I'm from Yorkshire and we tend to say "hen" for an egg producing chicken, but I may have had a slip and said "chicken" as so many others do.
We have had hens since the year I retired 2015, but we only ever keep them for 6 months due to having to return in Sep or Oct. And in the last two years we haven't had any due to Covid and Brexit restrictions.
We too thought about having other animals, such as goats, for the milk, cheese and eventually paté, but they don't go well with fruit trees, any trees, fruit bushes and veg!! And they can escape from anywhere, the only real way to keep em in is to chain them to a stake, as far as we can make out.
So I admire your bravery, although it would be easier if you were living there full time. I think you probably have a lot more land than we do.