Auto timer feeder suggestions (?)

[JimNAZ]

Hello,

We recently moved back in the city with 3 ducks and 2 chickens. (They all get along great.) lately one of our ducks (Cayuga) has found her voice and starts screaming around 4:30 am for her morning treats. They have unlimited layer feed out all the time but in the morning I usually toss out some kale, peas and also toss some cheerios into a water tub. Been doing that since they were young and just never stopped.
Anyway, so because of this loud screaming and being concerned about angering the neighbors, I get up when they start getting loud. *I know I'm just encouraging this behavior but I do not feel she will ever stop doing this.
So, I'm thinking of getting some sort of auto feeder with a timer just for the treats.
Does this make sense? Any suggestions on which one? Any suggestions on other ways to conquer this problem?
On a side note, I'm in the process of building them a new house but the ducks like to just stay outside at night instead of sleeping in their current house.
Thanks

 

[Miss Lydia]

Getting them inside at night will help with the noise and will also keep them safe too. I’ve never used an auto timer feeder so can’t comment on them.

 

[Jpat]

I got rid of my cayuga recently and its soo much calmer and quieter here now haha

 

[Jpat]

Oooh and i missed the whole question sorry

cheapest thing ive seen for auto feeding is the ones for cats in petsmart

They have 2 timed lids, definitly enough room for ducky treats. But i think a dark coop should keep them quiete

If nothing else mine muffles the noise

 

[Kkrista123]

I don't know if there's too many timed treat dispensers out there right now especially for poultry but you could use one with a remote.
https://www.jjdog.com/remote-treat-...vIVtTSh8XpPnGtwSl4F0c6yk4lsE5LVwaAnyLEALw_wcB

There's also toys that will dispense when played with (if they'll save it for the morning...)
http://www.petshopdirect.com.au/shop/item/lixit-chicken-treat-dispenser-chicken-toy

There's this one too
https://www.amazon.com/Pet-Treat-Ba...ocphy=9007244&hvtargid=pla-428952184766&psc=1

I do a lot with fish tanks. I know we have timed auto feeders for fish because I have a LOT of tanks. They just won't be able to hold too much in them since they're meant for fish food (flakes or small pellets). If you wanted to do that, you could mount it where ever and show your duck it the first few times and then she'll understand. She'll get used to it going off at a certain time too.
https://www.chewy.com/eheim-everyda...vF6dV6eky0O9qfi8ZLNJ-CkpTX11nSpIaAuobEALw_wcB

There's also auto pond feeders that are way larger. https://www.chewy.com/fish-mate-pon...RCThBqtEdtzAgpevzrwIsbczhlMtKfC0aApalEALw_wcB

The fish feeders are the only ones on timers but all are options for you to look at! BTW Any timed auto fish feeder will work as long as it can fit a few treats. You'd just have to re-fill it daily but that beats neighbors waking up at 4:30 AM! My neighbors are CLOSE on my sides and my duck is indoors so I have to keep her quiet from 9 pm-8 am. She's a good duck though so it's not problem! The neighbors love being able to yell "DUCK!" at my upstairs window and then hearing a little girl quacking at them!

 

[Kkrista123]

Also forgot to mention, I use a water bottle as a slow release treat dispenser. I pull all the plastic and lid off of it and then I fill it with treats and as she plays with it, treats slowly fall out. She can see the treats inside though so she never gives up playing with it. Not sure how much that could help you at 4:30 am but its worth mentioning! Good luck!

 

[Kkrista123]

Getting them inside at night will help with the noise and will also keep them safe too. I’ve never used an auto timer feeder so can’t comment on them.

x2 on this though, if they're locked away they think their human parents are protecting them by hiding them from predators so they stay pretty quiet and that's also because they feel safe. This could help a lot!

 

[DuckyDonna]

Also forgot to mention, I use a water bottle as a slow release treat dispenser. I pull all the plastic and lid off of it and then I fill it with treats and as she plays with it, treats slowly fall out. She can see the treats inside though so she never gives up playing with it. Not sure how much that could help you at 4:30 am but its worth mentioning! Good luck!

Can you put up a picture of the water bottle treat dispenser? Please?

 

[Kkrista123]

Can you put up a picture of the water bottle treat dispenser? Please?

I'll have to take a video but for now, I have some old pics so you can see it. Nothing special to it, just a water bottle. Plastic label removed because we all know that would eventually get eaten lol. I take the lid off, and fill with any kind of treat I feel like feeding that day. A favorite is "quack snacks" I get from Tractor Supply. I usually try to put peas, cracked corn or mealworms in there though so it's a little healthier. Sometimes I do a mix of them! She see's the treats in the bottle and rolls it around. As she rolls it and flips it, the treats slowly fall out. A small handful of treats in there last 3 hours in comparison to the 3 minutes they would last if I just gave them to her on the ground or in my hand etc. If the treats are something leafy, I just cut small slits in the sides of the bottles so the leafy stuff can fall out easier. Much easier to use peas or something like that though that will just fall out of the water bottle as they roll and flip it. Here's some pics of a water bottle treat dispenser in my duckies pen! I think the only pics I have are with peas and she didn't see that I had snuck the bottle into her pen yet so she wasn't paying any attention to it. Once I roll the bottle and she realizes I've loaded it with treats, it has her attention for EVER!

 

[DuckyDonna]

I'll have to take a video but for now, I have some old pics so you can see it. Nothing special to it, just a water bottle. Plastic label removed because we all know that would eventually get eaten lol. I take the lid off, and fill with any kind of treat I feel like feeding that day. A favorite is "quack snacks" I get from Tractor Supply. I usually try to put peas, cracked corn or mealworms in there though so it's a little healthier. Sometimes I do a mix of them! She see's the treats in the bottle and rolls it around. As she rolls it and flips it, the treats slowly fall out. A small handful of treats in there last 3 hours in comparison to the 3 minutes they would last if I just gave them to her on the ground or in my hand etc. If the treats are something leafy, I just cut small slits in the sides of the bottles so the leafy stuff can fall out easier. Much easier to use peas or something like that though that will just fall out of the water bottle as they roll and flip it. Here's some pics of a water bottle treat dispenser in my duckies pen! I think the only pics I have are with peas and she didn't see that I had snuck the bottle into her pen yet so she wasn't paying any attention to it. Once I roll the bottle and she realizes I've loaded it with treats, it has her attention for EVER!
View attachment 1654935 View attachment 1654936

Thanks for the info! I found a clear water bottle that I had saved a long time ago and after a bit of a struggle trying to get meal worms in the small hole I found a funnel and got enough in there for them without having to touch those yucky things. They creep me out!

Anyway, I brought it into their run and rolled it on the ground and it was like time stopped in the duck run. All 6 just stood there like duck statues, nobody quacked or moved. It was hilarious! I think they didn't know what to do about that alien thing in their world.