Is it ok for chicks less than a week old to be in the dark?

[ForFlocksSake]

I didn't think twice about this with my first brood of 6. It was June in the south and it was HOT, so all they had in my garage was a brooder plate and some natural light. At night it was dark and that was that. This brood of 4 is different because Ive needed some supplemental heat (red bulb light)along with the plate in the first few days. I noticed they were up and moving all night long, eating and drinking. Well it's warmed up again (not really getting below 70 in the garage at this point) so I went ahead and turned off the heat lamp and left just the plate on for them. The sun set and they made their way to the brooder plate like my first flock did when they were chicks. But now im googling and scouring the internet because I realized they WERE up eating and drinking all night prior to this, but now they will be staying put till the morning. Some searches come up saying baby chicks need supplemental light for the first few weeks while others say they absolutely do not need to be feeding through the night. They hatched on Monday so they are only 5 days old right now.

What's the right answer? Leave the light off or is this cruel so early on?

 

[Shabby Chic-Hens]

I would say they don’t need the light

 

[tripletfeb]

They don't need the light. If they were being raised by a momma hen, she wouldn't make them eat throughout the night, they'd be sleeping. As long as they have food and water throughout the day, they are good

 

[kengboss21]

Yes completely okay, I’m brooding chicks right now and we get 10 hours of daylight. The other 14 they’re pretty much in the dark

 

[rosemarythyme]

Obviously if they were being raised by a hen they'd only have whatever light was available in the hen's environment. Better for their digestion for crops to empty out at night rather than staying up and eating and drinking around the clock, unless you're fattening them up for meat.