Feeding Trough Chicks: Clean Feeding for Chicks and Young Hens
A trough at chick height keeps the feed clean and lets every chick reach it easily. With us you will find troughs and feeders for every stage of growth.
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Kerbl Poultry Feeder with Feet, Plastic, "I love my Ladies" Design, 4.8 Litres
Variants from €14.30
Sale price: €17.60 Regular price: €19.99 (11.96% saved) Kerbl Chick Feeding Trough Plastic, Pink with Hinged Lid, 20 x 9 cm
Regular price: €4.94
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Novital Automatic Poultry Feeder with Feet Yellow-Green
Sale price: From €47.85 Regular price: €55.99 (14.54% saved)
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Novital Feed Trough for Pullets 50 x 12 cm, Plastic with Grid
Sale price: €9.89 Regular price: €9.99 (1% saved)
Agrarzone Chick Feeder Plastic orange, 2 kg Capacity, Twist-Lock Closure
Regular price: €3.29
Agrarzone DIY Chicken Feeder for Self-Assembly with Grid Cover, 30 L
Variants from €48.39
Regular price: €57.74 Feeding Trough Chicks: Feed Where Small Beaks Can Reach It
A feeding trough for chicks is low, stable and built so the little ones can eat without climbing in. The grid over the feed keeps scratching feet out and saves you feed that would otherwise end up in the bedding. Galvanised or plastic, a narrow chick trough or an automatic feeder: here you will find solutions from the very first day until your young hens reach point of lay.
Trough or Automatic Feeder?
In the first few days an open chick trough with a grid is practical, because the chicks see the feed straight away and quickly learn to peck. The 50 x 7 cm versions fit well into small brooder boxes. As the birds grow, switch to the wider pullet trough in 50 x 12 cm or the hen trough in 75 x 12 cm. A chick feeder holding 2 kg or 15 litres refills itself and is a good choice if you do not want to top up several times a day. Models with feet stand slightly raised and stay clean for longer.
Hygiene in the Brooder
Chicks are sensitive, so a clean feeding area is especially worthwhile. Do not place the trough directly under the heat source, otherwise the feed dries out or clumps. Remove droppings and bedding from the feed every day. Smooth surfaces made of plastic or galvanised steel can be cleaned quickly with warm water and dry fast. If you enjoy a small project, the DIY feeder kit lets you turn a bucket into your own feeding station for young birds.
Frequently asked questions
How many chicks can share one trough?
As a rule of thumb, allow about 2 to 3 cm of trough length per chick in the first weeks. So around 20 chicks can eat comfortably at a 50 cm trough without jostling.
When should I switch from a chick trough to a bigger one?
Once the chicks can no longer get their heads comfortably through the grid, or the trough is constantly empty, it is time. That is usually the case after three to five weeks.
Why do chicks scratch feed out of the trough?
Scratching is instinctive behaviour. A trough with a grid or a rotating bar, filled no more than two thirds full, cuts down the waste considerably.
Chick Troughs and Feeders for Rearing
Young chickens grow fast and eat often, and in their first week they peck almost non-stop. That is why they need a feeding spot that stands firm, is easy to fill and keeps the feed clean. Our chick troughs have a grid through which the little ones can peck comfortably without stepping into the feed. For older birds there are wider versions for pullets and hens, so the trough simply grows with your flock. Automatic feeders refill themselves and save you trips to the coop, which helps a lot if you work during the day. Plastic and galvanised steel are easy to clean and robust in daily use. A feeder with feet stands slightly higher, so less bedding ends up in the feed. This way every chick gets its share and you keep a good eye on how much they eat until they move into the big coop.