Is coup insulation necessary for quail raised in northern climates?

[mlrod1914]

Wow. The Chicken police. Crazy. I'm glad I live in an area where we don't have that kind of hassle. On the other hand, the regulations are there to make sure that the birds are healthy that they don't create a health hazard for people. But with the thought that you are putting into this, I'm sure that you will be just fine. I don't think that authorities are there to penalize you, just to point you in the right direction. Especially if you don't have thousands of birds.I hope I'm not being naive.

 

[member 129538]

I'm in the city limits of Minneapolis and volunteer with animal control. I didn't get into spacing requirements when I asked them about adding quail to my menagerie. They said quail are covered by the chicken permit (I think they go under "other"). They require 4 square feet per chicken and they do annual inspections. They didn't get out a measuring tape or anything so I wouldn't worry about that. My turkeys have more than 4 square ft per bird because they need it. But you're right, it's not spelled out in the ordinances. The city only had chickens in mind when those were created BUT it says poultry which includes a lot more than that. I believe animal control wants to make sure your birds are happy and have enough space with a visual inspection. I won't be adding nesting boxes or a roost. They WILL require insulation if you plan on keeping your birds throughout the winter. Feel free to PM me if you want to know about the permitting process.

 

[TinderSnap]

RandR, I couldn't be more happy to run into you!

Your tips have already been very helpful and I haven't even started yet.

I'm tweaking my designs now and making sure they will be insulated. I very well may take you up on your offer to talk about permits.

mlrod1914, I agree that it can seem on the stringent side, but also agree that it is for the safety of the birds. I hear that there has been quite a lot of orphaned chickens in areas that allow urban farming, so it's good to see the city is so on top of things. I'm sure it helps prevent cock fighting as well.