Need some guidance here....our Buff orpington hen hatched out her first clutch of eggs, 9 total hatched.... the first week I had her separated from the rest of the flock and everyone did super she seemed like a great protective mother, babies were lively and thriving..... so I decided to start letting them out together.... everyone seemed to get along great even my drakes were helping out (so it seemed!) that first week one baby vanished.... then another...then another.... we were finally down to about 6 when I said OK WTH is going on! no signs of predators about....then one day I was letting my horse trough overflow for the ducks to play in...big mistake as I think I shocked the babies with the cold water, I called up the ducks to come in....all came but 2 of the babies and I heard one in distress by the water tank, it wouldn't move or walk, and the other was missing all together..... I separated it and it passed away that night..... so here I was down to 5 babies, the next night I find another dead inside their pen in the barn then I thought OK this must be the drake (looked like it broke its neck?) so I separated the 4 babies with mom again....that next morning ANOTHER was dead inside the run....SO I finally took mom away thinking she had something to do with this....so far its been a good 3-4days since taking mom away but now I feel the remaining 3 are slowly fading away, not drinking or eating..... depressed? everyone seems to healthy so I'm super concerned....I got save a chick for their water but no one is drinking it! I will dunk their heads and "force" them to get their bills wet but I am worried ill lose my last 3 of this bunch! any advice appreciated.
