My mother used to sing a song the only words I can remember were

We kept some hens in our back yard and regular every morn
We used to get up at six o'clock an feed them on Indian corn.
Now one old hen wouldn't eat it - kept pecking at bits of wood
So we fattened her up on sawdust and it did her a deal of good

Chorus
Now that's a peculiar thing
Now that's a peculiar thing
Is there anyone here didn't hear what I said
Now that's a peculiar thing

I don't know if this is the same song - I think it was probably Welsh in origin