coop question re:housing coturnix outdoors...

[ki4got]

I've got a pen I'm re-building, wire floor but it sits on the ground. 4' x 8' and 2' tall. the end 2' (+/-) is boxed in, with slanted roof to keep the rain off, but I haven't put a 'front' on the box yet.



I'm planning on putting a plastic tub/tote in there with bedding, what i'm wondering is, will quail 'go to bed' like chickens do? and if so, should I close it in or is open fine? i'm in sw virginia, and so far this year we've had .5" or snow and 3 days that stayed below freezing all day. LOL granted this isn't our normal weather, but it's usually very similar. add a few inches of snow and a few weeks of colder weather.

it's not exactly done yet, but if you can tell in the pic, it's WET out there. LOL and power tools don't tend to like getting wet. (not to mention i don't have any place on my property that is FLAT... as you can also probably tell LOL)

so once it dries off, the top and roof will be hinged for access and a piece of fiberglass roofing put on the house part, the sides are solid.

 

[Kwartel]

They don't go to bed, so you would be better off with a solid roof across the whole thing or they will just be wet every time it rains. Also, quail will love to dig holes next to the edges and any predator will do its best to dig in and eat them. On this one it would probably be safer for them if you put a wire bottom and some legs on it. It looks light enough that a determined animal could flip it up enough to do serious damage.

 

[ki4got]

They don't go to bed, so you would be better off with a solid roof across the whole thing or they will just be wet every time it rains. Also, quail will love to dig holes next to the edges and any predator will do its best to dig in and eat them. On this one it would probably be safer for them if you put a wire bottom and some legs on it. It looks light enough that a determined animal could flip it up enough to do serious damage.

well it has a wire bottom already, and believe me, no critter's going to pick that up... if one even survived long enough to try. the dogs make sure of that.

 

[Kwartel]

As long as nothing can get into it and the quail are acclimated to being outside, they should be fine. Mine live outdoors all year round with no extra coddling in pens that are open on all sides. They do have a roof over the entire structure and flower pots to hide in, plus leaves have built up around it which block the wind.

 

[ki4got]

so if they're about 12 weeks old, and have been inside the whole time, would you suggest giving them a heat lamp at first? or keep them in and wait for the weather to warm?

 

[Kwartel]

If you can rig a heat lamp so that it won't be exposed to the elements, you can run a bulb (no more than 60 watts) over them for a week or so. Just watch them to see how they are adapting. Coturnix are pretty tough and they'll covey up if they get cold.