Mother Hen™

What is Mother Hen™?

Mother Hen™ is a complete, bolt-on smart monitoring system that protects your backyard chicken flock by continuously watching your coop doors — both the automatic chicken door and all human access doors — and alerting you instantly if anything goes wrong.

Designed and built by Smith Varmint Works LLC in Tennessee, Mother Hen™ was created by a retired Silicon Valley software engineer after a friend lost nearly their entire flock to a predator due to a failed automatic door. This isn’t just a gadget — it’s a mission to prevent preventable tragedies.

Key Design Principles

• Cloud-Powered Intelligence — Unlike everyone else, we leverage Amazon Web Services (AWS) to create a smart monitoring system for coops.
  
• Monitor Only — Never opens or closes doors. Works with your existing automatic door system.
• Triple Redundancy Alerts
  1. Local: Flashing red light on Coop Controller (and Mini-Egg, if used)
  2. Remote: The Egg flashes red and squawks indoors
  3. Mobile: SMS + optional app push (customizable)
• Smart Timing — Uses your coop’s GPS coordinates (e.g., 35.4834°N, 86.4603°W) to calculate exact sunrise/sunset with a 30-minute grace period.
• Connectivity
  • Cellular (Walter) — primary offering; guaranteed SMS even without Wi-Fi
  • Wi-Fi (ESP32-S3) — coming later; lower cost
• Customer-Powered — You supply power (USB battery, solar, or AC). We don’t sell panels or batteries.
• Extreme Climate Ready — Walter rated -20°C to +45°C. Proven in Tennessee winters; Alaska beta planned.

Core System Components

• Coop Controller + Door Plate
  A single, pre-assembled unit you bolt directly to your coop. Includes:
  • Integrated limit switch on the chicken door track (no Sensor Bar needed)
  • BTS-MP1 magnetic sensor on human door(s) — also measures temperature
  • Powered by Walter (cellular) or ESP32-S3 (Wi-Fi)
  • Two USB power inputs: one for the door motor, one for the controller
  • Cellular antenna connection (Walter version only)
  • Local red flashing alert light
  
  
• The Egg (Indoor Status Indicator)
  A Wi-Fi-connected, egg-shaped device for your home:
  • Green = daytime, all clear
  • Blue = nighttime, all clear
  • Flashing Red + Squawk = problem (door open, temp issue, etc.)
  • Up to 16 Eggs per coop
  • Setup via QR code → Mother Hen mobile app → Bluetooth
  
  
• Mini-Egg (Optional)
  Compact in-coop visual indicator. Powered by the Controller. May not ship in production — under evaluation.
• Mother Hen Mobile App (iOS/Android)
  
  • Used only for setup and optional monitoring
  • Bluetooth pairing for Eggs
  • Wi-Fi credential input (one-time)
  • Real-time status dashboard (optional)
  • Alert customization (toggle human door alerts, temp thresholds, etc.)
  • SMS is primary notification — app is secondary
  
  

Installation in Under an Hour

Total time: 45–60 minutes

1. Bolt the Door Plate — 6 bolts. Pre-wired chicken door limit switch included.
2. Connect Power — 2 USB cables (door + controller).
3. Twist on Antenna (cellular version) — 10 seconds.
4. Mount Human Door Sensor — 4 screws (2 for BTS-MP1, 2 for magnet).
5. Plug in The Egg — scan QR, pair via Bluetooth in app, enter Wi-Fi once.

Currently in active prototype — protecting a real coop in Shelbyville, TN.

Join the waitlist: tennis@svwllc.com