A former Manx Bard has turned to poetry in a heartfelt bid to get her beloved pet hen back, after claiming it was taken from a site in Maughold.

Sara Goodwins, the Isle of Man’s fourth Manx Bard, believes her hen, Henrietta, has been taken.

A neighbour reported seeing Henrietta being ‘rescued’ by someone who regularly feeds feral chickens.

However, Henrietta was not a stray—she was a much-loved pet, and her disappearance has left the family devastated.

Sara and her family had raised Henrietta as a free-range companion who roamed their garden and followed them around.

The hen provided them with eggs and company, often trailing them through the woodland and even visiting neighbours’ gardens.

In a desperate plea for Henrietta’s return, Sara has written a poem expressing her sadness and frustration.

The poem describes how Henrietta was an integral part of their household, questioning when ‘free range’ becomes ‘feral’ and criticising the well-meaning but misguided actions of the person who took her.

Sara hopes the poem will raise awareness and help bring Henrietta home. The family is appealing for whoever took her to return her to her rightful place.

‘We shared our garden with a chicken;

Friendly, she would let us pet her.

Care for her began to quicken

So we called her Hen-rietta

She gave us eggs and, fascinated,

We learned her likes and where she’d go

And were routinely captivated

By our avian sideshow.

She often trailed us round the woodland

Clucking quietly at our feet.

While we weeded, she’d be on hand

Finding tasty things to eat.

Occasionally she’d pay a visit,

Checking on our neighbour’s flowers:

It was never made explicit

But Henrietta – she was ours.

A stranger brazenly decided

‘Rietta wandered at her peril –

At best the woman was misguided;

When does ‘free range’ become ‘feral’?

This person thought that she knew better

And coaxed our pet into a cage

And took away our Henrietta:

Upset we searched a hen-less stage.

Just because you can take action

Doesn’t always mean you should.

You were wrong with your abstraction

And prove do-gooders don’t do good.’