The magazine is aimed at the back garden hen keepers, believed to be half a million strong, and will bring the most beautiful breeds and practical advice to poultry lovers everywhere.

Printed by William Gibbons, each 108pp issue will also feature celebrity hen keepers and a section for children called Hattie Hen's Kids' Club.

Publisher Anna Atkinson said: "Hens are ‘hot’, and we believe Your Chickens will be a big hit! More and more families are buying birds. It seems hard economic times are partly driving the trend - people realise they can save money on eggs by having their own hens. Hens are also part of the ‘good life’, along with growing your own veg. They are also fun and easy to keep as pets, so ideal for the family with young children."

A preview issue will be distributed free with Archant South West sister title Country Smallholding from Christmas Eve. The first issue will go on sale from 13 January with a print run of 25,000.