Kittens 17 days old. I believe mother is in heat. I have a few questions.

I was away on vacation, and my father was feeding the nursing mother in our backporch we enclosed to keep her and her kittens safe. When I came today, everything seemed alright, but later in the evening, I started to hear her meowing, when I went to check on her, she was meowing a lot, very affectionate, and walking around, looking for a possible way to esscape the enclosure. From what I have read on the internet, it seems like she may be in heat again. My first question is, will the mother still nurse her kittens while she is in heat, or will she stop? My other question, is it seems I may have bit off more than I can could chew with trying to rescue the mother and help raise her kittens til adoption. Does anyone know any rescue's, preferably no kill shelters that would be able to take her and her kittens in around the nyc, long island area? Thank you

Can go either way, she should keep nursing the kittens, or she might not pay as much attention to them. Some mums can get a bit rough with the kittens when in heat and will drag them around a bit. Just keep checking and weighing them.

I agree.  But with a little luck, it should go ok.

If you can held her home / enclosure, do it.  Being in heat and outside is dangerous, not so few gets down out there, leaving the kittens alone / owner alone with the kittens...

Please, try to hold them. If they get to a shelter, they will almost surely not get better...  Most places are overcrowded, and it is not uncommon off they go with the first train into the gas chamber (or whatever they use). 

YOU  are theirs practical chance.

Good luck!   *vibes*