Quail Forum Information

[Mrs MIA]

There's not much you can do, besides keep her calm, warm, and fed. I've had some birds just ripped to shreds (by their siblings!) and just put them in a brooder with their own heat, food, water, and let them heal on their own. Just keep an eye open for infection.

 

[Barnyard]

I figured that is what you were gonna say. Do I need to try and put anything on the bare meat, or just leave it alone?

 

[Mrs MIA]

I would just leave it alone. If it looks red and irritated after a day or so, looking infected, perhaps a little of the original Neosporin (not the pain-relief kind) or A&D ointment if you feel she needs it. Othewise, they do quite well healing on their own. They just need the peace and quiet to do it.

 

[Barnyard]

Ok. Thankyou for the advice. She is up and moving around on her own, so we will see.

 

[papagoose]

Hi All,

I have a new question for you. I am going in to my first winter with Coturnix Quail and I need to know what they an withstand for temperatures. I have them in a chicken breeding pen I stole from my DW and it is out back where all the other coops and pens are.

With winter approaching if I need to modify their living quarters, I need to do it now.

What does everyone use to house their birds?

Do they like to hide in grass or hay? I have figured out they don't like to roost on the branches I put in their pen.

I am thinking of putting in a bunch of hay and straw and letting them burrow to make hutches or nests if that will work.

The temps here in winter will be below 32 from the end of November until about March. It will get down to below zero for about 4 weeks total throughout winter.

I can take some pics of the pen tomorrow and post them if there is interest.

Thanks!

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
I'm going to find out just how much they can handle this winter.

My first winter with coturnix. So far they've done really well to 30F. Let's see what they do with -30F.

I put a bundle of hay in their pen (like a rabbit hutch, 4' off the ground, 1/2" hardware cloth floor) and they LOVE it. They nest in it, burrow in it, sleep in it. If you put it in a box, I bet they'd be fine. And the more birds, the more body heat, I figure. The hardest part is going to be keeping the water from freezing.

 

[Cason]

I have ~ 60 Golden's eggs in my incubator (shipped eggs) I hope I can tell the males from females as I plan to also winter a couple of pairs. (I have some Georgia Giants I can't tell apart at 6 weeks!)

 

[PurpleChicken]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

I'm going to find out just how much they can handle this winter.

My first winter with coturnix. So far they've done really well to 30F. Let's see what they do with -30F.

I put a bundle of hay in their pen (like a rabbit hutch, 4' off the ground, 1/2" hardware cloth floor) and they LOVE it. They nest in it, burrow in it, sleep in it. If you put it in a box, I bet they'd be fine. And the more birds, the more body heat, I figure. The hardest part is going to be keeping the water from freezing.

-30? How about taking one and putting it in the freezer to see what happens?

I set the thermostat in my barn at 40 degrees. Yup, it's heated. My birds are spoiled.​

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
-30? How about taking one and putting it in the freezer to see what happens?

I set the thermostat in my barn at 40 degrees. Yup, it's heated. My birds are spoiled.

You silly.

Hey... chickadees survive the winter up here. We make homemade suet and they chow on it... I wonder if the quail would eat suet...?

I tried keeping my chickies at 55F last winter, and the $400+ electric bill 'bout killed us. I don't do it anymore.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

Mine are really spoiled...they will overwinter in my basement if they don't go in the freezer before then.

$400 electric bill?!

I've had those before and I live in OHIO. Can't imagine the weather in Alaska.

I found that quail LOVE chickweed (buttons & coturnix)! I had no idea what the weeds in my driveway were; just knew I hated them. A fellow BYC friend came over, told me what it was, and my chickens and quail are devouring it. My driveway looks better too LOL!!! You can see the gravel now.

I tried giving them all some tomatoes and only the chickens really seemed to like them. The coturnix don't seem to like little seeds either. The millet is still there (but the buttons love it). What other kind of treats do you feed your coturnix?