HEN : Now a domesticated bird and viewed generally as a bird of ill-omen. If the hen crows too near a house it is said to signify a death omen. If this continues some English (UK) country folk believe that it indicates that the bird has got the 'Devil in her'. Such a bird should be killed in order to avoid it attacking the eggs or infecting other birds with the same negative possession. Laying an even number of eggs is thought to be extremely unlucky and you are advised to remove one of the eggs otherwise all future eggs will not hatch. A traditional British Rhyme associates the hen with feminine qualities: