Jerry, chicks can go three days without food and water, they have that stuff stored up inside them from the yolk of that egg. Not to say that they CAN'T have food and water, but it is not imperative. So, just leave the chicks, the mother will get them down out of the nest, from what I've seen with chicks and ducks, once they have left that nest, they don't return......if it is a fair ways down to the ground, how about building something (making it out of a box or something) so that they can jump down level to level, smiling. Good luck, chicks are so much fun!!! Have a most wonderful and beautiful day, love our life, health. Cindi