Hen Hotels
WORKSHEET
Vocabulary
Trend
Something that is becoming more popular.Kennel
A small house for dogs or other animals.Safe space
A place where animals or people feel protected.Dust bath
A way chickens clean themselves by rolling in dry dirt.Critters
Small animals or insects.Environment
The place where an animal or person lives.Demand
The number of people who want something.Coop
A small house where chickens live.Opportunity
A chance to do something new or useful.Beloved
Something or someone that is loved or very special.
Grammar Points
Present Simple
Used for facts and general truths (e.g., "More than a million people in the UK keep chickens").Present Continuous
Used for actions happening now or trends (e.g., "Hen hotels are becoming more popular").Comparatives & Superlatives
Used to compare (e.g., "Chickens are cleaner than people think").Relative Clauses
Used to add extra information (e.g., "Paul and Sarah, who run Charlotte’s Chickens, help owners").Modals (can, must, should)
Used to express ability, obligation, or advice (e.g., "Hen hotels can help people who go on holiday").Past Simple
Used for completed actions (e.g., "Diane took her chickens to the hotel before cleaning their area").
Activities
Activity 1
Writing
Instructions
Imagine you are a chicken staying in a hen hotel. Write 4-5 sentences about your day. Use at least three words from the vocabulary list.
Activity 2
Fill in the Blank
Instructions
Complete the sentences using the correct preposition (in, on, at, for, to, with).
Hen hotels are popular ______ people who keep chickens as pets.
Chickens enjoy staying ______ a coop with other hens.
Many families go ______ holiday and use a hen hotel.
Owners trust hen hotels to look after their chickens ______ care.
Demand ______ hen hotels is increasing every year.After practicing, switch roles!
Activity 3
Discussion
Instructions
Discuss these questions with a partner.
Do you think hen hotels are a good idea? Why or why not?
Would you like to have chickens as pets?
What other animals might need a special hotel like this?
Questions
What is a hen hotel?
How many chickens do Paul and Sarah sell each year?
Why are hen hotels so popular in the UK?
TRANSCRIPT
Hen Hotels
NARRATOR:
There’s a new trend in the UK: "Hen Hotels". Hen hotels are special places where people can leave their chickens while they go on holiday. Just like a kennel for dogs, hen hotels give chickens a safe space with food, water, and areas to play.
SOUNDBITE - Katriona Shovlin:
“So they have a dust bath. This is an important part of a chicken's beauty regime. It just keeps them clean and gets any nasty little critters off of them. It just keeps them happy and busy and just keeps them really interested in their environment, all the different sounds.”
NARRATOR:
These chicken-care businesses are becoming more popular as more people choose chickens as pets. Paul and Sarah, who run Charlotte’s Chickens, help owners take care of their chickens when they’re away. They also sell about 1,000 chickens each year to families who enjoy keeping them in their gardens. For many people, chickens make great pets—they’re fun to watch, and they even provide fresh eggs!
SOUNDBITE – Sarah New:
“I just think people enjoy the fact that they can actually have the hens in the garden and then they get the eggs.”
SOUNDBITE – Paul New:
“During summer holidays, we're absolutely packed. The demand's so great. All of our coops are full. I think a lot of people, they don't have neighbours that will come in and look after them, so we look after the hens for them.”
NARRATOR:
More than a million people in the UK are now keeping chickens. Many use these hotels to make sure their hens are looked after by people who understand them. And the chickens get to enjoy a little holiday of their own!
SOUNDBITE - Diane Lewis:
“They have a look at all the other hens, make some new friends and then I come back and normally it's an opportunity for me to have a good clear out of the chicken area and then before I bring them home after the holiday.”
NARRATOR:
People are turning chickens from farm animals into beloved garden pets, and hen hotels are a fun part of this change.