Helston's Chicken Hotel - where guests can lay their own eggs

It's a hotel – but with a major difference.

Instead of booking in guests in human form, Cornwall's newest hotel only takes chickens.

The aptly-named Chicken Hotel recently opened for business at Boskenwyn, Helston.

The venture was set up to give chicken owners a place to check-in their birds while away from home.

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David Roberts, 31, a maths teacher who keeps his own chickens as a hobby, runs the hotel.

He said: "With more people looking to escape the rat race and move out in the country with a little bit of land, keeping chickens is becoming more and more popular.

"Producing your own eggs is better for the environment and better for the animals and people, you know exactly what's gone into your eggs.

Click here for contact details for the Chicken Hotel

"But what do you do if you go away on holiday?

"Who would look after your chickens?"

Mr Roberts said what to do with chickens during holiday time could put off potential owners from keeping them.

He said: "It's something that holds a lot of people back from keeping their own chickens, so I thought I'd set up this service and encourage people to grow their own.

"There are lots of local egg farm producers around.

"But when the chickens stop laying so regularly they go for the chop unless people want to buy them and give them a home – that's how we first got started with our own little flock.

"At first when we started this venture people thought it was some sort of a joke – but we were completely booked up over Christmas time and we hope that half term and Easter might be as successful."

Brand new purpose-built accommodation is on offer with buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner of local produce served in the open air.

The specially-designed coops were crafted by Mr Roberts, a former cabinet-maker.

Prices start at £2 per coop per night plus 75p per chicken.

Each coop holds eight chickens so four chickens sharing costs £5 per night.

Chickens are allowed to roam free within the grounds before being gathered to roost at night.

Mr Roberts transports the birds to and from their homes if the owners require it, and even offers a nursery for chicks and an incubation service if eggs need hatching.