How much cold can a chick handle?

Yes, they should be fine.. :) If you see them huddling together though, you may want to get a heated pad for them to lay on, or a heat lamp they can get under. (Red bulb.)
 
You have two issues to contend with. 1) Have they been acclimated to colder temperatures or have they spent their chick lives in a 74F human house? The temperatures you're describing are definitely not to cold for a fully feathered chick. It's that a sudden transition can be problematic.
2) Do you have a way to protect them from the older birds until they are accepted? Chickens are territorial and your older ones aren't going to roll out the welcome mat.
 
I agree - it's not the cold, it's the transition to the cold. Perhaps you could let them out during the day and bring them in at night for a few days - leaving them out a little longer each day. Also, they will need to have some transitional housing - a place to escape from your larger hens and or a "coop within a coop" where everyone can see each other, but not touch. There are a lot of good "flock integration" articles on BYC, and carefully placed chicken wire can be a wonder!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...using-the-“see-but-don’t-touch”-method.67839/
 
They have been adjusted to the cold, but they sleep in my 74F house. But yesterday they were out all day and came in happily. I just didn't know because I'm not actually at home today. And yes they have a place to hide from the adults.
 
I agree - it's not the cold, it's the transition to the cold. Perhaps you could let them out during the day and bring them in at night for a few days - leaving them out a little longer each day. Also, they will need to have some transitional housing - a place to escape from your larger hens and or a "coop within a coop" where everyone can see each other, but not touch. There are a lot of good "flock integration" articles on BYC, and carefully placed chicken wire can be a wonder!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...using-the-“see-but-don’t-touch”-method.67839/
I can't wait that long for integration, but I've done see not touch for a week already, and the pullets had the chicks all day yesterday (they had the same hiding spot) so they are familiar with the run. I haven't given them inside coop time, and I'm currently not at the house and won't be for a few more hours.
 
I guess I'm missing something because it sounds like they've already been living with the older birds during the day and you're gathering them at night to sleep in your house. Are you doing this because they've failed to go to the roost with the big chickens or because you worried about the nighttime lows?
 

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