Cold Feet On Baby Chicks?

[VintageLilFarm]

I moved my 4 week, 5 week and 6 week old chicks to an outside small coop as a brooder yesterday, using a MHP (6 4 weeks old, 1 each 5 and 6 wks old). They had been inside the house in a brooder with the MHP. I checked on them twice during the night and it feels warm and cozy in there. But this morning when they were walking on my arm, their feet felt cold. The floor of the coop isn't as warm as the floor where they were inside the house, so I want to be sure they are ok.

They are closed into the upper part of a Summerhawk Ranch small coop, with the MHP being in the rear part designed for nesting. Before putting them out there, I lined that part of the floor with a sheet of Styrofoam and another sheet of wood over it, covered in contact paper. Then I covered the floor with pine shavings, pulled the towel that covers the MHP forward as an overhang, and also placed loose straw around the bottom of the opening, giving plenty of air, but helping to block drafts. I also covered the outside with a picnic style blanket with a tarp over it to be sure no drafts would get in that part, leaving the air vent holes uncovered on the roosting area which adjoins the area where they are.

I just want to be sure it is ok for their feet to feel chilly. Otherwise, I will move them back inside, or line the bottom of the warm area with another heating pad, probably turned on low or medium.

Thank you!

 

[featherhead007]

Maybe, a little over-protective, but I understand!

 

[VintageLilFarm]

Maybe, a little over-protective, but I understand!

LOL, I have heard of chicks getting a chill and dying, so I want to be sure this isn't too big of a change, too quickly!

I've previously moved my hatchlings from incubator to a brooder with a red heat lamp in my greenhouse, and kept there until fully feathered. But it wasn't ideal as they got older because the brooder wasn't very deep. Some others weren't moved outside at all until they were fully feathered because they were kept in a large, unfinished side room in my previous home. So I'm just unsure about brooding them out of doors after they've been kept indoors anyway. The fact that their feet were cold was new, so I want to be sure it isn't a symptom they are too cold.

 

[featherhead007]

I have a leghorn hen I raised from egg, she is 1 year old now.. She sneezes a lot, and has done so for many months... Does that mean anything?