Chickens are champion feed-wasters. They bill feed out of the trough with their beaks, scratch through it looking for the good bits, and kick what's left into the shavings. If you're buying more feed than your flock should be eating, the feeder is usually the problem.
Feeder ports fix that. A port gives each bird a controlled opening to eat through, so they can peck normally but can't rake feed onto the ground. Here's how to use them in a chicken setup.
What is a chicken feeder port?
A feeder port is an insert that fits into a round hole drilled in any bucket, tub, barrel, or bin. Birds eat through the port opening. Our ports use a cone-shaped interior that allows natural pecking while keeping feed contained — the same design thousands of quail keepers use, scaled up for chickens.
Which size port for your chickens?
- 2.5" Chicken Feed Saver Port — standard and large-breed chickens.
- 2" port — bantam chickens and other small birds.
Serama or bantams on a Mason jar feeder? Small chickens stand taller than quail, so our Mason jar feeder sits too low for them. The Riser Ring lifts it to the right height so they can reach the ports comfortably without flicking feed or kicking bedding into the trough.
How to build a chicken feeder with ports
- Pick a container — a bucket, tub, barrel, or bin with a lid to keep feed dry.
- Mark holes low on the side at a comfortable height for your birds, spaced so they aren't crowding each other.
- Drill each hole with a hole saw matching the port diameter.
- Press the ports in and follow the included installation instructions for a permanent fit.
- Fill it up. Each set includes 8 ports.
Why ports beat open troughs
- Less waste. Stops billing and scratching feed out.
- Cleaner feed. Keeps droppings, shavings, and dirt out of the supply.
- Use what you have. No special feeder to buy — install into any container.
- Made to last. 3D printed from durable, food-safe PLA in the USA.
Keeping quail too?
House them separately — chickens can carry diseases that are dangerous to quail, and they can injure smaller birds. For quail, use 1.5" ports (or 1" for chicks). See our DIY quail feeder guide and our no-waste quail feeder comparison.
