Interview with Jill Bong, owner
Q: How did you get involved in this business?
A: I am a serial entrepreneur. My hens were getting bald on their backs from rooster mating. The injuries on one of my hens resulted in her being pecked on. She eventually died. I discovered that there were “capes,” also known as poultry saddles or poultry aprons which helped protect the chickens from such injuries. It also offers an additional protective covering during mating. Existing products on the market were expensive to purchase and had to be laundered, which was not palatable to me.
Q: What distinguishes you from other businesses in your category?
A: To the best of my knowledge, before Chicken Armor, all hen saddles consisted of multiple components which had to be sewn together. This makes them labor-intensive and therefore expensive to produce. Our patent-pending design is very simple. We use scrim vinyl instead of traditional material such as canvas or denim. This means we can make them quickly without sewing. Since vinyl is water-proof, that also means laundering is no longer necessary. All you need to do it just hose it clean.
Q: What do you like best about your line of work?
A: I’m happy to know that our products help chicken owners who would otherwise not be able to afford to saddle more than a handful of chickens.
Q: What is your business’ biggest challenge?
A: Spreading the word about our product, which is very much a niche product can be a challenge.
Q: Something people might be surprised to learn about you or your business:
A: Our poultry saddles are so simple and affordable, people are often skeptical about their effectiveness. However, almost all our customers are converts once they try them. Since our inception in 2012, we have sold more than 10,000 poultry saddles worldwide. We have shipped to almost all 50 states as well as to countries as far away as Australia, the U.K., South Africa, France, Turkey, Denmark and Finland.
Profile
Business: Chicken Armor
Address: P.O. Box 1044, Conifer
Hours: Open online 24/7
Founded: 2012
Contact: 303-697-1504; chickenarmor.com
Employees: 2
