2 chicks dead. Please help!

[cdmccaffery]

I posted last week about 6 chicks that hatched with one of my hens. I have 3 adult pheasants- 1 rooster and 2 hens. I was worried about leaving them outside in the pen because of the cold but leaving them with mom was best- so she could take care of them. So far so good until I went out to check on them this morning and 2 were laying there dead. They were about a foot apart from each other. Last night was not the coldest night they've made it through and mom has been doing a good job laying on them to keep them warm. My first thought was that the rooster may have attacked them. But after inspecting the 2 chicks it didn't appear that they had any obvious injuries. They have starter food in a chick feeder. The adult food is in there but the bowl is much higher and I didn't thing they would jump up to eat it when their food is much more accessible. Does anyone know what could've happened?? I'm devastated. Just to be safe I put a partition up to separate mom and chicks from the other hen and rooster. Should I keep them separated?

 

[Tony K T]

Wow moms are usually pretty good with their chicks.Could something have disturbs them during the night and they got separated?
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[007Sean]

At that age it doesn't take much of a chill or draft to kill the chicks. Probable got seperated from mom, and became chilled and died. Seperating the mom and the rest of the chicks is a good idea. When in doubt, place them in a brooder. Not as good as mom but you don't have as many environmental factors to contend with...only more work for you, a foster parent.