CindyinSD
All will be well, and that will be well is well.
I’d be more worried about it being too small... esp if they’re confined there for several days because of, say, 4 ft of snow. You absolutely need the ventilation. You will see droplets of water running down the walls otherwise, and have to cut some high-up holes with the reciprocating saw and staple on hardware cloth in the middle of a snowstorm. (Don’t ask how I discovered thisThe shed is 10x12. In winter there will be 5 ducks, 8 chickens, 4 turkeys and our covey of quail (say 2-4 dozen probably). The shed is not insulated and preferably not heated (I could heat it with an electric heat source). All but the quail would be allowed/encouraged to go outside everyday.
I guess that would be a good amount of body heat... keeping the humidity down may become a problem this winter though with all that exhaling. That means I would increase ventilation, would would leak more heat out. I am confident the chickens, turkeys and ducks will be fine if it gets cold in there. The quail though...
)Humidity will increase (guarantee) chances of frostbite.
If you’re worried about the cold, you can pile up straw bales against the north wall of the shed, but know that mice will move in. If you use hay, the mice will also have something good to munch on. You can hang well secured heat lamps if it really worries you or if the cold becomes truly epic. I use an outdoor rated extension cord, and yes I have used a heat lamp, but last year *was* epic. Mind, this is pullets. I’d be worried about the quail all on their lonesome but all those warm bodies in there with them will make a huge difference. Caveat: all my quail knowledge comes from this thread, not from experience. All advice I offer folks is worth exactly what they pay for it.
