Silkie mom died leaving me with 2 three week old babies

[Dianne Hess]

I'm not sure what happened but my Silkie mom who was being kept in a large crate with the two babies that are now 3 weeks old (with heat) died last night. They have their own setup inside the run to keep them safe from the other chickens and be raised by mom. Now what do I do? Should I bring them inside? The nights go down to 40'ish but I do have heat in their crate. Can they continue on their own?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If they have a sufficiently warm spot outside, they are better off there.
What breed are the chicks?

 

[Dianne Hess]

They are Silkies so not exactly hardy.

 

[NNYchick]

Yikes. What do you have for a heat source for them. I have raised silkie chicks in 30-40 degree coop with a DIY brooder plate made from a heating pad and they did awesome. How did the hen die? FYI silkies with good genetics should not be any less hardy than any other chicken breed. I would try integrating them with the rest of the flock by giving the chicks space to go back and forth between the two run areas but not letting the bigger chickens in. My silkies do well with chicks even if they are not broody, you may find another hen or rooster will take them and keep them warm but watch closely and don't rely on this.

 

[AsaDotJava]

I'm sorry you lost your hen
Can you bring the chicks inside for a month or so and give them heat?
I have never provided additional heat to a broody hen... Is that normal practice?

 

[NNYchick]

I have never provided additional heat to a broody hen... Is that normal practice?

I don’t supply heat either. The only time I use supplemental heat is to young chicks that aren’t with a broody hen to keep them warm.
@Dianne Hess how are the chicks doing?

 

[Dianne Hess]

I'm sorry you lost your hen
Can you bring the chicks inside for a month or so and give them heat?
I have never provided additional heat to a broody hen... Is that normal practice?

I added the heat once the mom passed.

 

[Dianne Hess]

I don’t supply heat either. The only time I use supplemental heat is to young chicks that aren’t with a broody hen to keep them warm.
@Dianne Hess how are the chicks doing?

Made it through the night. - I will probably bring them in so I don't have to worry as much.

 

[ValerieJ]

I think with the heat, they will be fine. Did you say what type of heat you are using? I wonder what happened to the mama. So sorry you lost her!

 

[drumstick diva]

agree. Sorry about mama, I wonder what happened to her.