Rhys Dungey and his father, Stew, launched a farm diversification project 12 years ago after purchasing a Wessex helicopter on eBay and converting it into guest accommodation at Windmill Campersite at Froglands Farm on the Isle of Wight.
The campsite has since developed a range of unconventional glamping accommodations, including a submarine, shepherd’s huts and a UFO. The property has also appeared on Channel Five’s Celebrities Go Glamping, helping bring attention to its approach of combining camping accommodation with distinctive on-site features.
Alongside its accommodation offering, the farm has developed another attraction for guests: a flock of approximately 30 bantam chickens.
Stew refurbished and upgraded an unloved shed on wheels in 2025, turning it into a dedicated chicken coop. The renovated henhouse includes a revolving egg turntable, solar battery-operated fox detection lights and an arched window. A discarded 1950s oven has also been repurposed as a nest box.
The unusual design reflects the wider character of the campsite, according to Rhys. “Everything we do is based on humour and done with a sense of enjoyment, and everyone seems to buy into that concept.”
Rhys began keeping chickens approximately eight years ago and now has a mixed flock that includes Silkies, Sablepoots, Polish, Pekin, Frizzles and Groninger Meeuwen. He told The Scotsman that his interest is driven as much by the birds’ appearance and personalities as by their practical use.
“Rhode Island Reds don’t do anything for me. I much prefer crazy-looking Polish hens because of the personalities that they have. The Polish hens, bless them, can barely see because of their head feathers. I love their characters way more than the eggs.”
The flock continues to grow, with Seabrights and Ayam Cemani among the breeds on Rhys’ wish list. His poultry purchases have not always gone as planned, however. “I’ve got a bird that I paid £100 for. I bought five birds, but four of them ended up being cockerels.”
The family has also traveled to the mainland to collect birds, with Rhys’ parents making a trip to a poultry supplier near Bristol to collect 11 hens from Pip and Chick.
For Windmill Campersite, the chickens have become part of the guest experience rather than simply an agricultural feature. The birds are allowed to free-range around the farm, where visitors can see them during their stay. Rhys said, “The chickens are definitely one of the most talked-about and photographed things on site.”
One of the flock’s most recognizable members is Boots, a small Sablepoot cockerel with feathered toes that Rhys considers his favorite bird.
For campground and glamping operators, the example illustrates how relatively modest farm or site features can contribute to the overall guest experience when they are integrated into a property’s identity. In this case, the chickens, custom-built coop and wider farm setting provide additional points of interest without requiring a separate accommodation product.
The approach also demonstrates the potential value of giving guests opportunities to interact with distinctive features of a property. For operators considering farm diversification or ancillary experiences, attractions that are already connected to the land or existing operations may offer a way to differentiate a stay while reinforcing the character of the destination.
Windmill Campersite is located on the Isle of Wight, where visitors are also within approximately 20 minutes of a beach, according to the source material. The combination of unusual accommodations, a working farm environment and proximity to coastal attractions forms part of the property’s broader guest proposition.
