Hi everyone! I wanted to share a fun project I recently completed to automate feeding treats to my goats. It’s been a great way to combine my love for smart home tech with taking care of my animals. Here’s how I did it!
The Goal
I wanted to create a system that would dispense a small amount of treats to my goats on demand. I thought it would be a nice way to keep them entertained and reward them throughout the day without me having to be there manually.
What I Used
- Pet Genius Smart Pet Feeder: This was the base of the system. It’s perfect for dispensing small portions of food.
- SwitchBot: I used this to control the feeder remotely. It’s super reliable and integrates well with Hubitat.
- Hubitat Ecosystem: Of course, this was the brain behind the operation! I used the SwitchBot driver by @tomw to connect everything.
- YouTube Integration: I even set up a quick video to show it in action. Check it out below!
How It Works
- Feeder Setup: I programmed the Pet Genius feeder to dispense a small amount of treats each time it’s activated.
- SwitchBot Control: The SwitchBot was placed over the feeder’s button, allowing me to trigger the dispensing remotely.
- Hubitat Automation: I created a simple rule in Hubitat that activates the SwitchBot at scheduled times and also allows me to trigger it manually via voice commands.
The Results
It’s been a huge hit! My goats absolutely love getting their little treat rewards throughout the day. Plus, it’s been a fun way to test out some new smart home gadgets. I even set it up so my kids can activate it remotely, which they think is hilarious!
Challenges and Tips
- Precision: Getting the right amount of treats each time took a bit of trial and error. I ended up adjusting the feeder’s settings to ensure it dispenses just the right portion.
- Placement: Make sure the SwitchBot is positioned perfectly over the feeder’s button. A slight misalignment can cause it not to work reliably.
- Integration: If you’re using Hubitat, make sure you have the latest version of the SwitchBot driver. It made the integration process much smoother.
Final Thoughts
This project was a great way to experiment with different smart home devices and see how they can work together to solve a simple but fun problem. If you’re looking for a weekend project, I highly recommend giving this a try!
Let me know if you have any questions or if you’ve tried something similar with your pets. I’d love to hear how it goes!
Cheers,
[Your Name]