Really bad

Just starting the cleaning.

Partway through, you can see the feather colors now.

In his warm room.

I just got in number 11 baby GHO and this one is not the same pristine fluffy baby as the others. This one, SLICK, was found inside a small shed on a oil field near Worland. He and an adult were inside but this little fellow was inside a bucket partially filled with oil. The guys from the field drove him up here and stayed to help with the initial cleaning.

It took four of us, lots of Dawn soap and hot water to just get a start on what will be a long process. We got a lot off his head, wing and tail feathers but there's still a lot on his back and tummy. He'd had enough for one session, was shivering even with the warm water, so I called a halt.

He's now inside a crate in my north room. He has two heating pads around him and towels covering the crate. Also some insulation sheets to hold the heat inside. At first he wouldn't hold up his head but now, with a bit of help from a rolled up pad, he's almost standing on his own and is holding his head high.

This is an hour-by-hour process and if he's in good enough shape we'll do another washing tomorrow. His attitude and toughness will be the deciding factor. I just hope he makes it.