A fiber tuft feeder includes a reserve chute; a feed roll supported in the reserve chute at an outlet thereof; a countersupport cooperating with the feed roll for defining therewith a nip through which the feed roll draws fiber tufts from the reserve chute; an opening roll supported immediately downstream of the nip for receiving fiber tufts from the nip; and a feed chute having an inlet connected to the outlet of the reserve chute. A relative motion of the feed roll and the countersupport toward and away from one another is permitted for varying the distance between the feed roll and the countersupport by the fiber tufts passing therebetween. Further, a spring is provided which resiliently urges the feed roll and the countersupport towards one another.