Chickens and Quail and Manitoba Winters

[ChickenTender1988]

Hey all!
I have chickens in the summer/fall months in our old barn. In a separate pen I'd like to try having quail as well. And this year I'd like to just start keeping the birds all year long. This is an old dark barn but I do have lights and a couple small windows in each pen.
I have a couple questions though...
1. What temperature would I need their pen to stay around for them to not die and to keep laying through the winter? It gets down to -40 Celsius here.
2. I know they need 14-16 hours of light each day but how much light is enough?
Any help and insight would be great! Thanks in advance!

 

[JaeG]

The only problem I can see is that chickens can carry diseases that game birds can contract through close proximity (even through the air). Coryza is the most common and it's a lot harder to cure in quail, and the quail become carriers for life. Some people have no problem but it's just something to be aware of and weigh up before you jump in.

Quail are extremely hardy birds and as long as they are protected from the wind I think they'll be fine in your low temperatures (though I can't say for sure, being in a more temperate climate).

I'd go with 14 hours of light for winter laying. If you are intending to keep males then they need around 4 females each, and they'll need more space if you want to keep more than one per pen.

 

[ChickenTender1988]

The only problem I can see is that chickens can carry diseases that game birds can contract through close proximity (even through the air). Coryza is the most common and it's a lot harder to cure in quail, and the quail become carriers for life. Some people have no problem but it's just something to be aware of and weigh up before you jump in.

Quail are extremely hardy birds and as long as they are protected from the wind I think they'll be fine in your low temperatures (though I can't say for sure, being in a more temperate climate).

I'd go with 14 hours of light for winter laying. If you are intending to keep males then they need around 4 females each, and they'll need more space if you want to keep more than one per pen.

Thank you!