Fowl farmer Reese Witherspoon

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-06-22 15:58

Reese Witherspoon has become a chicken farmer.

The 'Walk the Line' actress is tending to the birds on her California ranch and has been handing out freshly-laid eggs to her friends.

A source said: "The chickens are laying more eggs than she can eat, so Reese started giving eggs away to her neighbours, parents on the kids' soccer team and all her friends."

Reese - who has two kids with her ex-husband Ryan Phillippe, nine-year-old daughter Ava and son Deacon, five - has earned an unusual nickname after buying the birds.

The source added to the National Enquirer magazine: "Now all of Reese's friends joke and call her the chicken lady!" Reese, 33, is not the only celebrity to show an interest in farming. 'State of Play' actress Rachel McAdams recently revealed she would willingly give up her glamorous Hollywood lifestyle and go "back to basics".

She said: "I would try farming. I wish I was able to grow my own food." Elizabeth Hurley, who says living in the country is "sexier" than an urban existence, has a rural estate in the UK and cares for four dogs, two cats, three geese, eight chickens, 49 cows, 63 sheep and 82 pigs.

Lenny Kravitz claims he is "happiest in dirt" and enjoys spending time at his farm in Brazil. He said: "I love material things but I'm not defined by them. I love Paris but I'm much, much happier on my farm in Brazil. It's nature, it's real, I sleep under the stars, I farm and I swim in the sea."