For more than two decades, Mama Hen & Her 2 Chicks has transformed geocaching into an unforgettable adventure, playing with woodworking, building intricate gadget caches, and, most of all, bringing joy to the geocaching community through clever, humorous hides.
Come along to find out what inspires Mama Hen & Her 2 Chicks’ incredible cache creations, how everyday objects become unforgettable adventures, and the creative advice she has for anyone hoping to build a little geocaching magic of their own.
Geocaching HQ: What’s your background outside of geocaching?
I am a full-time dog mom to my little chihuahuas, Finnley and Gummi Bear, as well as an avid miniature farmer (chickens and mini-pumpkins), cookie baker (all kinds), and power tool enthusiast (I’m a Dewalt girl). I work as an Emergency Nurse and teach nursing at a community college to pay for my many hobbies!
Geocaching HQ: How and when did you hear about geocaching?
My parents introduced me to geocaching back in 2004. At the time, my daughters were three and ten and liked to go caching with me. Fast forward 22 years, and I’m still at it, although my focus is mainly on building caches rather than finding them. My daughters are adults now, so I bring my little dogs along on my caching adventures.
Geocaching HQ: Which cache got you hooked?
It was a simple peanut butter jar wrapped in camo tape in a forested area where a housing development now sits. It made me feel like a part-time treasure hunter and turned into a hobby that got me out and about. Back in those days, there certainly weren’t as many caches available to find as there are now. My favorite thing—the part that really got me hooked, was finding geocaches in unique places that I never would have had the occasion to visit otherwise.
Geocaching HQ: What is the story behind your username?
My daughters, Kristin and Nikki, came up with the name when I first started caching. I was obviously Mama Hen, and they were my 2 Chicks. My girls are adults now, and they flew the coop. These days, it’s more like Mama Hen and her 2 geopups, since I drag them along on caching adventures with me.
Image by Mama Hen & Her 2 Chicks.
Geocaching HQ: What is your favorite cache(s) you’ve found?
I love going on geocaching road trips, which I call Cache Adventures. On one such cache adventure in Great Falls, Montana, I came across a cache called “Dead Inside” (GC651BJ). It was a life-size zombie inside of a tall 6-foot (1.8 meter) box. You had to reach inside the zombie to retrieve the log.
Image by Mama Hen & Her 2 Chicks.
Geocaching HQ: What do you enjoy most about being a cache owner?
The positive comments that I have received and the appreciation from those who have found my creations. I love the opportunity to expand on my woodworking skills and give the geocaching community fun and unique hides
Geocaching HQ: For you, what makes a quality cache?
It’s all in the details and variety. I try to mix it up—I have everything from a rusty old carabiner camouflaged on a fence, to a 3-foot (0.9 meter) tall elevator shaft full of toy puppies. I’ve created a suspension bridge, an outhouse, an 1800s jailhouse, a couple of mazes, a train depot complete with sound effects and miniature train, and a graveyard with different little tombstones concealing treasures underneath.
Images by Mama Hen & Her 2 Chicks.
Geocaching HQ: What’s the best approach to creating a geocache?
I have found the best approach is to start with something small and then build up around it. For example, my dad gave me a huge jar of old 3-inch (7.62 cm) nails a while back. I got the idea that those nails would make good bars on a window, and that idea turned into a jailhouse-themed cache—“Jail Break” (GCBEPYE). I used those same nails to create a graveyard fence for “Grave Digger” (GCBFT6X).
Don’t rush; put a good amount of thought into your creation, and focus on variety and details.
Images by Mama Hen & Her 2 Chicks
Geocaching HQ: Do you have a favorite hide of your own active caches?
One of my favorite hides is a recent creation that I built, called “Are You Pulling My Leg?” (GCBM9N4). It is a gadget cache built to look like a robot. You have to open up the panel on the robot’s torso to reveal a pinball-inspired mechanism. By pulling the robot’s leg, a spring is activated, which launches a bison tube up and through an exit chute.
Image by Mama Hen & Her 2 Chicks.
Geocaching HQ: If someone reading this was looking for inspiration, what words of advice would you give them?
Look around yourself…inspiration for a creative cache can be found in the most common or mundane objects. Don’t hesitate to ask friends, family, etc., for ideas. My caching buddy, Poppacoc, has come up with some great ideas, which I brought to life. My 102-year-old grandma asked if I could build a schoolhouse like the one she attended back in the 1930’s, and my mom challenged me to build an elevator.
First image by Mama Hen & Her 2 Chicks
Geocaching HQ: You have a number of complicated and intricate caches. Do you find it difficult to provide maintenance on them?
I try to build my caches in a way that I can easily maintain them. The vast majority are close to my home, so that really helps. When a problem arises, like rain causing wood to swell, I have learned waterproofing techniques, using composites, and allowing for extra space for wood expansion. Caches that have batteries inside have dedicated doors where I can easily access the battery compartment. I have figured out a lot of maintenance solutions through trial and error.
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The geocaching community never ceases to amaze us with their craftsmanship and outside-of-the-box thinking. We can’t wait to see what inspiring cache creations the community dreams up next!
Do you have a favorite geocaching content creator? Share them with us in the comments below and tell us why you enjoy following along on their geocaching adventures!
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