Chickens

During their turn, each player places one chicken card from their hand into a personal 4×3 grid (the barnyard) and discards one card to their own discard pile. Cards of the same breed may always be placed next to each other; cards of a different breed must be one value higher or lower than all adjacent cards. If you cannot or do not want to place a card, you place one face down as a coop – this costs one negative point at the end. Halfway through the game, each player simultaneously places their rooster token on a breed that they hope will NOT be their largest group, as a second scoring group yields extra egg points. At the end, players count the eggs on their largest contiguous group, the rooster group, medals, and shared objective card points – the breeder with the most points wins.

Hens is a compact card game that, with a handful of rules, offers a surprisingly large amount of puzzle fun: every card placement feels like a small decision with big consequences. The ability to draw from any discard pile (except your own) creates a subtle interaction that sharpens the game without making it aggressive. The rooster token adds a clever gambling layer that rewards experienced players but doesn't intimidate beginners. Reviewers compare the puzzle-solving feel to titles like Sagrada, and praise its high replayability and smooth setup. For those who enjoy an accessible yet substantial card game that is quick to get to the table and hard to put away.