Would be nice to have some kind of 'pause' so we don't lose all our animals. I will be away for 3 1/2 days, no computer, T.V. or phones (yes!!), but my feeder will empty & 'poof', I'll come home to a bunch of meat.
More feeders is the solution. You can put quite a few more of these than collectors.
Or, if you're really not sure you can make it back before your collectors will empty, and you don't have a friend with a key, consider youth-potioning all the critters you want to save. Babies can just sit there like any other objects on your floor until you get back.