How do you northern people keep outdoor quail?

[BentoMinion]

I live in mid Michigan (by the lake shore) and would like to keep some quail for eggs. When I am looking at housing that people have posted, I mainly see states south of me. Does anyone from the northern area/Canada have any pics of their set up? I was going to raise coturnix quail because I am told they are easy to raise and do better up here. I want them for eggs. I do have one lonely female (she killed her friend). Although she was indoor.

Any tips for keeping them outdoors in freezing weather? We have had several coop fires in my area, so I am afraid to add any electrical.

Thanks!

 

[WaterfowlWierdo]

I have coturnix, scaled quail, and bobwhite In Northern Idaho, We just recently had -20 and all my quail did fine. I find that they are happier with the most sunshine but also having wind barriers, such as putting your pen in a fence corner with something to keep them out of the weather













I put plywood on top of this cage at night to hold in the heat a little better

In these cages I just cover with plywood and since they are so tall, I also drape something such as a tarp or some fabric over the sides for the wind

 

[Hope It]

Hi, I'm new to raising quail, but I see there are a lot of helpful folks on this site giving all kinds of great advise! So, I'll chime in on this string, since my question is also about moving quail out into the cold outdoors. I'm not in a sever climate, like the above person who mentioned -20. I'm in North GA and we go just about into the freezing temperature or slightly below (we did go into the teens, but only one or two nights this winter). Anyway, my first batch of quails are only a week old and I know they will need to stay in the brooder for another 3 weeks or so. Most instructions out there say - reduce temp every week by 5 degrees until you reach outside temp... well at that rate - they'll be half a year old and still in the brooder, LOL.

So, my question is - how do I adapt them to the 30s, 40s and 50s in 3 weeks??? Or do I keep them until they are fully grown (6 weeks old) in the brooder? They will certainly run out of room and I hear that leads to fighting and all kinds of 'bad'...

Help!
Thx

 

[Sister Mary Michael]

I'm in Montana where we had -35 this winter. My guys live in a hoop house I made from cattle panels covered in chicken wire. They love to fly up to the perches I put in there. I have an old 12"x 12"x 24" three sided box in there that I put a heated dog water dish full of dry sand. They are out of most the wind and snow and keep their feetys warm. I heard somewhere, if the keep their feet warm and stay dry, they will do OK. They are on ground, not wire, and have been happy for 2 yrs now.

 

[Hope It]

ok, makes sense. So mine will be off the ground (I mean in a large cage that has a floor but is raised on legs about 3 feet off the ground. They'll have the open cage area and also an enclosed 'room', which will completely shield them from the wind. So, I was planning on putting a heater in there (any suggestions as to which one to use?) to heat the 'room'.

I've never heard of a heated dog water bowl before!! Wow, that's a good idea, actually!

would I need the light in the outdoor area and the indoor 'room'? I mean when I put it on a timer to stay on for 14 hours to keep them laying?

 

[Hope It]

So is it OK to take them out of the brooder at 3 weeks when temp in the brooder is 75 F and outside they go into 20s and 30s with a heater, light and a sheltered corner, but completely outside? Or that is just not a good idea?
I'm just horrified to find them dead in the morning!! I love my babies, I would be heartbroken! Help!

 

[BentoMinion]

Thank you @Sister Mary Michael ! I am glad they do so well there. I have lots of family in Montana. I my cousin near Missoula was telling me how cold it got. I am glad your quail are doing well and thanks for the tip! If they can survive outdoors in MT then they can certainly live through MI weather.

 

[WaterfowlWierdo]

So is it OK to take them out of the brooder at 3 weeks when temp in the brooder is 75 F and outside they go into 20s and 30s with a heater, light and a sheltered corner, but completely outside? Or that is just not a good idea?
I'm just horrified to find them dead in the morning!! I love my babies, I would be heartbroken! Help!

At 3 weeks, I put them i the garage without a heat lamp for a few weeks then put them outside