Hi there! I’m a retired software engineer with over 40 years of software development under my belt, but I’ll let you in on a little secret: I know next to nothing about chickens! So how did I end up creating Mother Hen™? It all started when a close friend lost almost their entire flock to a predator because their coop’s automatic door failed. That inspired me to put my tech skills to work and build a smart monitoring system to keep chickens safe. This isn’t just a product—it’s a mission to protect flocks everywhere, even for a guy who’s more at home with code than coops!
Say goodbye to coop door worries with Mother Hen™—a smart monitoring system that watches your chicken and all human coop doors 24/7, powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS). With triple redundancy alerts (local light, remote Egg, SMS/app) and flexible Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity, it ensures your flock’s safety. Inspired by a real predator attack and built by a retired software engineer with 40+ years of experience, Mother Hen™ is your coop’s global guardian.
Mother Hen™ keeps you informed with three distinct alert methods, ensuring you’re always aware of your coop’s status:
Mother Hen™ was born from a devastating loss—a friend’s flock was wiped out when their automatic door failed, allowing a predator to strike. Determined to prevent such tragedies, our founder, a retired software engineer, crafted a solution that monitors both chicken and all human coop doors with unmatched reliability.
Mother Hen™ is a multifaceted system designed to protect your flock by monitoring all coop doors with precision. Its basic components—Coop Controller, The Egg, Mini-Egg, Sensor Bar, and Mobile App—work together to provide comprehensive alerts and seamless management, ensuring your chickens stay safe.
Prototype—final product may vary.
The rugged heart of the system, installed inside the coop (e.g., under the roof). It connects via Wi-Fi or optional cellular to AWS, monitoring chicken and all human door status with dual sensors. A red flashing light signals issues locally, and it uses smart timing based on your coop’s longitude/latitude (e.g., Shelbyville, TN: 35.4834°N, 86.4603°W) for sunrise/sunset alerts. Requires customer-supplied power (battery, solar, or AC).
Prototype—final product may vary.
Receive text message (SMS) updates to confirm door status and system health, keeping you informed no matter where you are.
Prototype—final product may vary.
This Wi-Fi-only remote guardian, designed for indoor use (e.g., in your home), displays a green “all clear” light or a flashing red light with a squawking sound for issues like open doors. Up to 16 Eggs can be paired per coop. Requires customer-supplied power.
Prototype—final product may vary.
A compact, egg-shaped status light for inside your coop, providing a local visual cue for door or system issues. Power is supplied by the Coop Controller.
Prototype—final product may vary.
A sleek, weather-resistant component mounted near the coop’s doors, the Sensor Bar enhances door status monitoring with precise detection of open/closed states. Integrated with the Coop Controller, it provides reliable data for alerts.
Prototype—final product may vary.
The free iOS/Android app is your setup and management sidekick. Use it to pair devices, input coop coordinates, customize alerts (e.g., SMS frequency, Egg squawk volume), view real-time door status, and review alert history. Connects via Wi-Fi (Egg) or Wi-Fi/cellular (Controller) to AWS.
See Mother Hen™ in action, seamlessly integrated with your coop’s door. The system’s components, including the Coop Controller and Sensor Bar, work together to monitor all door status, ensuring your flock stays protected around the clock.
Prototype—final product may vary.
Alarm Demonstration
A simple switch could tell you if a door’s open—but Mother Hen™ goes further. It monitors all coop doors—one chicken door and multiple human doors—and delivers alerts via triple redundancy (coop light, indoor Egg, SMS/app). Its Wi-Fi or cellular connectivity and expandability for future add-ons (e.g., temp sensors) set it apart from single-door or reactive systems.
Automatic coop doors are a game-changer, but they’re not foolproof. A single failure can leave your flock vulnerable to predators like foxes or minks—or lock your chickens out in the cold. Mother Hen™ monitors all your coop doors 24/7, catching issues before they become disasters. Here’s how we keep your flock safe from common door failures:
The Problem: A power outage can reset your automatic door’s internal clock, causing it to open or close at the wrong times. This leaves your coop exposed or traps chickens outside.
Mother Hen™ Solution: The Coop Controller and Sensor Bar continuously monitor all door status, independent of your door’s clock. If any door doesn’t open or close as expected, you’ll get instant SMS alerts, flashing red lights on the Coop Controller and The Egg, and a squawking alarm from The Egg.
Why It Matters: A mis-timed door can let predators in or lock chickens out overnight.
The Problem: Debris, feathers, or even a curious chicken can block the door’s optical sensor, preventing it from closing properly and leaving the coop open to predators.
Mother Hen™ Solution: The Sensor Bar’s precise detection catches when any door fails to close fully, triggering immediate alerts via SMS, flashing red lights, and The Egg’s squawking sound.
Why It Matters: An open door at night is an invitation for foxes, minks, or raccoons to strike.
The Problem: Wear and tear, rust, or a broken motor can cause your door to jam or fail entirely, leaving it stuck open or closed.
Mother Hen™ Solution: Mother Hen™ monitors all coop doors—one chicken door and multiple human doors—in real-time. If any door doesn’t move as expected, you’re alerted instantly through the mobile app, local lights, and audible alarms, giving you time to fix the issue.
Why It Matters: A stuck door can lead to a predator attack or trap your flock outside in harsh weather.
The Problem: Forgetting to adjust your door’s timer for changing sunset times (e.g., seasonal shifts) can cause it to close too early, locking chickens out, or too late, exposing them to danger.
Mother Hen™ Solution: The Coop Controller uses your coop’s longitude/latitude (e.g., Shelbyville, TN: 35.4834°N, 86.4603°W) to calculate precise sunrise/sunset times, ensuring alerts align with natural light cycles. If any door’s timing is off, you’ll know instantly via SMS, lights, and alarms.
Why It Matters: Locked-out chickens are easy targets for predators or extreme weather.
Don’t let a door failure cost you your flock. With Mother Hen™’s triple-redundancy alerts and 24/7 monitoring, your chickens stay safe, no matter what.
Mother Hen™ is a monitor, not a controller. It doesn’t open or close doors or adjust timers, relying on your existing door setup for operation. It also doesn’t include power sources—you’ll need to provide battery, solar, or AC power.
Mother Hen™ is designed for vertically sliding chicken coop doors (e.g., FarmLite, NyPots). It also monitors all human access doors for status.
Pricing is still being finalized. Join our waitlist to get updates!
Mother Hen™ is a prototype right now. Please take the survey below to help us decide if we want to make this generally available.
We’re on a mission to bring smart, reliable coop safety to every chicken keeper—and your insights matter. Got a minute? Share your needs and ideas through our quick 1-minute survey.
Based in Tennessee, Smith Varmint Works LLC combines 40+ years of software expertise—including 30 years in Silicon Valley—with a mission to protect backyard flocks. Our founder, a retired engineer, turned a friend’s predator tragedy into Mother Hen™, a smart, humane solution for coop safety.
Ready to protect your flock? Contact us to learn more, confirm coop door compatibility, or join the waitlist!
Email: support@svwllc.com