Automatic feeder

[Uncle Dave]

Anyone have any ideas on an automatic feeder setup? I'm having trouble finding someone to swing by and feed dogs while I'm out of town, so I'm looking for some kind of automatic feeder to tide me over for 3-4 days while I'm gone so I don't have to drag dogs along. Currently have 3 in a shared kennel. Thinking some type of timed deer feeder piped down instead of scattering, or pvc type gravity feeder and hope they don't bloat themselves from over eating. Any ideas would be appreciated.

[Twopipe]

This is what I use for exactly what you’re talking about.

[david]

If you want to control portions ignore this.

But many years ago, I used a blue plastic barrel on its side with a door cut; just like some do for dog houses. But it was a food barrel. I drilled drainage, venting holes along the bottom, and put in their portions of food for the amount of time I would be gone. If they ate it up quickly, then maybe they got fat. But they were healthy, and not bloated when I got home.

Feast and then fast is a very natural cycle for predators, and also for humans. There are many proven health and mental benefits for intermittent fasting. And less food is unmistakably tied to longevity. A figure I recently heard a doctor say was 30% less food produces 30% longer life. (This was regarding humans, but he quoted studies done with animals)

[JTG]