Coturnix in Winter

[Coastal Quails]

I have five coturnix quail living outside, on the ground in a coop type situation. I got them last spring so this is there second winter. Last year I didn't have any problems through the winter except for their water freezing. We cover the mesh walls with clear plastic wrap, they have a wooden box with hay to go into.

I am just worried because they are older, should I give them additional heat? Like a heat lamp or something?

Our temperatures get to about -15C in the coldest days of winter.

 

[Nabiki]

As long as they're dry and have shelter, they should be fine.

 

[Ebony Rose]

They managed it fine without problems last winter so they ought to be fine THIS winter.

Do know that for the breed, your birds are getting old. Japanese Coturnix Quail have a life expectancy of two years, but do most of their laying the first year. That said, you can expect that their egg production will drop off from both their 'senior citizen' status but also the reduced hours of light provided by mother nature. Have you considered hatching out some of their eggs for the coming season? If started today, you could have a fresh replacement flock grown to adulthood by mid-January.
A clutch of a dozen or so eggs incubated should provide you with a fresh cock and four new hens. I get that count knowing that some eggs won't be fertile, some will quit mid-hatch, some will die within the first two days after hatch, and some will only survive a week after hatch. Once they're about two weeks old, mother nature should quit culling your hatch, and only the strongest birds will remain. Your next hurdle will be the transition from brooder to the great outdoors. Some birds may be lost once they come out of the brooder and onto the soil due to coccidia, but you can greatly increase their odds of making this transition without illness if you proactively treat their water with amprolium for the duration specified on the packaging as soon as their 'boots hit the ground'. Over time, your birds will develop resistance to this microscopic parasite, but as with most disease, it hits the old and the very young the hardest.
Should you have more birds than you need from your hatch, you can either process them for your freezer or gift the live birds to a friend or neighbor to get them hooked!

 

[Coastal Quails]

They managed it fine without problems last winter so they ought to be fine THIS winter.

Do know that for the breed, your birds are getting old. Japanese Coturnix Quail have a life expectancy of two years, but do most of their laying the first year. That said, you can expect that their egg production will drop off from both their 'senior citizen' status but also the reduced hours of light provided by mother nature. Have you considered hatching out some of their eggs for the coming season? If started today, you could have a fresh replacement flock grown to adulthood by mid-January.
A clutch of a dozen or so eggs incubated should provide you with a fresh cock and four new hens. I get that count knowing that some eggs won't be fertile, some will quit mid-hatch, some will die within the first two days after hatch, and some will only survive a week after hatch. Once they're about two weeks old, mother nature should quit culling your hatch, and only the strongest birds will remain. Your next hurdle will be the transition from brooder to the great outdoors. Some birds may be lost once they come out of the brooder and onto the soil due to coccidia, but you can greatly increase their odds of making this transition without illness if you proactively treat their water with amprolium for the duration specified on the packaging as soon as their 'boots hit the ground'. Over time, your birds will develop resistance to this microscopic parasite, but as with most disease, it hits the old and the very young the hardest.
Should you have more birds than you need from your hatch, you can either process them for your freezer or gift the live birds to a friend or neighbor to get them hooked!

Thanks for the reply! We only have them as pets and for eggs and I don't think I'll be getting any more after them, my parents are already planning a shed in place of their coop!They have been laying for two summers now, so I expect even after winter they will be slowing down.
I didn't hatch them but raised them from day old chicks. Luckily we didn't have any problems with the soil and they all made it.
I am not confident hatching eggs from these birds. I think the male has a slight neurological issue. It isn't very noticeable but he seems to peck at his food moving his whole head... like he is not really sure where the food is. Maybe in the future, when I have my own space and good bloodlines I'll hatch some more!

They are on sand and not dirt now, so I don't know if coccidia is a huge problem. Are there any other supplements I can give? I used to give them a little apple cider vinegar in there water when they first moved outside. I am still a bit worried the cold would affect them more because of their age, last year they were 7 months old when it really got cold. Now they are about 1 year and 6 months I think!

 

[Ebony Rose]

I use a product called "chick booster" by neurovet for my flock (image attached below as many products have similar names), both chicks and adults. It boasts a very long grocery list of vitamins, minerals & amino acids in a liquid form that is very easy to add to their water. I bought a one liter bottle years ago for about $17 (I think it was), and I'm still using that same bottle, it's highly concentrated. It apparently tastes good too, as my birds prefer the treated water over plain water! Kool-aid for birds, I guess (haha). Chick Booster improved the quality of my flock and their health significantly.

 

[Ebony Rose]

 

[Coastal Quails]

View attachment 2372567

Woah awesome! I will try to get some for sure. Glad to hear its not very expensive

 

[Ted_Harrell]

-15, oooo, bless your heart!