katie_94
Songster
- Oct 14, 2021
- 109
- 88
- 101
Hi fellow Floridians,
Winter is here and temperatures are dropping. I live on the east coast towards the north near St. Augustine. I'm a first-time quail parent and have coturnix quails of mixed ages (older ones are 3 and 4-5 months old) which I'll be introducing them eventually to our new batch (5 weeks old). They will all be living outside in our ground-level (literally on the dirt) coop and run (over 5 ft tall).
To what extent have you prepared your quails for the winter? I used cheap clear shower curtains to cover the bottom half of their run to prevent draft/wind but letting air circulate above them and they can still get a view of the outside lol. Their coop is also blocked off except for the "doors" to get inside and inside is deep with pine shavings. The run also has pine shavings piles. There's a tarp on the side and front to pull down for wind and/or rain. My mom wants to keep the red bulb lamp from the brooder to use outside since temps are dropping to 40 now (idk where she wants to put it tbh) and because she's worried about if the younger ones are acclimated or not. I've read about the dangers of leaving a lamp unattended or if the lamp burns out and the quails have acclimated to the heat or the risk of shock going from one hot spot to the cold.
I've gotten them through our hot summer safely but I'm worried about the winter since I don't have the experience (yet).
What are your stories/suggestions?
Old pic without the plastic curtain barrier added to sides and door to run.
Winter is here and temperatures are dropping. I live on the east coast towards the north near St. Augustine. I'm a first-time quail parent and have coturnix quails of mixed ages (older ones are 3 and 4-5 months old) which I'll be introducing them eventually to our new batch (5 weeks old). They will all be living outside in our ground-level (literally on the dirt) coop and run (over 5 ft tall).
To what extent have you prepared your quails for the winter? I used cheap clear shower curtains to cover the bottom half of their run to prevent draft/wind but letting air circulate above them and they can still get a view of the outside lol. Their coop is also blocked off except for the "doors" to get inside and inside is deep with pine shavings. The run also has pine shavings piles. There's a tarp on the side and front to pull down for wind and/or rain. My mom wants to keep the red bulb lamp from the brooder to use outside since temps are dropping to 40 now (idk where she wants to put it tbh) and because she's worried about if the younger ones are acclimated or not. I've read about the dangers of leaving a lamp unattended or if the lamp burns out and the quails have acclimated to the heat or the risk of shock going from one hot spot to the cold.
I've gotten them through our hot summer safely but I'm worried about the winter since I don't have the experience (yet).
What are your stories/suggestions?
Old pic without the plastic curtain barrier added to sides and door to run.
