Hot, Hot, Hot!

The heatwave is still in full swing. The Met Office keeps issuing weather warnings, and the mercury keeps rising. Even at night, there is no relief. Us humans have taken to wearing as little as possible, and sticking our heads in the fridge. The chickens have taken to laying on their sides, wings spread, beaks open, and panting.

Of course, chickens don't have the option of stripping off in the heat. Neither can they fix themselves a cold drink, or take a cool shower. The responsibility for keeping the girls comfortable in this ridiculously Mediterranean weather is mine.

Obviously, making sure that they always have access to cool, fresh water is vital. I have also been refreshing their drinker every few hours, for maximum coolness. They thoroughly enjoyed a frozen corn on the cob earlier, too, as a sort of chicken ice lolly. The ever tolerant husband attempted to give them a shower with a fine mist from the house, but they all went into the coop in disgust.

I'm watching them anxiously. Mini has decided that a heatwave is the perfect time to have a go at being broody again, and while I would normally slam her into the clink for a few days, I'm reluctant to do so in this heat. At least the Convent is shaded and, for the most part, cool.

We are all dreaming of thunderstorms.