HELP! - Quails: Freezing to death? Heat stroke? Water freezing? Egads!

[urbaner]

I'm in Philadelphia, here's our climate:

Hot/humid in the summer and cold/dry in the winter. Is it safe to keep quail outside in this climate? It will be in an alleyway that's gated on both sides, so there will be little wind. They'll be protected from rain. I'd like the bottoms of their cages just wire which drops on to like hay or some other compostable material for the garden. I could also add plastic sheeting around their cages to insulate them a bit.

Thoughts and suggestions on this? Will they survive the winter? How will I keep their water from freezing?

When summer comes, will they survive that as well?

I tried to use the search function on this forum to answer these questions and couldn't find much (probably a user (me) error). So, I will happily accept any thread directions.

Thanks in advance!

 

[shelleyd2008]

Our temps here in KY range from single digits (this year

) in the winter to over 100 in the summer. It is very humid in the summer as well. I have not lost one single bird to the weather, just make sure they have shade and plenty of water in the summer, and some type of shelter in the winter. My birds' waters do freeze, but I thaw them every day, and they are all doing fine.

ETA: you probably won't be able to keep their water from freezing, just make sure to check them daily. Mine have either the soda bottle waterers or rabbit bottle waterers, I just take a bucket of hot water out with me to float their waterers in while I'm feeding everyone else.

 

[Paganbird]

I'm in western Pa & I have my cortunix in a pen outside my barn. It's raised up about 4' off the ground with a wire bottom, like you had mentioned using. The quail do fine. I haven't lost one yet. They seem to like the cold weather & snow. The water does freeze, but I just trade out waterers (frozen for fresh) every morning when I feed them.
It was 1 last night... as in one degree temperatures. Probably about -4 once you factor in wind chill. The quail were fine. They were chirping and happy to see me this morning.

 

[urbaner]

Gosh, you folks are fast. Thanks for the info! Sounds like I have nothing to fear about the cold then, it is highly unlikely to ever get to 1 in Philly.

Be prepared for further newbie questions as I prepare to embark on my journey.

 

[ugly ducky]

You should be fine for quail with the set up you described. The big key after shelter is fresh water. It was -1 this am, and our quail are all fine. Even my Buttons are outside (in the barn), and they are doing fine. We keep a double set of waterers, and switch fresh for frozen twice per day. Haven't lost even one to the cold. Good luck with your new venture!

 

[smallbluejellybean]

I have buttons in my aviary. Now our winters here in Australia aren't that bad. We only have a couple nights a year when in creeps under freezing. We get frost but never any snow. But I was thinking about how stationary water freezes at a higher temp than running water. Maybe you could buy a mini water fall. I have one in my frog tank. Purhaps since the water is running down the waterfall all the time it will resist freezing as quick.
On the other hand our summers here are worse than yours. The heat is horrible. I have a couple big fans blowing on them and a drip hose over the water dish to give constant clean, cool water. Next year I am hoping to buy an automatic mister. Just to let off a fine mist every 10 minutes or so.

 

[worldling]

Quote:
You bring up a very good point here UD!!!!!
Even at my balmy temps of 30-15 deg. I fear that my coturnix will thirst to death long before they freeze. Keeping a good water supply is a must this time of the year. I do the bottle switch 2 times a day at around 32-30 and 3 times a day when it is colder than that.

 

[smallbluejellybean]

Everytime I see this post in the forum I think of "Quail Flavoured Popsicles"

 

[Schroeder]

Has anyone tried this heated water bottle? http://www.jefferspet.com/ssc/product.asp?CID=0&pf_id=0031634 It seems such a perfect solution for just a few quail, if you have your pen close to electrical. I plan to have mine next to the garage, and I have an outside outlet. I asked once before in a stand alone thread and didn't get any replies, so I am assuming no one here has tried it.

 

[urbaner]

Quote:
I was wondering if you could do something with a small aquarium heater.