The Feather Mama™
Welcome to the Founding Flock!
Thank you for helping shape the future of the Feather Mama™
Welcome!
Thank you for being one of the first chicken keepers to test the Feather Mama™.
Your observations, photos, videos, and honest feedback will help shape the final product before it becomes available to chicken keepers everywhere.
This page contains everything you’ll need during the testing process, including assembly instructions, setup guidance, frequently asked questions, and how to submit your feedback.
I’m so excited to have you be part of this journey!
~ Beth
Founder of Feather Mama™
Important note before beginning
Before you get started
The Feather Mama™ prototype is not a heat source. It is designed to give brooder-raised chicks a sheltered, mother-hen-like space while being used alongside an appropriate heat source.
Continue following your normal chick brooding practices and temperature guidelines throughout the testing period.
Because this is a prototype, please inspect it regularly and stop using it if you notice any damage or potential safety concern. Contact me right away so I can document and investigate it.
Putting Your Feather Mama™ Together
Your Feather Mama™ arrives partially assembled, so setup only takes a few seconds.
Assembly
1. Flip the base over
Your Feather Mama™ will arrive with the feathered base turned upside down for shipping. Simply remove the hen top and flip the base so the legs are facing down.
Assembly
2. Snap the hen into place
Line up the hen top with the opening in the base and gently press it down until it snaps securely into place.
Assembly
3. That’s it!
Your Feather Mama™ is ready to go into the brooder for your chicks to explore.
A quick tip: Make sure the top is fully seated and secure in the base before placing your Feather Mama™ in the brooder.
Where Should I Put It?
The Feather Mama™ is designed to work with different brooder setups.
radiant heat panel
Next to a radiant heat panel or plate
Place it directly beside or touching the exterior of a radiant heat panel or directly next to a brooder heat plate.
Heat Lamp
Under a securely installed heat lamp
The prototype is heat resistant up to 200°F (93°C), but it should never touch a heat bulb, exposed wire, or dangerously hot surface.
Any safe spot
Near the warm area of the brooder
Place it in another area where your chicks naturally gather, sleep, or seek shelter.
What to expect
Give your chicks time to explore
A chick peeking out
Every flock is different
Some chicks may walk underneath the Feather Mama™ almost immediately. Others may spend several days inspecting it, sleeping beside it, peeking through the feathers, or darting underneath only briefly.
Two curious chicks
Chicks may take longer to explore it when:
- They were already living in the brooder before it was introduced
- They have established a favorite sleeping spot
- They are naturally timid
- They are adjusting to a new home
- The Feather Mama™ is positioned away from their preferred warm area
Please do not force or repeatedly place chicks underneath it. Allow them to investigate at their own pace.
Even brief interactions matter. A chick running underneath when startled, resting against the feathers, peeking inside, or gradually spending more time under it can all provide useful feedback.
What testers should observe
What should I watch out for?
A curiously timid chick
During testing, please pay attention to:
- How long it takes for the first chick to go underneath
- Whether chicks enter voluntarily
- Whether they sleep or rest underneath it
- Whether they run underneath when startled
- Whether they gather beside it instead
- Whether use changes over time
- How many chicks comfortably fit underneath
- Whether certain breeds or personalities use it more than others
- Whether chicks climb or perch on top
- Whether the Feather Mama™ remains stable
- Whether feathers become dirty, loose, tangled, or damaged
- Anything that surprises you
There are no “good” or “bad” observations. Even learning that chicks did not use it in a particular setup is valuable.
Testing Timeline
Your Testing Journey
Timeline
When it arrives:
- Assemble the Feather Mama™
- Photograph your brooder setup
- Introduce it to the chicks
- Record the chicks’ ages, breeds, flock size, and heat source
Timeline
After 3 days:
- Submit a short first-impressions check-in by email
- Share whether any chicks have investigated or used it
- Report assembly, stability, or safety concerns immediately
Timeline
After 2 weeks
- Submit your first feedback form that will be emailed to you
- Share photos or short videos if available
- Tell me what is working and what could be improved
Timeline
After 3 weeks
- Complete the final feedback survey that will be emailed to you
- Share how the chicks’ behavior changed over time
- Confirm the best address for receiving the final Feather Mama™ when it is ready
Photos and videos
Share Your Feather Mama™ Moments
Photos and videos help me understand details that can be difficult to describe in a survey.
