable barrier against mice, rats, and squirrels. Unlike a feed sack left in the open, a secure bench tells pests the easy meal is over. This isn’t just about saving money on feed; it’s about protecting your flock from the diseases that rodents carry.
Keter Eden 70 Gallon: A Farmer’s Favorite
The Keter Eden is a workhorse, and you see it on small farms for a reason. Its 70-gallon capacity is the sweet spot for many flock owners, comfortably holding three 50-pound bags of feed with a little room to spare for scratch grains or supplements. This size allows you to buy feed in manageable quantities without constantly running to the store.
Made from a durable, weather-resistant resin, it won’t rot, rust, or peel like wood or metal. It’s designed to look like wood, so it blends in nicely near a coop without looking like a plastic box. The lid is sturdy enough for two adults to sit on, and it’s lockable, which adds an essential layer of security against clever raccoons or curious children.
The assembly is straightforward, and once it’s built, it’s virtually maintenance-free. For the hobby farmer who wants a reliable, no-fuss solution that just works, the Keter Eden is a top contender. It balances capacity, durability, and aesthetics perfectly for the average backyard flock.
Suncast 50-Gallon: Durable & Compact Choice
When space is tight, the Suncast 50-Gallon deck box is an excellent choice. It offers the same durable, all-weather resin construction as larger models but in a much smaller footprint. This makes it ideal for placing on a small patio, alongside a suburban coop, or even on a balcony for those with urban chickens.
Its 50-gallon capacity is perfect for flocks of about 6-12 birds, easily holding two 50-pound bags of feed. This prevents you from over-buying and letting feed get stale, which can be a real issue for smaller operations. The stay-dry design is effective, channeling water away from the seams to keep the contents bone-dry, even in a downpour.
Think of this as the efficient, practical option. It doesn’t have the massive capacity for bulk buyers, but it provides secure, waterproof storage without dominating your space. For many hobby farmers, that’s exactly the right tradeoff.
Leisure Season Wooden Bench for a Classic Look
For those who prioritize a traditional aesthetic, a wooden storage bench is hard to beat. The Leisure Season bench, typically made from cypress or other decay-resistant wood, offers a classic look that complements a rustic coop or garden setting. It can be stained or painted to match your other structures, integrating seamlessly into your landscape.
However, choosing wood comes with important tradeoffs. While beautiful, it requires maintenance. You’ll need to treat it with a sealant every year or two to protect it from moisture and prevent rot. Wood is also more vulnerable to determined rodents. A rat can chew through wood much easier than thick resin, so you might consider lining the inside with hardware cloth for added protection.
This bench is for the farmer who values form as much as function and doesn’t mind a bit of annual upkeep. It provides a sturdy place to sit and reliable storage, but its long-term success depends on your commitment to maintaining it.
Keter Borneo 110 Gallon for Bulk Feed Needs
If you have a large flock or love the savings that come from buying feed in bulk, the Keter Borneo is your answer. With a massive 110-gallon capacity, this bench can swallow five or six 50-pound bags of feed, making it perfect for flock owners who buy by the pallet or only want to make a feed run once every few months.
The standout feature here is the piston-assisted lid. When you’re wrestling a heavy feed bag, being able to open a lid that stays open on its own is a huge quality-of-life improvement. Like other Keter products, it’s made from durable, all-weather resin with a stylish rattan-look finish, so it’s built to last without any maintenance.
This bench is an investment in efficiency. It allows you to streamline your feed purchasing and storage, saving you time and money in the long run. It’s overkill for a small flock, but for anyone with 20 or more birds, it’s a game-changer for coop-side logistics.
Suncast 22-Gallon for Small Coops & Flocks
Not everyone needs a massive storage solution. For the hobbyist with a trio of hens in the backyard, the Suncast 22-Gallon Small Deck Box is the perfect fit. It’s compact, unobtrusive, and provides just enough space for one 50-pound bag of feed, keeping it fresh, dry, and safe.
This smaller size is its greatest strength. It prevents the temptation to store too much feed, which can lose nutritional value over time. It’s also incredibly versatile. You can use it exclusively for your layer crumble or use it to hold a small bag of feed plus other essentials like scratch grains, oyster shell, and coop cleaning supplies.
Because of its small size, it can be tucked almost anywhere. It’s a simple, affordable, and highly effective way to upgrade from a bag in the garage to a secure, dedicated storage spot right where you need it.
Rubbermaid Patio Chic: Ultimate Weatherproofing
If you live in a climate with extreme weather—heavy rain, driving snow, or intense sun—you need storage that’s absolutely bomb-proof. The Rubbermaid Patio Chic line is engineered for precisely that. Its double-walled construction and superior weather seals offer an unmatched level of protection against the elements.
While marketed for patio cushions, its rugged build is ideal for protecting valuable feed. The leak-resistant, dent-resistant material can take a beating, and the interlocking lid design creates a barrier that moisture simply can’t penetrate. This is the bench you choose when "mostly dry" isn’t good enough.
The tradeoff is often a higher price point and a more utilitarian design. But what you’re paying for is peace of mind. Knowing your feed will be perfectly dry and secure, no matter what the weather throws at you, is a valuable assurance for any serious flock owner.
Key Features: Pest-Proofing and Durability
When choosing your bench, two factors matter more than anything else: its ability to keep pests out and its ability to withstand the weather. These two features will determine whether your bench is a helpful tool or a future headache.
For pest-proofing, the material and lid design are crucial.
- Resin/Plastic: The best all-around choice. It’s too hard for mice to chew through and provides no purchase for insects. A tight-fitting, overlapping, and lockable lid is the best defense against raccoons.
- Wood: The most vulnerable. Mice can find a way in, and rats can chew through it. If you choose wood, look for dense hardwood and a very tight-fitting lid.
- Metal: While impervious to chewing, metal bins often have lid designs that aren’t raccoon-proof and are highly prone to rusting when left outdoors.
For durability and weatherproofing, focus on the construction. A resin bench with UV protection won’t crack or become brittle in the sun. Look for designs that actively channel water away from the seams. A bench that sits slightly off the ground will also last longer and keep its contents drier by preventing moisture from wicking up from below. The goal is a container that requires zero thought once your feed is inside.
Ultimately, the right storage bench simplifies your daily chores and protects the health of your flock. By moving your feed into a secure, weatherproof container right by the coop, you eliminate waste, deter pests, and reclaim a little more time in your day. It’s a small upgrade that pays for itself quickly in saved feed and peace of mind.
