Laura and Frank Cardaropoli / Photo by Jon Show

Oct. 16. By Jon Show. In a high-tech lab better known for microfluids and electromechanical systems, Cornelius-based business incubator First Turn Innovations is turning its attention to the barnyard.

This month, one of First Turn’s clients will debut a new product that blends engineering know-how with down-to-earth agriculture: a device designed to deliver clean, efficient water to backyard chickens.

Madder than a wet hen

Any chicken tender knows happy, stress-free birds are key. When flocks only have access to dirty irrigation or limited water systems, they grow smaller and lay fewer eggs.

The idea for The Chicken Fountain hatched more than a decade ago, when then-Davidson residents Laura and Frank Cardaropoli needed an easier way to keep their flock hydrated while traveling. Laura Cardaropoli’s mother agreed to feed the animals in their absence, but refused to deal with the messy job of cleaning and refilling the waterers.

“Chicken water is so gross,” Laura Cardaropoli said. “You have to clean and refill it at least twice a day. We needed to come up with something.”

Ruffling feathers

Frustrated by flimsy products sold online, the Cardaropolis designed a system that connected to a garden hose and used PVC pipes and drippers to deliver a continuous supply of clean water.

They dubbed it The Chicken Fountain in 2012 and quickly found demand from friends and neighbors. But by 2018, with young children and full-time jobs, the couple shelved the project.

In late 2023, they turned to their friend Kevin Mahl, co-founder of First Turn Innovations, for help reviving the business.

“The stuff they’re working on is pretty complex,” Laura Cardaropoli said. “But they were looking for new products, so we decided to give it a go.”

Coming home to roost

Now back on the market, the new consumer version of The Chicken Fountain includes snap-on arms for quicker setup and easier cleaning, improved sightlines for the birds, and a patent-pending valve compatible with both rain barrels and garden hoses.

Manufactured in the United States by Stanford Manufacturing in Clemmons, the device serves up to six chickens at a time. It retails for $99.99 plus shipping and is available at thechickenfountain.com and other major farm and poultry supply websites.

“We want to make backyard chicken ownership more accessible to people who are getting back to the basics and want to know where their food comes from,” Laura Cardaropoli said. “We believe the Chicken Fountain will open up this hobby to people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to live this lifestyle.”