Poultry pin-ups

Mother hen

Maternal instincts come naturally to chickens. If you’re feeling broody, too, then spring is the perfect time to begin keeping a clutch of your own
●  With more than 100 breeds to choose from, there’s a hen just right for you. Take your pick from fancy feathered to good layers.
● Space is not a problem. Hens come in two versions: large fowl and bantams, which are a quarter size. Even the smallest garden can keep two hens happy.
● Don’t worry about annoying the neighbours – hens don’t need a cockerel to lay eggs.
●  No eggs will ever taste better than those from your own hens. Not only are they fresher, the yolks are yellower – and the food miles non-existent. 
●  It takes less than 10 minutes
a day to look after your hens, but watching their antics brings hours of pleasure.

Here are a dozen of our favourite hens...