Well, perhaps the hen is a symbol in the writer's story. Maine has a lot of rural and agricultural areas. The hen could represent the simplicity and authenticity of Maine's countryside. The writer uses the hen to tell a story about the changing rural life in Maine, like how modernization is affecting the traditional farming and the relationship between people and animals there.
The story could be that the writer in Maine has a pet hen. One day, the hen gets lost. The writer then embarks on an adventure to find the hen. Along the way, the writer meets different people in Maine and discovers many interesting things about the local area. In the end, the writer finds the hen and writes a story about this whole experience.