Coturnix handle weather changes well?

[mochicken]

Yesterday it was 60 and today its 40, the quail seem to be in a big pile trying to stay warm, is this normal? Do they need a heat light?

 

[bfrancis]

How old and how many cots did you get the other day? Were they previously kept inside or outside?

 

[mochicken]

There are 12 of them, I think he had them in a shed, said he used light bulbs till 9pm then lights off, would hate to have to heat yet another pen but I can if need be.

I actually ended up keeping them inside last night as I didnt have time to fully complete their pen before I had to meet the guy with them, they will probably be inside overnight till Saturday when I have the day off. Am I doing more damage keeping them inside?

 

[TwoCrows]

Again, how old are they? If they are adults and have had a lot of shelter from the cold this year, the best thing you can do is gradually get them used to the colder days and nights. When you get the pen all ready, put in a red heat lamp for them at a fair distance away from them. This way, they can use the heat if they need it, or get out from underneath it if they are warm. Keep the lamp on them for a few weeks till you notice that they have acclimated. You won't hurt them keeping them inside till you can get them outside by slowly acclimating them back outside. Make sure you build them some sort of shelter in their pen so that they can get out of the wind, rain/snow if you live in an area with a cold winter.

 

[mochicken]

Sorry forgot to mention that part, the guy said they have been laying for 2 months so I am assuming at least 4 months.

 

[joe125]

Oh...they are fine down to 11 deg. F.

You will loose a few, but they are fine!

Just feed them some good GBS!

 

[mhwc56]

we get pretty cold here some years ( so far to about 0 degrees since i've had my coturnix) and i haven't lost any to cold.
i wrap their cages in heavy plastic to keep out wind and wet. i also put quite a bit of hay into one end of each of the cages and keep it fluffed up for them to burrow into. seems to work .

 

[shelleyd2008]

It really depends on how old they are. Younger birds can handle the temperature swings a lot better than older birds can. People who don't have to deal with 40-50 degree temp swings from one day to the next don't know

Last year (2010) in the fall, I had 25 coturnix. Almost all of them were 2 years old or very close to it. This spring I had 15 left. We had temperature swings that would be 40-50 degrees difference early this spring and the older ones just couldn't handle it.

Having kept yours inside for a few days, you'll have to make sure to re-acclimate them to the cold. They get used to the heat very easily. Hopefully, keeping them inside doesn't throw them into a molt.

 

[mochicken]

They are staying outside during the day and inside at night for now, I am getting my breeder cages saturday then they will be split into trios. I have a small metal shed that I built, it is 4ft wide x 6ft long and 6 foot high. I built it to house garden shovels and things, I am considering making a shelf of sorts to support the breeding cages and hang a metal heat light fixture with a 150w spot bulb over them for the winter, I was going to put plastic on the inside of the shed to keep drafts down and possibly even insulate it. I LOVE these coturnix already and I want them to have the very best, their little personalities are so cute, I think the guy I got them from held them because they dont mind being held, actually seem to enjoy it and I have a dozen of them lol

 

[shelleyd2008]

Use the sheet styrofoam insulation on the inside walls, that will insulate it well.