outside winter time options

[robdogtn]

Okay,rookie here. I am sure it may be posted somewhere else but here it goes. I am looking to have my breeding pens in a hall way in a barn. I have no doors on barn so in winter time it will be cold. I am in middle TN, temps rarely get below 25 F anymore and if so no more than a day or so. Usually 30-40 is average coldest.

What do I need to provide them when temps drop below say 40 if anything? I have Texas A & M's. I am in process of building my pens and wanted to make room for whatever I am going to need in the beginning instead of modifying later.

Thanks in advance.

 

[TwoCrows]

Those temps are not cold for any quail, other than Button quail. So you will not need any heat what so ever. And don't be overly protective and shut the barn doors during the winter days. Night times only. Quail can take it and should be allowed to acclimate.

As long as there is no direct wind on them, no rain or snow blowing on them, there is nothing you need to do. Dry and out of the wind is all they need. If you are keeping them on wire however, you might want to add some sort of bedding like wood shavings, grass hay or straw so that their feet stay warm if it is expected to get really cold or near freezing. Warm feet keep the birds warm. You don't want cold air coming up from the open wired floor as it will chill them.

 

[James the Bald]

OK, I'm not sure if I'm reading this correctly, but your barn doesn't have doors? On thing I would be concerned with (after having had this happen to me), is having a cat or other critter getting a hold of your quail and killing them. I thought having a fenced yard would prevent cats from finding my quail, but I was wrong, and one quail paid the price.

 

[TwoCrows]

X2

You need to install doors on this barn. You may have gotten lucky so far, but eventually something will crawl in and get your birds. It only takes one time.