Hen hatched chicks... supposed to get 8 inches of snow tomorrow

[emryst]

I have a hen that has been missing for awhile. About a week ago she started coming out in the mornings from under our side porch. I thought maybe she was laying on eggs. Well yesterday she comes out with 3 chicks. It has been nice outside however tomorrow we will get 8 inches of snow. I collected them (mother and babies) in a box and put it in the garage with water, feed, and a heat lamp. When I got home from work I noticed one baby was dead. I took it out and the other 2 are still alive and mom is still protecting them.

Should I leave them in the box? With the upcoming weather I feel like they won't be able to walk around or come out from under the porch. At the same time the box is not big and I am not allowing the mother to teach her chicks to forage...

Should I take the mother out and care for the chicks myself? I would feel really bad about doing that!

Although maybe she accidentally killed the one chick? It was still kind of under her when I found it.

 

[Hunter0704]

Maybe you could separate an area in the coop for mother and chicks, so mom could still move around and they all would be protected from the weather? A garage? A large kennel, or a much larger box to move around in? Have any chicken wire? Make an area in the garage or basement for them to stay in until the bad weather is over. If left unprotected you'll surely lose the chicks and maybe even the mother.

 

[EmAbTo48]

We are expecting negatives here. I have a silkie that was in the coop with the rest brooding on 4 eggs went out to feed this morning to find a pipping and crack and then came back to check 3 hours later and found a chick.

So I packed the family up brought them into our guest room in a XL dog crate (glad it is my silkie shes so tiny) and they are inside now. She seems to be good now, she is a good hen she doesn't seem to bothered by me probably cause I would check on the eggs, and talk to her through out the last month. They will be able to go in the large coop in the barn once the rest hatch and the chicks are a few days older.

Have any Large dog crates?