Fowlty Towers, five star hotel for hens
After being regularly asked to look after the feathered pets in her rural hometown of Kent, Julie Smith was inspired to open a ‘hen hotel’ aptly named Fowlty Towers. She has turned her passion for poultry into a booming business for locals with backyard chickens.
A lot of people asked what they could do when they went on holiday with the hens, and as Smith had a number of hens herself, she started letting them stay with her. It started out as favours for friends and neighbours, and now she is inundated with requests.
The lodgings cost £7 (€8.30) per coop per night but no cocks are allowed due to their noisy crowing that will wake up the neighbours. The hens get to stay in Eglu Cubes with 3ft long runs attached to them, fox proof and available in two colour royal Purple or Emerald. A worming service is also offered.
Free from their chicken coops, the feathered pets can relax in five-star accommodation or roam free in the plush hotel’s fox-proof garden. The birds are also regularly taken for walks and on trips to the local village pub. The ladies get a variety of different feed, from the conventional pellets to lettuce and watermelon.
Now you can drop your chickies off and have a worry-free holiday knowing your hens will be treated to a luxery stay at ‘Fowlty Towers’. Just don’t expect Sybil to come and fluff the Aubiose bedding.
According to a the British Hen Welfare Trust, Around 700,000 Britons keep hens, however a recent study by the Royal Veterinary College found that many urban householders have a lack of poultry disease knowledge and consequently rarely vaccinate their animals, which could have serious implications on disease control and animal welfare.
