A DAY AT THE SPA

.. Wash 'n' Go

 My hens are normally a happy little bunch of chooks but the weather in the Borders has sorely tested their resolve these last few days. We have endured hailstones, snow, wind, rain and blizzards ... all of it and more in just one day and the sun just hasn't popped out at all. Naturally it's enough to drag anyone down in the dumps and more than a few ruffled feathers - literally - have been on display in the hen pen.
 Beryl and Ruby have looked particularly brassed off suffering what could be the poultry equivalent of SAD known as Seasonal Affective Disorder or the Winter Blues and so I decided to bring the girls inside for a pick-me-up. Although I lack the communication skills of Dr Doolittle,  it's very easy to see when a hen is out of sorts and Beryl and Ruby displayed classic symptoms of stooped heads, hunched shoulders and dirty bottoms.
 Out of all my Dumpys, these two take special pride in their appearance and spend hours grooming themsleves away from the rest of the flock. They usually sleep together on a high perch in the smallest hen house and rarely mix with the rest of the crew maintaining a rather aloof manner when wandering around the hen pen. The rest of the hens, with the exception of the cockerels, have a negative reaction to the pair ranging from mild disinterest to resentment to out and out hostility and it's been like that since Day One when they first arrived last Autumn from a farm in Halifax.
 Ruby was named after the colour of her stunning red comb which has become very pale over the winter months and Beryl was named after my Dandy comic hero Beryl the Peril after she knocked the stuffing out of poor Horatio on her first day in the pen.
 But back to the Spa Day - I have kept a video diary so you can see the special effects of what a nice shampoo and blow dry will do.

                                                    Stage 1 - Damsels in Distress .. 
As you can see the girls are showing signs of being SAD

Stage 2 - The bath time blues ..

The bath time blues leave this Beryl wondering if the spa day was such a good idea 

                                                   Stage 3 - WET, WET, WET ..

As mad as a wet hen. A good tonic? Ruby looks as though she's had a few gin 'n' tonics instead

                                                Stage 4 - Bring on the blow dryer ..

Still no sunshine but that hot air is most welcome; things are beginning to improve

                  

                                                Stage 5 - Alls well that ends well

Two happy hens emerge rested and relaxed from their spa day with shiny feathers and fluffy bottoms - anyone for a manicure or massage?

* A word of caution - I couldn't find any poultry shampoo so I used a very mild baby shampoo in warm water and stayed clear of the ears and head area. It took nearly three hours to blow dry them on a warm setting and don't get too close otherwise you could end up roasting your chicken! Don't try and get them bone dry, either and once you've finished let them dry thoroughly in a warm place for an hour or so before putting them outside otherwise they could catch cold or worse.