Coturnix Housing?

[CherokeeFlats]

thank you for this post!! I am looking into getting Coturnix quail as well. this post was very informative.

 

[3potatoes]

You're very welcome

You could try a quail tractor for during the day if you don't mind moving them in the warmer weather

Although I wonder if you have fox there? I don't have experience but I hear they're great diggers and can be bold during the day?

Ah I seen that post too, it gave me the nerve to winter my quail in the garage (I'm in Canada - Ontario)

Always important to have the quail acclimate before suddenly introducing them to freezing temperatures or you may end up with some frozen birds :S

We could have fox here (since we back onto woods) but so far with our rabbits that live outdoors colony-style, we've been lucky to not have any predators in the yard. Hope it stays that way - I have heard that quail attract everything that likes to eat quail, so we're going to be super careful with our little guys (and girls)

We're picking up 8 week-old chicks on Friday - super excited - will be our first, and hopefully we've got everything set up correctly for them. Homemade brooder in cardboard box in the family room, with a Brinsea Eco 20 heater contraption. Can't wait to get them home!

 

[Binki]

We could have fox here (since we back onto woods) but so far with our rabbits that live outdoors colony-style, we've been lucky to not have any predators in the yard.  Hope it stays that way - I have heard that quail attract everything that likes to eat quail, so we're going to be super careful with our little guys (and girls)  


We're picking up 8 week-old chicks on Friday - super excited - will be our first, and hopefully we've got everything set up correctly for them.  Homemade brooder in cardboard box in the family room, with a Brinsea Eco 20 heater contraption.  Can't wait to get them home!

Ohhh grats! All girls? Oh at 8 weeks old coturnix quail are fully feathered and shouldn't need a heat source indoors

One of the biggest problems with quail health for new owners is not giving them the proper food. 8 week old girls would need game bird layer feed and crushed oyster shell available for extra calcium for egg shell hardness

 

[3potatoes]

Ohhh grats! All girls? Oh at 8 weeks old coturnix quail are fully feathered and shouldn't need a heat source indoors

One of the biggest problems with quail health for new owners is not giving them the proper food. 8 week old girls would need game bird layer feed and crushed oyster shell available for extra calcium for egg shell hardness

Ahh - I left out a word!!

We are getting 8 one-week-old chicks. So still tiny and in need of the heat

Speaking of which - when do you take the heat away - I've read when they're 3-4 weeks old, but does it depending on feathering, or another indicator of when in that range they're "ready"?

So we won't know what we have for males and females yet, but fingers crossed for lots of females. My husband says knowing our luck, we'll probably end up with 8 males - but we'll hope he's wrong

 

[Binki]

Hehe good luck with the sexes I think when to take the heat away has much to do with what temperature they will be kept in, if inside then fully feathered but if outside in a cold winter zone, I think they would benefit from acclimating for a time to the cold