Questions & Answers
C H I C K E N I N G 1 0 1
Welcome! Here we hope to answer some basic questions that often arise for people new to our community. Please feel free to reach out to hello@thecitygirlfarm.com at any time with any additional questions. We always love hearing from you.
W H A T I S A C H I C K E N F O O T S T O O L ? Chickens never fail to make us smile. Inspired to share this joy with the world, Sally created a chicken-style variation of the classic sheep ottoman by Francois Lalanne in her final furniture design studio at K-State in 2010. From the art processes of hand-felting fiber into feathers, turning wood into egg-shaped cores and casting her sculptures of chicken feet and beaks in bronze, emerged Henny and Penny - the original Chicken Footstools.
Our chickens were designed to function as footstools to make people smile. Some collectors enjoy using their chicken as a footstool every day while others consider them sculptural art rather than furniture. The chickens add playful juxtaposition to any style—from rural farmhouses to contemporary urban condos and every kind of cozy family space between.
S I Z E S & P R I C I N G : Three sizes of chickens have been developed to fit into a variety of spaces. Big Chickens and Chicken Littles are both comfortable as footstools. Mini Chickens are a decorative version of the larger chickens that can be incorporated onto bookshelves, tabletops, work desks, or any place that needs a pop of joy! The studio creates three sizes of Chicken Footstools priced according to their size and to the artistic complexity of different breeds.
Base price per size: Big Chickens $2,900 USD | Chicken Littles $1,850 USD | Mini Chickens $385 USD
P U R C H A S I N G | A D O P T I O N : Chicken footstools are available for purchase (adoption) online on the Available Chickens Gallery. Customers can select the desired chicken, click “Add to Cart,” and complete the transaction. Shipping costs will be calculated at checkout, and a confirmation email will be sent once the order is complete.
E A R L Y B I R D N E W S L E T T E R : For sneak peeks and insider info on new flock releases, join our newsletter—we’d love to stay in touch! As a subscriber, you’ll receive preview images of each monthly flock before release day, along with the dates and times of these releases and special collections. You’ll also get information about upcoming events and community involvement before we share it on social media. Plus, enjoy stories and images of special projects in progress at our studio.
S H I P P I N G : USA Domestic Shipping | Flat rate shipping for Chicken Little Footstools is $110 and Big Chicken Footstools is $220. For complete details please visit Shipping & Returns.
International Shipping | Billed separately, please contact us ahead of time with your address if you would like a quote. Your order may be subject to import duties and taxes (including VAT) incurred once a shipment reaches your destination country. The City Girl Farm is not responsible for these charges if they are applied and are your responsibility as the customer.
Local Pickup | Available by appointment. After placing your order and selecting local pickup at checkout, your order will be prepared and ready for pick up within 2 to 5 business days at The City Girl Farm Studio in Kansas City, MO. We will send you an email when your order is ready.
M A T E R I A L S : Every Chicken Footstool is lovingly sculpted by hand with natural materials of wool, wood, and bronze. A turned wood egg-shaped core stands on bronze feet, connected to a bronze beak. Feathers are hand-crafted with wool using traditional fiber art techniques—spinning, knitting, felting—and are sculpted with needle and thread onto our upholstered chicken form. Each chicken is crowned with a signature red comb and is uniquely named and numbered. This process has become affectionately known as the art of chickening.
C L E A N I N G : The wool used for creating chicken feathers is naturally dirt and moisture repellent, just like your favorite wool sweater. Gently vacuum and spot clean with water as needed.
G L O S S A R Y O F S T U D I O T E R M S :
Adoption | the process of a collector choosing to purchase a chicken
Collector | a person who adopts a chicken
Early Bird | email newsletter subscribers who receive preview images and studio updates
Big Chickens | the original and largest size of Chicken Footstool
Chicken Littles | the smaller size of Chicken Footstool
Mini Chickens | the decorative miniature version of our Chicken Footstools
Studio Artisans | artists whose creative work comes together to bring Chicken Footstools into the world
Chickening | the creative practice of our studio artisans
Flock | a group of chickens that are released for adoption at the same time
Collection | an inspired flock designed and created to tell a special story
Breeds | categories of chickens distinguished by feather styles
Feathers | fiber pieces created to upholster onto our chicken form
Felt Feathers | a breed upholstered with wool fiber feathers that have been hand-felted
Knit Feathers | a breed upholstered with wool fiber feathers that have been hand-spun & knit
Combination Feathers | a breed upholstered with wool fiber feathers with a mix of felt & knit techniques