Lowest temperature quail can live outside

[Maiahr]

What's the lowest temp Coturnix quail can live outside at? I read 0C = 32F. Is that not too cold for them?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I've never raised any old world quail but I've heard coturnix survive temps into the teens Fahrenheit.

 

[Fishkeeper]

A lot of it is going to depend on your setup, and if they have sheltered places to retreat to that might stay warmer.

 

[Maiahr]

OK, thanks.. I keep them in cages, no sheltered place.. I read 2 articles. One said - minimum 18-19°C = 65°F and the other one said 10°C = 50°F

 

[el dorado quail]

If they're Coturnix they should be fine with a roof and maybe put some cardboard on the sides? They can survive way low as long as they're dry and not windy. Also giving them like straw or hay to snuggle into should help

 

[DK newbie]

Give them a roof, cover 3 sides of the cage (the side left open shouldn't have much wind) and keep them on bedding, not wire - then they'll be fine in -20 °C or even lower. If you keep them in all wire cages without shelter I wouldn't go lower than 5-10 °C.

 

[Maiahr]

Give them a roof, cover 3 sides of the cage (the side left open shouldn't have much wind) and keep them on bedding, not wire - then they'll be fine in -20 °C or even lower.

Thank you. Are you sure they can survive at such a low temp? We do reach -20C during the winter. They are outside now, it is around 10C-15C (50-60F), no extra light and the female is happily laying eggs every day.

 

[DK newbie]

Admittedly mine have only been exposed to around -5C, but there are several old posts on this forum discussing the topic and some of the people commenting on those posts keep quail outside in temps lower than -20C. There is also an official, government-approved care guide here in Denmark for coturnix quail, which says they can be kept outside all winter as long as they are sheltered from the elements. -20C is about the lowest we get here. So yes, I'd say I'm pretty certain, although my knowledge isn't first hand.
Drafts and wet surroundings can kill them - cold alone would have to be pretty extreme to do it.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'm not sure on this but I'm guessing old world quail aren't as cold hardy as new world quail, namely the northern bobwhite, mountain quail and others.
In the wild, they can handle extreme high and low temps. That said, they are free to find an ideal habitat with plenty of cover from wind and even rain. Quail in cages don't have that ability.
It is my understanding that old and new world quail aren't closely related but that they are so named because of their similar appearance.

 

[Maiahr]

I am not sure about Old Vs New world quail.. we have Coturnix in the wild and they fly away in the winter, they go South somewhere.. so that why I didn't think they could survive outside at our temperature. But now that you suggested I am going to look for someone to make an aquarium around the cage... Simply because I have leftover glass pieces. And I'll cover the cage with the aquarium.