Best Chicken Feeders and Waterers (Buying Guide)
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You fill the feeder on Sunday. By Wednesday it is empty and the run floor is covered in pellets. A sparrow sits on the rim. Something with a long tail ran under the coop as you walked up.
Sound familiar? The feeder you pick decides how much of your feed goes into hens and how much goes into the ground. The waterer decides if your hens drink clean water or bedding soup.
Our top picks
Paid links. We earn from qualifying Amazon purchases. We chose these from specs and owner feedback, not our own testing. Photos show the type of gear, not the exact product.
Feeders
Best for a few hens under coverHarris Farms Galvanized Hanging Feeder, 15 lbA plain metal tube feeder that holds about 15 pounds.Check price on Amazon →Details ↓Photo: Rachel Tayse, CC BY 2.0- Best for 3 or 4 hensFARM-TUFF Hanging Poultry Feeder, 6 lbA light plastic feeder with an adjustable flow.Check price on Amazon →Details ↓Photo: Rachel Tayse, CC BY 2.0
- Best where rats or wild birds are a problemGrandpa's Feeders Galvanized Treadle Feeder, 20 lbThe lid only lifts when a hen stands on the step.Check price on Amazon →Details ↓Photo: Rachel Tayse, CC BY 2.0
- Best for cutting spilled feedRentACoop 25 lb Feeder with 4 PortsHens reach into side ports instead of an open pan.Check price on Amazon →Details ↓Photo: Rachel Tayse, CC BY 2.0
Waterers
Best balance of clean and easy to learnRentACoop 2 Gallon Waterer with Cups and NipplesSmall cups refill on their own so hens drink from an open cup.Check price on Amazon →Details ↓Photo: Steven L. Johnson, CC BY 2.0- Best for a big cheap DIY watererLil'Clucker Horizontal Waterer Nipples, 15 packDrill these into the side of a food safe bucket.Check price on Amazon →Details ↓Photo: Steven L. Johnson, CC BY 2.0
Best for freezing wintersFarm Innovators HB60P Heated Poultry Waterer, 2 gallonA built in heater keeps the water from freezing.Check price on Amazon →Details ↓Photo: Liamkw, CC BY-SA 4.0
In this guide
How much do hens eat and drink
A standard laying hen eats roughly a quarter pound of layer feed a day. Six hens get through about a pound and a half. A 25 pound bag lasts them a little over two weeks.
Water matters even more. A hen drinks around a pint a day in mild weather. On a hot day that can double. Six hens can empty a one gallon font before lunch in July. Size your waterer so it lasts at least two full days. That way a busy weekend never leaves them dry.
Feeders
There are three main types. Hanging tube feeders are cheap and simple. Treadle feeders open only when a hen steps on a plate. Port feeders make hens reach into a hole so they can’t flick feed out.
If you have rats or a lot of wild birds then skip the open pan. A treadle or port feeder pays for itself in saved feed within a season.
Photo: Rachel Tayse, CC BY 2.0Harris Farms Galvanized Hanging Feeder, 15 lb
A plain metal tube feeder that holds about 15 pounds. Hang it so the rim sits at the height of a hen's back. That one trick cuts most of the waste.
What to like
- Cheap and simple
- Easy to raise as birds grow
- Metal won't crack
Watch out for
- Hens still flick some feed out
- Open pan lets in rain and rats
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Photo: Rachel Tayse, CC BY 2.0FARM-TUFF Hanging Poultry Feeder, 6 lb
A light plastic feeder with an adjustable flow. The 6 pound size suits a small flock. You refill it a little more often but feed stays fresh.
What to like
- Light and cheap
- Adjustable flow
- Right size for a small flock
Watch out for
- Plastic can crack in hard frost
- Open pan like any tube feeder
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Photo: Rachel Tayse, CC BY 2.0Grandpa's Feeders Galvanized Treadle Feeder, 20 lb
The lid only lifts when a hen stands on the step. Feed stays dry and pests struggle to get in. It holds about 20 pounds.
