In conversation with: Mrs Hinch

We’re proud to introduce Mrs Hinch – the cleaning sensation, Instagram extraordinaire and now proud mum of three Hinch hens (in addition to her gorgeous sons Ronnie and Lennie, adorable dog Henry and three alpacas – Roy, Rodney and Raymond)!

We can’t deny there was a flurry of excitement at Hen Central when we realised Mrs Hinch, real name Sophie Hinchliffe, had her name down for some hens and if you’re among her 4.5million followers you may have already seen some adorable clips of her hens pootling around Hinch Farm. Recently we caught up with Mrs H to find out a bit more about how they’re settling in...

Firstly, thank you for rehoming some of our lovely hens. How have Pam, Peggy and Pat settled into life at Hinch Farm so far?

They’ve settled in so well, it’s like they’ve always been part of the family! They know their way around our garden like they’ve lived with us forever. Peggy is definitely in charge and Pat and Pam are like their own double act! We’re already getting three eggs a day from our girls!

Why did you decide to rehome our hens, rather than buying them from a breeder?

I came across a clip on YouTube and did my own research from there. I quickly realised it really is the absolute best way to get your own hens. It’s so rewarding and I couldn’t have imagined going about it any other way now.

What have Ron, Len and Henry made of the new feathery additions to the family?

They absolutely love them! We enjoy taking them treats every day and Pam loves a cuddle too! Ron likes to run and check for the eggs every afternoon. They’re afternoon layers! Lennie likes to scoop corn into their treat holders. No one loves them as much as Henry does right now. It’s like he sits and protects them. But they don’t seem to care less if Henry is there or not. He waits until they’ve gone to bed to come in from the garden when it’s dark.

Our supporters will kick us if we don’t ask this – whose job is it to clean the hen coop, and have you got any tips for keeping it sparkling?!

Haha, it’s mine! Of course! I love cleaning the coop! I also love the pull-out tray which makes it so easy to clean! My fav cleaning product is the coop run and sanitising powder I’ve been using.

We know Henry has his own little salon in the house (we’re so jealous!) but have your hens tried invading your home yet?

Not quite yet! But if you’ve seen our boys (the alpacas) on my stories, I’m sure it won’t be long!

What do you think of the British Hen Welfare Trust saving thousands of hens’ lives each year?

No words seem enough to sum up the amazing work the Trust does! Absolutely incredible! You’re all stars! You should be so proud! Thank you so much from me and millions of others… people and hens!

What’s your favourite thing to do with the eggs?

Because they’re laying more than we eat at the moment, I’m loving boxing them into my pink labelled egg boxes for my family and friends to enjoy with us.