Just six weeks after losing our beloved ex-bat hen, Dotty, we lost dear Primrose. She had been slowing down at an alarming rate since the summer, nodding off in the borders and snoozing in a favourite sunny spot near the fig tree.

Primrose came home to Mulberry Cottage in April 2012 along with her ex-bat sisters Mariette and Little Flo and what a scruffy little flock they were with barely enough feathers between them to cover one hen!

But Primrose had such a spirit. She was the first of the new flock to discover the great indoors – sneaking into the conservatory because – as any clever hen knows – that’s where the food is kept.

She was also wonderfully docile and didn’t mind being handled which is always a plus for me because, well, I do like to have a hen cuddle!

In fact, she became a bit too friendly at times and would leap upon you if you so much as bent over in the garden – a habit which would often startle visitors!

And she loved a good book. She was the world’s first Kindle-reading chicken and was particularly fond of the Austen Addicts series and Escape to Mulberry Cottage because they featured hens.

I’m so going to miss our special, sparky girl who would stick her head in the bag of corn whenever she managed to get into the conservatory. I’m going to miss those hen cuddles and stroking that soft pale gold back of hers as she’d sit on my lap in the sunshine.

Goodnight, darling Primrose. We loved you so much and Mulberry Cottage just isn’t the same without your cheeky face.