Why did my silkies die?

[Nstamilla]

I have a flock of various chickens, one leghorn, one mixed breed and two Orpington and two silkies. One of the silkies turned out to be a rooster and we took him back and replaced him with two eight/nine week old silkies. They were a little odd right from the beginning. They always stuck together and weren’t interested in the other girls. They would eat but not very much and ate more grass than chick starter. Then I had to go away and leave my mum caring for the chickens and while I was gone they both died! One was found in the coop dead, and the other one was very unwell and had to be nursed a bit but didn’t make it. Any ideas as to what it could have been? Poop seemed pretty normal.

 

[sourland]

Sorry for your loss. Are you certain that the larger birds were allowing them to eat and drink enough? New/smaller birds are always picked on when introduced to an established flock.

 

[Nstamilla]

Yes I did think of that and initially introduced them slowly with separate feed and water that they could access alone. Still didn’t seem interested. I thought it very odd but still left mum to look after them.. poor mum! She wasn’t very happy with two sick chickies on her watch!
I just wondered if there was something that was quite prevalent amounts silkies that might explain their sudden demise?