De Bonte Hen (The Motley Hen), Zaandam

The Motley Hen is an oil mill located at the Zaanse Schans. It's the northernmost mill at the Schans, standing as a reminder of the region's rich milling history. According to the renowned Zaanse mill expert Pieter Boorsma, who documented 204 oil mills that once operated in the Zaan area, the current Motley Hen occupies the site of a former sawmill of the same name.

This sawmill first appeared in records on February 16, 1662, and was demolished in 1693, the same year the Bonte Hen oil mill was constructed. The mill remained unchanged until 1935 when the entire upper octagon and stage were removed. However, in 1975, thanks to the efforts of the Vereniging De Zaansche Molen, it was fully restored and returned to its original function as a wind-powered oil mill. Since then, it has been operated weekly by volunteers. The original oil cellars, where the produced oil was stored, are still intact beneath the mill.