A close incounter with Jack

7/21/10
Last night was a close call.The neighbor's dog, Jack, got out of his fence--not something that has happened before. He came over to visit Beyonce and discovered chickens. The girls were out in the yard. Jack thought this was an open invitation and his birding instincts (he is a bird dog) kicked in. The girls know that their safe place is under the deck or in the coop. Bel couldn't quite make it there without losing a tailfeather. Luckily that was all she loss, except some confidence in the security of the backyard.  It was a bit of excitement and a dilemma--should I have let Beyonce out to defend her pack? Probably, but I didn't think it through until I was too far away from the door and closer to intervening myself. I think Beyonce would have at least distracted Jack enough so that Bel would make a clean get away. She did get away minus one feather and a little trauma. She seems fine today and didn't seem to upset when Beyonce wanted to play.  Play for Beyonce means a little chase and an escape to the underdeck.