Helpful footage might show:
- Chicks approaching it for the first time
- A chick going underneath
- Chicks resting or sleeping beneath it
- Their preferred brooder location
- How it sits beside the heat source
- Chicks standing or climbing on top
- Any movement, wobbling, damage, or concern
Photos and videos
Sharing your photos and videos
Please submit only media that you personally created. I will follow the media permission preference you selected in your tester agreement and will not publicly use submitted content without the permission you granted.
Please send those adorable chick moments directly to me rather than posting them publicly. Once the final design is ready, I hope to give the Founding Flock permission to share their experience and finally let the chicks out of the bag.
Cleaning guidance
Cleaning Your Prototype
Cleaning
Because chicks are messy!
- Remove loose bedding and debris by hand.
- Wipe the hard surfaces with a soft, damp cloth.
- Use a mild, chick-safe soap only when necessary.
- Do not place the prototype in a dishwasher.
- Do not submerge it in water.
- Do not use bleach, harsh solvents, abrasive scrubbers, or high heat.
- Allow it to dry completely before returning it to the brooder.
Frequently Asked Questions
My chicks aren’t going underneath. Is that normal?
Yes. Some chicks need several days to become comfortable with something new, particularly when the Feather Mama™ is introduced after they have already settled into the brooder. Continue observing without forcing them underneath.
Should I put treats underneath it?
I would not use treats to lure chicks underneath during the first few days. You want to learn whether they choose it naturally. After 4 -5 days, you may add treats if you find they are still not going under it.
Does it replace my heat source?
No. This prototype is not a heat source. Continue using an appropriate brooder heat source.
Can it touch my radiant heat panel?
It may be positioned directly against a radiant panel, provided the panel is operating normally and the contact surface stays below the Feather Mama™ prototype’s temperature limit of 200.
Can I place it under a heat lamp?
It may be used in a brooder that uses a securely installed heat lamp, but it must remain safely separated from the bulb and heating element. Confirm that the Feather Mama™ surface temperature stays below 200°F and that chicks retain room to leave the heated area.
Can chicks stand on top?
They may try! And mine have. Please observe whether the top remains stable and include any climbing or perching behavior in your feedback.
What if a part becomes loose or damaged?
Remove the Feather Mama™ from the brooder immediately and send me photos of the affected area. I will make the necessary adjustments to the design and send you a replacement.
May I post it on social media?
For now, please keep the Feather Mama™ prototype and your testing experience private.
Because the design is still being evaluated and refined, I ask that you do not post photos, videos, reviews, measurements, or other details about the prototype on social media, websites, public groups, forums, or other public platforms until I let you know that the final design has been approved for sharing. You are welcome, and encouraged, to send photos, videos, and observations directly to me through the tester feedback forms.
Thank you for helping protect the Feather Mama™ while it is still under development.
CONTACTING ME
Need Help?
Questions, concerns, strange chick behavior, assembly trouble, or something you simply think I should see?
Email me at: beth@citylifetofarmlife.com.
Please include “Feather Mama Tester” in the subject line and attach photos or video when relevant.
Thank you!
Thank You for Helping Bring the Feather Mama to Life!
The Feather Mama™ began with a simple hope: to give chicks being raised without a mother hen a place that feels sheltered, comforting, and safe. Seeing my own chicks begin to tuck underneath it has been incredibly exciting. Now your flock gets to help write the next chapter.
Thank you for trusting me with your feedback, caring thoughtfully for your chicks, and helping me turn this idea into the best product it can become.
Welcome to the Founding Flock!