my 2 week old chix gave me a huge scare today

[CAMPINEFEVER]

first off i want to say hello to everyone

..and i must say that this is the first message board that is so positive & everyone goes out of their way to help with every question.
i am a newbie to raising chix & ducks.i have 4 rhode island reds and old english game & modern game bamtans.
i have 8 -2 week old -oeg chix.well last nite my hubby went to pin up one of our rir roosters who was attacking our oeg hen,and he forgot to turn the heat lamp back on for our baby chix.well around 2 am this morning i was woken up by all the chickens doing their distress call,-when i went out i found all 8 baby chix completely stretched out and not breathing.the were so cold,& stiff.
i just started balling and refused to at least try to save them some how.i ran inside and put towels in the dryer,then i gathered all the babies-placed them under the heat lamp belly up and kept flopping them every few seconds.i got the hot towels and placed them in them and continued to massage the baby chix,talking to them.for 2 long hours i continued this,and by the grace of god-all 8 babies started moving,breathing good and moving about.they laid still under that heat lamp for over 5 hours today.you could tell they seemed weak or in shock.i gave them warm water,and some scambled eggs mix with some soft cat food.they gobbled that up.it must have gave them some energy becuz by 10am this morning they were out in the yard running all around like nothing happened.it's now 3 pm and they are still going strong.my question is this if anyone has ever been thru this-should i give them some tylan so they don't get sick.and does anyone know by it being so cold here in the 40's,does the cold affect their organs has it does ours when we are in cold conditions-could that be why i was able to bring them back to life.becuz honestly when i found them at 2 am they were stiff,i could not feel any breathing movement or nothing.i really thought they were died.any replies would be grateful,i hope someone has been thru this as well and can share their story with me.tks

 

[crtrlovr]

Hi there! First off, WELCOME! I see your location is DeRidder... is that LA? I have some good friends from Deridder, LA and the Monroe area.

Secondly, CONGRATULATIONS on saving your chickies! I'm SO glad that didn't turn out to be an absolute tragedy for you. Chilling is probably one of the most common causes of death in chicks. I had a freak mishap with a waterer while some were in the brooder and they were all soaking wet and too chilled for the heat lamp above them to be able to help them. I grabbed all of them up and stuck them inside an incubator I have (it's a small one; good thing I didn't have lots of chicks!) All but one of them made it, and I was thanking God I was able to get them warm in time. If they're all completely dry, warm, and running around like normal curious chicks, I'd say they're probably going to be fine, but make absolutely sure when you put them in their sleeping quarters that they are DRY, warm (at this stage they still need supplemental heat, I'd say probably for at least another 6 wks. or preferably until fully feathered out), and draft free. I wish you much success with your babies! Again, welcome from western Kentucky (but my DH is from LA, and we lived there for the first 5 yrs. we were married)

 

[Mr chicken dude]

WOW!!!!! Good Job on saving your Chicks... And thank your Chickens for doing their distress call

 

[chickenlittle32]

Hi neighbor

and welcome to BYC!!! Thank goodness you could save the chickies...(you're a light sleeper LOL) I wouldn't give them tylan unless they show signs of sickness.