What to like
- Keeps feed dry
- Keeps rats and wild birds out
- Holds days of feed
Watch out for
- Costs more than a tube feeder
- Hens need a few days to learn it
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Photo: Rachel Tayse, CC BY 2.0RentACoop 25 lb Feeder with 4 Ports
Hens reach into side ports instead of an open pan. Far less feed ends up on the floor. A full bag fits inside so you fill it less often.
What to like
- Much less wasted feed
- Big capacity
- Ports keep most rain out
Watch out for
- Damp feed can clog a port
- Check the port height suits your birds
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Waterers
You have three choices here too. The classic font has an open ring at the bottom. Nipple waterers release a drop when a hen pecks a metal pin. Cup waterers have small cups that refill on their own.
Fonts are easy for hens to learn. They also fill up with shavings and droppings fast. Nipples keep water cleanest. Cups sit in between and most hens figure them out on day one.
Photo: Steven L. Johnson, CC BY 2.0RentACoop 2 Gallon Waterer with Cups and Nipples
Small cups refill on their own so hens drink from an open cup. Nipples on the same unit give a backup. Most birds work it out the first day.
What to like
- Clean water
- Easier to learn than nipples alone
- Ready to use out of the box
Watch out for
- Cups need a wipe now and then
- Valves can freeze in a hard frost
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Photo: Steven L. Johnson, CC BY 2.0Lil'Clucker Horizontal Waterer Nipples, 15 pack
Drill these into the side of a food safe bucket. A 5 gallon bucket lasts a small flock most of a week. Bedding and droppings can't get in.
What to like
- Water stays clean
- Cheap way to build a big waterer
- Very little spilling
Watch out for
- You need a bucket and a drill
- Birds take a few days to learn
- Can freeze in winter
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Photo: Liamkw, CC BY-SA 4.0Farm Innovators HB60P Heated Poultry Waterer, 2 gallon
A built in heater keeps the water from freezing. No more carrying a kettle out at 6 in the morning to crack the ice.
What to like
- No frozen water on cold mornings
- Saves trips in winter
Watch out for
- Needs a weatherproof outdoor outlet
- Keep the cord away from pecking hens
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| Pick | Best for | Main plus | Main catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harris Farms Galvanized Hanging Feeder, 15 lb | Best for a few hens under cover | Cheap and simple | Hens still flick some feed out |
| FARM-TUFF Hanging Poultry Feeder, 6 lb | Best for 3 or 4 hens | Light and cheap | Plastic can crack in hard frost |
| Grandpa's Feeders Galvanized Treadle Feeder, 20 lb | Best where rats or wild birds are a problem | Keeps feed dry | Costs more than a tube feeder |
| RentACoop 25 lb Feeder with 4 Ports | Best for cutting spilled feed | Much less wasted feed | Damp feed can clog a port |
| RentACoop 2 Gallon Waterer with Cups and Nipples | Best balance of clean and easy to learn | Clean water | Cups need a wipe now and then |
| Lil'Clucker Horizontal Waterer Nipples, 15 pack | Best for a big cheap DIY waterer | Water stays clean | You need a bucket and a drill |
| Farm Innovators HB60P Heated Poultry Waterer, 2 gallon | Best for freezing winters | No frozen water on cold mornings | Needs a weatherproof outdoor outlet |
Where to put them
Raise both off the ground. A couple of cinder blocks under a waterer keeps the bedding out. Hang feeders at back height.
Keep feed under a roof. Wet feed goes moldy in a day or two in summer. Moldy feed can make hens sick.
Put the waterer in shade. Hens drink less when the water is warm. That is the last thing you want in a heat wave.
Store spare feed in a metal can with a tight lid. Rats chew through plastic bins and paper sacks.
A simple setup for 6 hens
- One treadle or port feeder holding 20 to 25 pounds.
- One cup waterer for daily use plus a nipple bucket as a backup.
- A heated waterer swapped in when nights drop below freezing.
That setup means you fill feed about every two weeks and water every few days. Your hens stay fed even if you go away for a long weekend.
For more on where gear sits inside the coop see our guides on how much space chickens need and winterizing a chicken coop.
Sources
- University of Maryland Extension. Housing requirements for small flocks. Covers feeder and waterer types.
- Penn State Extension. Successfully raising a small flock of laying chickens.
- Manufacturer listings for feeder and waterer capacities.
