Acclimating Chicks to Cold

[VTBobCat]

I'm transitioning my 8 week old, fully feather chicks from their heat plates to no heat source to prep them to go outside soon. It is 39 where they are on my porch right now, and I expect it may drop another 5 degrees or so overnight.
Tonight is the first night without their heat plates and a couple were chirping a little louder than normal at their usual bedtime (They typically put themselves to bed around 6:30), but they have since stopped and seem to have settled in.
So do you think they will be fine and they were just chirping in protest of losing their cozier sleeping spot, or do you think I am wrong and should put the plate back in? Again, they are all fully feathered.
Part of my thinking is that if they were raised by a hen, they would be dealing with these temps at this age as they would no longer all be sitting under her. And since we did not use a heat lamp, they have already been getting acclimated to these temps.

 

[HoopyFrood]

That's pretty cold. Chicks/pullets WILL acclimate to outdoor temperatures in time. But if they vocalize a complaint I always complied. They'll get used to 100% outdoor life soon enough I saw no reason to "harden them off" in ways that made them call out in protest.

I think this is a chicken keeping style question. Our cold hardy breeds at 8 weeks didn't see temps colder than mid 60s. They were probably closer to 14-16 weeks old before they saw temps in the low 40s/high 30s. Hope this helps

 

[Life is Good!]

You didn't mention how many chicks are together. I know it's currently 29 degrees tonight here - and my adult flock is snuggled up tighter than usual tonight. Our chicks are still indoors because of this cold (but they're only 1wk old - I was hoping to put them out in their coop with a Ecoglow by next weekend...not looking likely this spring!)

I know they give off a LOT of body heat, but unless it's like 2 dozen chicks - I'd put their plate back in! But I guess I'm a softie? Better safe than have sick chicks....

 

[VTBobCat]

You didn't mention how many chicks are together. I know it's currently 29 degrees tonight here - and my adult flock is snuggled up tighter than usual tonight. Our chicks are still indoors because of this cold (but they're only 1wk old - I was hoping to put them out in their coop with a Ecoglow by next weekend...not looking likely this spring!)

I know they give off a LOT of body heat, but unless it's like 2 dozen chicks - I'd put their plate back in! But I guess I'm a softie? Better safe than have sick chicks....

There are 16 in there. They looked pretty comfy after they figured out the new setup, but we decided to put the heat plates back in for now. I'm hoping this ridiculous cold weather passes soon so we can get them outside asap.

 

[chickens really]

If you have a Coop with a bed of straw down. They will be fine cuddled up in the straw..A lot tougher than people think..

 

[Folly's place]

I would keep the brooder plate out there until they are feathered out completely. They will loose interest in it and then remove it. There's no reason to stress them out because them might be able to cope, IMO.
Mary

 

[Life is Good!]

I'm hoping this ridiculous cold weather passes soon so we can get them outside asap.

You and a whole LOT of other people! LOL!

 

[VTBobCat]

I would keep the brooder plate out there until they are feathered out completely. They will loose interest in it and then remove it. There's no reason to stress them out because them might be able to cope, IMO.
Mary

They are fully feathered.
I ended up putting the heat plate back in, hbu they aren't even using it. They just cuddle up together now. I think their initial chirping was due to their loss of the comfy area we had them in. They very quickly settled in that night and have been fine since, still not even bothering with the plates.