Why is my hamsters babies turning black?

Question

are they getting pigment or is the mother sufocating them

they are only about a week old

Answer 1

Oh my gosh, call a vet or pet store immediately!  

Answer 2

What color is the mom or dad?  Moms usually don't suffocate the pups.  What you are describing might just be the development of fur.

Answer 3

You should separate the babies from the mother, until you found out what is the cause of the black on them.  

Answer 4

If it's just their fur turning black, that often happens when they get older because they are growing new fur or because their fur has gotten longer (hamsters and other animals often have fur that's a different color on the tips).  If they're still alive after a week, it's unlikely that the mother is suffocating them.  It's normal for a mother to lie on top of her babies to keep them warm and nurse them.  It's likely you'll just have black hamsters.  With the black bear breed they are all black.