➡ Quail Hatch Along🥚

[CindyinSD]

As long as they are dry, and no drafts on them they will do fine in cold temps. When it's really cold I give mine some scratch just before they go to roost, provides some energy for them to burn during the cold night and helps keep their core body temperature up.

That’s amazing. Wee little coturnix? (Well, I think I want the bigger ones—jumbo or whatever they were calling them, but still...) My chickens did fine in a thin walled metal shed, but they’re a lot bigger. They’ve kind of gotten to expect their nightly treats at this point. I guess I could do the back of their cages in plywood and put some rigid foam insulation between them and the back (north) wall. Deep bedding helps keep them warm too, even if it’s not composting. Like a nice thick mattress. Thanks! I didn’t know they could be that tough.

 

[Shortchick]

I probably give mine too many goodies, but they also have pretty boring lives compared to most of yours. :/

Good for you! There is a real psychological benefit to having some interesting tidbits to enjoy, especially if life is boring. My quail got so much more friendly and generally happy when I started giving them a treat every day. They don’t act traumatized every time I refill their feeder or clean their hutch anymore, and they are even laying more steadily- possibly because of the reduced stress.

 

[CoturnixComplex]

Good for you! There is a real psychological benefit to having some interesting tidbits to enjoy, especially if life is boring. My quail got so much more friendly and generally happy when I started giving them a treat every day. They don’t act traumatized every time I refill their feeder or clean their hutch anymore, and they are even laying more steadily- possibly because of the reduced stress.

I feel like compared to all these amazing outdoor aviaries, the least I can do is get them some food variety. I try to keep it under 10% and to the good stuff (black soldier flies, fresh when possible, etc). I am starting a rotating alfalfa sprout flat system for them soon and in the summer they'll get to run outdoors for spurts and pick their own bugs.

I would ideally get them off the milled food altogether someday (self-sufficient prepper/ecological concerns), but that's too much work for me to do correctly right now.

I'm having a lot of "just because it's better than factory farming, is it good enough to continue?" concerns lately, but I think that might also just be seasonal depressive across the board right now. Can't wait for sunshine not filtered through mild blizzards! I'm sure the animals will be happier too.

 

[muddy75]

I know, right? No one here is offering quail... I mean nobody on Craig’s List that I’ve seen in the whole five state region. Maybe I *should* make starting quail a priority. Even if for no other reason than to provide a service to the community. They’re becoming popular I think, with the homesteading movement.

I’ll most likely have to order any quail I get as eggs. From KC Quail I suppose. I think they’re nearest to me. Only I don’t even have an incubator yet and I’ve never hatched anything or even watched anything hatch (except on YouTube). I have to build a turkey/goose/morechickens shelter for next winter. Maybe I could put the quail cages in there too, on the back wall.

I worry though, with the winter we’re having... I’m not sure whether quail are up for -24 degree nights, too many in a row. I very much hope this will NOT happen again in my lifetime...

mine have been fine through the cold outside when temps here dropped into the negatives as you have described, I temporarily put them back in the shed with heat lamp and locked my chickens in coop with a heater. the chickens busted the door open and 2 of my chicks got mild frostbite on one foot. this past week we had windchills in the single digits and other than frozen waterers they did great! much tougher than you think!! with draft-free, dry area you should be fine!!

 

[CoturnixComplex]

That’s amazing. Wee little coturnix? (Well, I think I want the bigger ones—jumbo or whatever they were calling them, but still...) My chickens did fine in a thin walled metal shed, but they’re a lot bigger. They’ve kind of gotten to expect their nightly treats at this point. I guess I could do the back of their cages in plywood and put some rigid foam insulation between them and the back (north) wall. Deep bedding helps keep them warm too, even if it’s not composting. Like a nice thick mattress. Thanks! I didn’t know they could be that tough.

The mountains and steppes of east Asia are chilly places!!

(They have definitely gotten a *little* weenier in captivity. But in general dry and out of the wind with some insulating bedding = warm)

 

[CindyinSD]

That is so good to know, guys. Thanks! With all the Texans on here (love ya’ll) I wasn’t sure Cots were suitable for the cold country... and they can’t live in the garage. Sweet as he is, DH would rebel. He totally wouldn’t understand the importance of teeny tiny eggs and itty bitty roast birdies...IN THE GARAGE...

 

[R2elk]

I know, right? No one here is offering quail... I mean nobody on Craig’s List that I’ve seen in the whole five state region. Maybe I *should* make starting quail a priority. Even if for no other reason than to provide a service to the community. They’re becoming popular I think, with the homesteading movement.

I’ll most likely have to order any quail I get as eggs. From KC Quail I suppose. I think they’re nearest to me. Only I don’t even have an incubator yet and I’ve never hatched anything or even watched anything hatch (except on YouTube). I have to build a turkey/goose/more chickens shelter for next winter. Maybe I could put the quail cages in there too, on the back wall.

I worry though, with the winter we’re having... I’m not sure whether quail are up for -24 degree nights, too many in a row. I very much hope this will NOT happen again in my lifetime...

Check your state G&F laws first. Quail don't get advertised in Wyoming because you have to have a permit before you are allowed to have quail of any kind and you can't sell live quail or hatching eggs here to anyone who doesn't already have a permit. Not all states make an exception for Coturnix quail.

 

[BullChick]

 

[Kiki]

View attachment 1696999

It's dark outside still.

 

[RUNuts]

View attachment 1696999

For science, you understand.

Twue wove is bweatiful.