Heat Victim

The heatwave took it's toll on one of the hens today. I was up early and on the plot at 7.30, there were already 2 other people on the plot! I let the hens out, watered half my plot and then went back to battle the dock from hell. I've had several goes at it over the last few days and still it refuses to budge. So after more digging I poured more water in the hole and carried on with the rest of the bed. Well the whole bed is the bed from hell! Dandelions, brambles, couch grass and stones as big as my fist! Considering the previous owner of this plot made ordered beds with wooden borders I am surprised at the stones! I decided to take a break, it was now nearly  9am and the temp was already 23C  and went to chat with Brummie Girl and check the hen plot for eggs. I gave them some mealworms and realised Betsy was not there - suddenly saw her lying under the corrugated sheets, dead. She was one of the first hens I bought at a farmers auction, so she was the eldest at 9 years old and the biggest being a Bluebell. She had been fine when I let her out so I can only think the heat had got to her.
I went back to the dock with a vengeance as now the very large hole had become a perfect grave for poor betsy. Well I got it out but still the tip of the root remained. In years to come I hope the wonderful fertiliser Betsy will make will not see it reemerge as a monster! 
By the time I had finished the temperature was 28C and it was time to retreat to the cool of home, but not before I had made some baths for the other hens. Even Henrietta and Izzy had abandoned the nesting box, even though I had left the hatch door off to allow air to circulate. All of the hens were panting - beaks open and tongues waggling. I moved my wheelbarrow onto the plot and filled it with water and grabbed Penny the next biggest hen who was panting the most, and sat her in it. She was not best pleased and jumped out as soon as I let go! I got the old metal bath/laundry trough from my plot and sank it in their dust bath area so now they could jump up into the wheelbarrow or down into the trough! I grabbed Izzy and held her in the trough! When I let go of her she stayed! Gerda then came over for a look and both me and Brummie Girl remained totally still and silent hoping she would jump in - she didn't! But Izzy did jump out! I left them to it and went home for lunch. 
Milkshake was obviously feeling the heat too as she found a nice cool place to lie  on top of the pond! To be fair it's a massive plastic garden round rug so full of plants the roots have entirely filled it and therefore she could lie on the surface! I've been meaning to empty it and trim the roots but left it too late again this year! It's a good job I saw her making her way through the plants around it and across the top of the equally large pot containing my 8 ft bay tree! She was totally hidden by foliage! But I did find my potting tray and realised it would make a perfect bath for the hens. It's shallow and lower at the front! So at 3 am I was back on the plot making another bath! By now the temp was 31C! I was relieved all the other hens were still ok, but I don't think any of them had been in the baths!  I did not stay up there any longer than necessary! They were all still ok when I was back in the cool of the eve to water the other half of my plot and put them to bed!