Are Button Quail Hardy Outdoors?

[tonini3059]

Are they ok to keep outside..maybe in the warmer months??? The Husband is not going for the idea of keeping them indoors all the time.

 

[monarc23]

The only reason my buttons are inside right now is because im getting them back into laying condition for a guy that's getting them from me other wise they'd be outside again. if you winterise them or make sure they're not in a molt and their outdoor shelter is draft free AND they have buddies being outside is FINE.

Many people say they will die outside, and all ican say is dont knock it until you try it...mine were perfectly fine and even housed with coturnixs

Edited to add: Both of the hens that i brought back in were out for several weeks from end of summer until just a week ago. I live on the top of a mt, it gets disgustingly cold up here...several nights of below freezing and they were/are fine

 

[Hoover67]

I have mine out (North Alabama) and have only lost one. Not sure what happened there. It was one of my white ones, though!

 

[Birdman18]

I've hatched out buttons 4 to 5 years ago, this was my first ever hatch. That winter was very cold i ended up losing about 6 or 7 out of 16.
I just ended up not raising them because their were not cold hardy, but they are cute amazing little birds. Hopefully oneday i'll raise them in the south soon where cold shouldnt be a problem.

 

[Hoover67]

Quote:
Where were you located? I do not want to loose any but I just can't deal with more animals in the house!!!! I have too many two-legged ones!

Michele

 

[monarc23]

Birdman- I live in the mountains of Pennsylvania.....and my buttons did fine outside even in way below freezing temps (one night was neg). Now i would NEVER put chicks outside in the winter.....or even in the summer. That's too risky.


I wait until they are fully feathered and are done molting...then outside they go. Believe me they are "hardy" you just have to make sure they are out of drafts almost completley but that's with any bird unless you wan to risk illness and what not.

 

[tonini3059]

I live in a valley so it is cool. Now at what age would they be old enough to go outside? And do you have a picture of your outside setup I could see.

 

[Birdman18]

Quote:
Where were you located? I do not want to loose any but I just can't deal with more animals in the house!!!! I have too many two-legged ones!

Michele

i'm located in NY

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
lol that's funny because I live on the top of a mt on the side of a valley...it's weird I know but it's true lol. Basically on the top of the mountain, in between another mt.

My outside set up? Well this is what I had the buttons in (that my coturnix's are still in):

The white hutch:

The white hutch and those 6 hole pens tarped to the ground:

^ You have to make SURE that the tarp reaches the ground. I read that t his helps to keep drafts from sweeping up andinto the pen anyhow.

Front of the hutch:

The inner part of the hutch is all wood, even the floor so they can run in there to stay even warmer. Buttons are smart (atleast mine were) on really cold days/nights they'd stay almost all of their time in there only to come out and get a drink. (i feed them in the inner part water in the outer wire part).

 

[monarc23]

OH and age, normally around 6-7 weeks....but if you're planning on putting them out IN the dead of winter type of thing...make sure they have buddies to keep warm with or I bet you'd lose them.

I threw a 7 week old hen out there it was a warmer day (in the 40s) and she was fine, her only problem was she wouldnt get out of the coturnixs way so they hurt her head (she's way better now lol). So even though I dont think its' awlays a good idea to put birds that arent use to being out in the winter directly outside (by not winterizing them) I've done it and had no problems. People make buttons out to be so delicate...when they really arent....they're dumb when they get scared (bonking and breaking necks) but I dont think they're dumb when it comes to being cold. My coturnix are (and somehow they dont die though lol) they sit in their water in freezing cold temps

If I were you....I'd wait 6-7 weeks old then take them out and flip their feathers up if you see quils (blood feathers) leave them inside until those are gone....least that's what I do. The more full feathers they have hte more they stay warm.

Then it's up to you to make sure the home tehy are in has areas where theres absolutely no drafts.