Baby chicks found dead outside coop?

[Squishychicken]

If your letting the silkie brood make sure she dosent steal anymore eggs

 

[aart]

The least you can do is check that door at night...make sure the chicks are with a mama.

 

[HAPPYCHICKENLADY17]

I have a broody bantam cochin that successfully hatched four babies, she also has a silkie that is helping her sit and tend to her chicks. They are both being good mothers co-parenting. I have food and water right next to them. There is 2 roosters with them and a few other hens who are not being agressive or anything. All seems to be great. The chicKS are 4 days old and both mom's are still sitting on eggs.

Well, here's the scoop..

I have an automatic coop door and it did not close last night. I found two dead babies outside in their pen. They were cold and stiff. I don't understand how they died. They were no injuries .
Is it possible they couldn't find their way back up to mom and froze? It was only in the upper 70s last night. Why wouldn't mom go to them? Why did she ignore their cries?

Is it possible the others chickens threw the babies outside or something?
Should I take the remainder of the babies from her or leave them? Also why is she still sitting after four days?

I apologize for the cluster of questions.

My husband thinks the chickens did this and wants to bring them in.
I don't feel like the chickens caused this.. I feel like they wandered too far and couldn't get back.

Thanks all.

IM SO SORRY YOUR CHICKS DIED......I had one smothered by another chick in the brooder last week

 

[chickens really]

Definitely not your fault although be diligent to make sure Babies followed Momma into the Coop.

 

[Santa Claus]

Dog kennel inside the coop is a good idea.

 

[2 many chickens]

Thanks everyone, I will figure something out. Just peeked at them again and they were eating with their mama. I took mama cochin off the eggs and the silkie bite me when I gave her the eggs lol
I will check again later

Also, I normally check the coop at night and this is the one time I don't that something goes wrong or happens. I was feeling so sick last night, I just went to bed figuring everything was as usual. I had no energy to even get outta bed. I regret not checking on them.

 

[2 many chickens]

Hello again.
Decided to remove all babies and brood them myself. Also took last 2 eggs that were infertile and rotten from them. Mama cochin went back to nest over and over with silkie. She refused to get up and do anything. She wouldn't even leave the coop. One baby hatched a couple of days after the last chick and both mothers acted like it was Satan's spawn and pecked it's face until it bled. It's doing okay but not as lively as the others. I don't know if it will make it. Even though I took the eggs the two chickens are sitting together on nothing. No eggs under them.

The chick has a blood stained face and gasps a lot but walks and cries very loudly so I don't think it's on deaths door? Any ideas on how to help it?

 

[2 many chickens]

Its eyes are not hurt, I can't really tell where it was injured at. Just looks bruised up.

 

[2 many chickens]

I will note I know it was the mother as she had blood on her beak and baby was laying in a corner near them but not with them.

 

[Conan]

Its eyes are not hurt, I can't really tell where it was injured at. Just looks bruised up.View attachment 1796572 View attachment 1796571

Do you have any Nutri-Drench on hand? It can make all the difference in the world in a weak chick. If you don't have that, many folks have had luck with a little honey or sugar, molasses, or sugar in the water. I sure hope the little guy makes it.

It sounds like your hens are good brooders, but not great moms. Is this their first batch? If so, they may improve with time, but I'd recommend a much more controlled environment on the next round. It really is great to see a mama hen raise her chicks, but can be very stressful (for her AND for you) if the environment is not right.