The best baby chick feeders should give chicks a constant supply of starter feed without causing any mess. Baby chicks constantly feed, and they can make a real mess. Chick feeders should keep feed in an enclosed space, but allow chicks to peck away at their food. High-quality chick feeders should also keep out poop and bedding.
Why it is Important to have a Good Feeder for your Young Chicks
Without a proper baby chick feeder, chicks will tend to kick around food. This habit can lead to a lot of waste and expense—not to mention the work of clearing up the brooder.
Some excellent types of feeders for baby chicks are long, covered tray feeders with openings to let chicks get to their food. Other automatic feeders use upturned mason jars that dispense feed as required. Many chicken breeders choose a hanging feeder as it prevents chicks kicking food out from the feeder.
Chicks need continuous access to high-quality, nutritional feed. Well-designed baby chick feeders not only keep chicks well-fed and happy, but they also make your life easier as well. However, there are many styles of chick feeders to choose from. So, we hope that by comparing the top five chick feeders currently on the market we will help you make an informed choice.
Our Picks of Baby Chick Feeders
Buying a baby chick feeder for your brooder is much better than putting feed on an open saucer. Poop and bedding mixed in with feed can put your brood of baby chicks at risk of disease. That is why specially designed feeders are essential if you are raising baby chicks.
Using our experience in raising chicks and checking out users’ reviews, we’ve found the top five baby chick feeders currently for sale. In this list, you will find out the pros and cons of each feeder. We also give our top recommendations for the best chick feeders.
1. Little Giant Plastic Poultry Chick Feeder
This long plastic baby chick feeder is a popular choice among chick breeders. The flip-top has 28 openings to allow chicks easy access to feed and keeps out unwanted debris—poop and bedding.
Because the feeding tray is covered, it helps to minimize waste if chicks knock it over. The red color encourages feeding, and the polypropylene plastic design should stop chicks from perching on top.
This popular feeder is inexpensive and excellent for anyone who is keeping chicks for the first time on a limited budget. However, the light design means that chicks can easily knock it over.
Pros of The Little Giant
- Low-cost baby chick feeder
- Long enough to feed all your chicks at once
- Easy to clean plastic
- Cover to stop feed spillage
Cons of The Little Giant
- Easy to topple over because it’s so light
- Chicks tend to perch on top and poop in the feed
2. RentACoop Dual-Port Chick Feeder
This baby poultry feeder has a completely enclosed design to prevent debris, poop, and water from getting into the feed. The container has four feeding ports—two for chicks up to four weeks old and two for baby chicks up to 12 weeks old. It is easy to fill the feeder from the top, and the feeder holds up to 5 lbs (2.2 kg) of starter feed.
The RentACoop feeder is suitable for up to 12 chicks, and you only need to refill the feeder once a week.
Pros of the RentACoop Chick Feeder
- The unique design keeps feed clean and dry
- Suitable for chicks from one to 12 weeks of age
- No chance of waste because feed can’t fall out
- Handle for easy carrying
Cons of the RentACoop Chick Feeder
- More expensive than other baby chick feeders
- Only four chicks can feed at any one time
3. Farm Tuff Side Top Poultry Feeder
This long tray baby chick feeder is similar to the red plastic tray in this review. The difference with this feeder is that it’s made from stainless steel and has 34 feeding openings. The long tray is enough to allow plenty of chicks to feed at the same time.
One of the advantages of the stainless-steel chick feeder tray is that it’s heavier than its plastic counterpart. The lid is easy to remove for filling and chicks can’t knock it off.
The sturdy metal design prevents feed from spilling or chicks kicking debris into it.
Pros of the Farm Tuff Chick Feeder
- Weighs 1 lb. (0.5 kg) so it’s difficult for chicks to knock it over
- The long design allows all your chicks to feed simultaneously
- The top removes easily for quick refilling
- Rounded edges to prevent injury to baby chicks
Cons of the Farm Tuff Chick Feeder
- Chicks tend to perch on the top and poop in the feed
4. Your Happy Chicks Hanging Harness
The great thing about a hanging harness chick feeder is that it keeps the starter feed away from the ground. This design reduces the risk of bedding, debris, or poop contaminating the feed.
The hanging harness is completely adjustable so that you can position it for the size of your growing chicks. This feeder is so easy to use because you can refill the feeder while it is still hanging. Although you have to buy a plastic feeder separately, this handy device is suitable for all sizes of chicken and as a drinker.
All you need to use this hanging chick feeder is a place to hang the harness.
Pros of the Happy Chicks Hanging Harness
- Keeps feed away from any debris or water
- The chicks can’t perch on this hanging feeder, so they can’t kick feed or poop in it
- Cost-effective as it’s still useful after chicks have left the brooder
- Use as a feeder or drinker
Cons: of the Happy Chicks Hanging Harness
- You need to buy a suitable feeder separately
- It’s necessary to hang the harness from somewhere, and not all brooders have this option
5. MACGOAL Automatic Baby Chick Feeder
This plastic baby chick feeder is the mason jar-style where the feed is kept in a central container. Gravity keeps just enough feed in the tray to keep your chicks happy throughout the day. The clear plastic container allows you to check the level of feed quickly. The automatic chick feeder is extremely easy to use and set up.
This type of plastic chick feeder is ideal to use with a hanging harness. This way, you can protect feed from contamination to ensure your chicks grow healthy and strong.
Pros of the MACGOAL Automatic Chick Feeder
- Feed automatically disperses into the feeder tray
- No need to top up frequently
- Suitable for up to 10 chicks, otherwise you need to buy more
- Works well with a harness hanger
Cons of the MACGOAL Automatic Chick Feeder
- The lightweight design means that feeder isn’t very sturdy
- Chicks can easily perch on it and kick bedding or poop into the feed.
FAQ’s About Baby Chick Feeders
Why do chickens scratch their food?
Pecking and scratching is something all chickens do. This instinctive action is from when chickens used to be foragers, and they would scratch and peck for food such as grubs and insects. Chickens continue to scratch, even if their feeders are full. Chickens will also scratch out an area of your garden to make a comfortable dust bath.
Can I throw chicken feed onto the ground?
Chickens naturally peck the ground looking for food, and you can throw chicken feed onto the ground. However, there are advantages to using a chicken feeder. For example, there is less waste, it’s easier to feed chickens, and there’s less risk of contaminated feed. Many chicken breeders keep feeders full and occasionally throw a handful of feed onto the ground.
Baby Chick Feeders-In Conclusion
Getting the right baby chick feeder is essential to keep the baby poultry birds well-fed and reduce the risk of contamination. The best feeders for baby chicks should keep feed off the ground, prevent chicks from perching, and have no chance of spillage. These factors not only ensure that your chicks get all the nutrients they need, but you will also save money because you’ll waste less feed.
