Introducing the hunting dog to a flock of hysterical, flighty chickens is going a lot better than I thought it would. Really. Forgive me for being so dramatic but I envisioned carnage. Maybe a pile of feathers on the grass catching the breeze, maybe a hen running in circles with a piece of her tail missing. I thought I would continually have to swallow my frustration but Beagle is so willing to please that there has been little of that. Oh, there has been an incident or two, but minor ones.
I waited days (or was it weeks?) before I allowed the dog on the same side of the fence as the hens. In the beginning there was always a fence between them. When the time came though, I snapped the leash on Beagle's collar and sat quietly with her in the yard. I simply maintained a calm aura, one without distractions. We sat. We stared. Beagle was good. If I spoke to her she'd respond with a vigorous tail wag.
After about 30 minutes I let her off leash. She sniffed around and didn't act at all interested in the birds. I knew that leaving her alone was not even an option at this point. It may never be. Our first outing was a success and I ended it while the going was good so it would be positive for everybody. I think that was an important part of the introduction. I didn't want to inject any anxiety into the experience.
We did this for a few days and then, as long as we were nearby, she could follow without the leash. Mostly, Beagle just likes to stand and stare at the birds. She's mesmerized by them. On Sunday, she became a little more than mesmerized. The birds set her up to take the fall. They conspired in a way that made Beagle look bad. At least that's the way she tells it.
I had the gate to the chicken yard open so they could come and go as they pleased while I cleaned the coop. Everything was peaceful for over an hour. Then it wasn't. I have the coop covered in plastic for the cooler months so the view through it is foggy at best. I could make out one of the Dellies squeezing her meaty little body between a large kennel and the side of the coop. Then she let out a frenzied squawk. It was a blur after that.
I stood outside of the coop and in my most authoratative voice bellowed "LILY!" but Beagle was hot on the Dellie's trail. They both raced out the gate, it looked like some kind of tandem relay, like they were almost connected. I think they were running from the sight and sound of me - I'm being generous to Beagle here - I'm not entirely convinced that Beagle was chasing down lunch. When I caught up with her I gave her my standard dog punishment which is simply intense and prolonged eye contact. I had her by the collar, our noses inches apart. And then I saw him coming. The Black Devil, as Michael calls him. Tiny, Flock Master, BIg Daddy, The Cock of The Walk. He was on a mission and getting closer by the second.
I tried to pull Beagle closer but she hadn't picked up on the transition from angry mom to protective mom and she resisted getting any closer. I doubt she could see Tiny advancing from behind. And then, to make matters worse, I started waving my one free arm wildly to shoo him away. Then my voice rose, "Go away! Get out! Get. Out!" Poor Beagle, she was so nervous and then she was scared out of her ever loving mind when Tiny mounted her. It was like he was the goddamn Lone Ranger riding that dog into the sunset. He climbed her back a second time and to her credit she did not turn to fend him off. I'm taking that as a good sign.
The way the whole thing started, I don't know that Beagle was to blame at all. I imagine that she was simply curious about the hen but before she knew it the bird sounded the alarm. Michael will give voice to the dogs sometimes and the way Beagle tells it, she and the hen just happened to be running in the same direction. I'd like to think that is the truth of it. It was simply a coincidence and where's the crime in that?
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