Depression.
Tears ran down her feathery cheeks as she became weaker and weaker from lack of food and water.
Her feathers were also falling out due to her physical and mental state. Bald patches started to appear on her body.
Her mind drifted back to happier times and a more carefree way of life.
Martha was now over 5 years old and had been at the Mather's cottage for a little over 6 months.
She had been bred and raised at a farm owned by Oliver Finleyson, which was nestled in a glen outside Oban which was on the west coast of Scotland.
Mr Findleyson was a passionate breeder of hens which he also showed up and down the country.
Martha was one of his top show hens. She had reigned supreme for 3 years at the top, as she travelled with Mr Findleyson to shows all over Britain.

The trophies and blue ribbons that adorned the mantlepiece, barn and kitchen of the large farmhouse, were a testament to Martha's superiority.
Martha was a true champion, winning the top prizes at the fairs, shows and festivals they attended throughout the country.
The other breeders and farmers who competed became jealous and angry as their hens could do no better than second or third place.
They grew to despise Mr Findleyson and Martha.
They huddled together at shows and talked about ways they could knock Martha off her "perch."
Some of the shows offered large cash prizes along with the trophies and ribbons.
The shows attracted big sponsors, who put up the money to attract a large number of show entries.

Besides all the first place trophies and ribbons Martha always won "best in show" for the 3 years she competed.

The other disgruntled farmers and breeders started meeting outside the shows to dislodge Martha from top spot. Finally they found away!

One of the breeders who wanted rid of Martha, was the brother-in-law of the secretary who worked for the Breeders Association.
This man, George Atkinson, was unscrupulous in every aspect of his life.
His sister-in-law, who was in her 60's, led a double life that George had found out about and was prepared to blackmail her with.
Her name was Beth and she had worked as a secretary for the Breeders Association for near on 30 years. Her work and input was respected throughout the Association.
Beth, over the years, had personally organised shows and hired the judges to judge the hens.

Beth was his wife's sister and they were very close.
That is how he found out a about Beth's secret.
She was plain, dowdy and quiet woman, who George thought was downright boring.
She was very competent and efficient at her job but had no personal life.
Never married nor even had a male suitor in all the years George had known her.
Then one day his wife let slip that Beth is a much sought after dominatrix with a drink problem. Apparently his dowdy, plain and boring sister-in-law was really a sexually deviant woman with a hatred of men and enjoyed humiliating them, not to mention whipping them until they begged for mercy.
If only the Breeders Association knew the real Beth!