Leghorn down!!!

[naomiemond]

Found one of my leghorn hens wet and huddled outside of the pen this morning when I went to feed. She never moved when I walked by just opened her eyes slightly. She won't eat and her comb is blue on the tips.
My leghorns fly out of the pen and roost on the fence and not inside the coop.
I brought her inside thinking that she might just have gotten to cold but I just checked on her and she passed.
How can I prevent this from happening again?

 

[Jesusfreak101]

Well you could clip their wings to keep them in their pin. Outside of that with out knowing exactly what she died from (under assumption it was from being wet and cold but could be something else as a blue comb means a lack of oyxgen in the blood flow if i remember correctly) it could have been an illness. But hpiefully clipping a wing might keep the others in and solve the problem.

 

[naomiemond]

I tried that this past summer but they still jumped out. Mind you that my fence is 5 foot tall.
What I can't figure out is why they won't roost in the coop. It's a big coop with more than enough space for everyone.

 

[enola]

Can you put a cover over the run? Most chickens are smart enough to get out, but not smart enough to get back in.......

Sounds like she died of hypothermia.

 

[naomiemond]

They fly in and out all day. And I have been looking into covering it but I want to still be able to stand up in there so I can clean it with ease.
This is my first flock and I am still trying to figure it all out

 

[Jesusfreak101]

I have a four foot maybe five
Foot tall cattle pannel that i clip my girls wings and they dont fly out and they will if i dont you only wantt o clip one wing so they are unbalanced you can clip both the primary and secondary feathers front and back wing feathers.

 

[naomiemond]

Just one wing you say?? Maybe that was my problem because I clipped both. I will try that.

 

[Jesusfreak101]

Yeah as just one wing. http://m.wikihow.com/Clip-Chicken-Wings

 

[naomiemond]

Thank you!

 

[Jesusfreak101]

Your welcome. I happy to help.