Do pullets need supplemental heat

[taynorjr]

I am getting 5 17 week old eater eggers in mid january.i am just wondering do they need heat source due to being winter,i am in PA.I do not give my adult birds any supplemental heat,just thought maybe i should give the younger birds some.Any insight would be great.Thank you.

 

[LizzzyJo]

At 17 weeks they do not need any heat. They don’t need heat after 6 weeks.
However, if they’re coming from a heated environment then their transition needs to be slow. Are the coming from heat?

 

[taynorjr]

i am not sure,i am getting them from a local hatchery.i can definitely inquire when i pick them up.But if coming from heated place using a heat lamp and slowly decreasing time on would be a wise choice?

 

[LizzzyJo]

I have to admit that I have never done it, but I know that drastic temperature changes are bad for them. I would look into how to do it.

 

[rosemarythyme]

But if coming from heated place using a heat lamp and slowly decreasing time on would be a wise choice?

Yes. Ideally you'd want to find out what temperatures they were kept at and decrease from there, probably over a week's time. Otherwise at 17 weeks, they'll well past the point of being able to regulate their own heat.