Are my quail extra hardy?, extra stupid?, or am I doing something wrong?

[Whiskybear]

Birds have dulled tastes when it comes to hot peppers, but they do taste them if it’s hot enough; and seem to kinda like actually being able to taste something. That’s why hot peppers are included in the parrot seed mixes. As to how this translates to quail or what affects it may have on their physiology, I got nothing. No clue.

 

[Kiki]

My quail live in a 4 X 3M reinforced wire pen on a grass floor with a tarpaulin cover to make the roof. I've made 3 hide away boxes of different sizes and shapes and filled them with nice warm and cosy wood shaving and hay bedding to keep them warm in the winter. Its currently -5°C most nights at the moment and the idiots spend all of the night sitting out in the open. I thought they would want to huddle together in the boxes to keep warm but they don't seem to use the boxes at all. I've even tried putting food inside them to tempt them in but they just go in and eat the food and then come out again. Should I be doing something else for them or are they quite happy out in the cold all the time? They are eating and drinking and seem fine but no one has laid an egg since end of November.

Add a light and you will get some eggs sooner than if you didn't add a light.
The cold doesn't phase them, they don't need to huddle.