This is the hilarious moment a farmer pranked his visitor asking him to shut up high-flying chickens that sleep in the tree.

Nigel Coleman, 68, had asked his visiting stepson, journalist Michael Leidig, to 'shut up the chickens' for the night so their tails would remain clean and the birds would stay safe from foxes in Canterbury, UK.

Footage shows Michael inspecting the henhouses. He said: 'There are no chickens in there. None in there. Another place where there should be chickens.'

Instead of using their purpose-built henhouse, the Yokohama chickens climb a nearby tree at dusk and sleep together in the branches until morning, keeping their extra-long tail feathers well clear of the mud below.

It is only when he heard rustling above his head that he finally looked up and discovered where the birds have gone.

Perched throughout the branches are dozens of colourful Yokohamas, their long tail feathers hanging like streamers as they quietly settle in for the night.

Nigel said: 'My wife wanted some nice chickens and we went to a local market, where we eventually spotted these Yokohama chickens being sold. They are an ornamental breed known for their dramatically long tail feathers and very agile, pheasant-like movement.'

The farmer added the birds did not do well on muddy ground. He said: 'We noticed early on that the chickens did not like living in a henhouse because the tail feathers are so long they dragged on the ground and became dirty.

'They can keep them clean if they jump into the tree, so as we liked the chickens looking clean, we gave up trying to put them in the henhouse and just let them live in the tree.'

Michael said: 'I looked up and saw all these chickens in the tree. The tree is full of chickens. Most of them are cockerels, all getting on, not arguing with each other, just living in the tree. They simply do not like to live in the henhouse.'

Although their name suggests a Japanese origin, the modern Yokohama is actually a German breed developed in the 1880s by Hugo du Roi from long-tailed ornamental fowl imported from Japan in the 19th century. Some of those birds were shipped from the port of Yokohama, which is how the name eventually stuck.

Yokohamas are famed for their extremely long tails, with males growing spectacular feathers that can reach impressive lengths. Their slim, elegant bodies and striking colouring set them apart from typical farmyard hens.
They are also far more agile than the average chicken. Light on their feet and powerful jumpers, they can easily reach rafters, roofs, and high branches.