Quail in winter....

[Avyron]

We currently have 14 quail, six adults and 9 seven week old youngsters. Recently it has started getting really really cold (water outside is freezing over) and I am a little worried about the young quail. The older ones dont seem bothered at all.

My quail are in a brick shed with double glazed glass doors (pic is very outdated setup wise inside but shows what I mean) with a plastic roof. The water dishes inside have not been frozen over. In one corner I have fitted a ceramic heat emitter that the younger quail seem to snuggle under. Will this be enough for them in the winter months? It only warms up that corner, not the whole shed but the shed is less cold than outside!

I am such a worrier as the younger quail will wander about... I assume they will remember where the heat is if it gets chilly? And not sit somewhere cold freezing their socks off! The adults seem to pretty much ignore the heat lamp totally.

If not Ill happily bring them in again until the spring

 

[Invision]

At 7 weeks they should be fully feathered, as far as heat goes just remember, birds grow down feathers to stay warm, if you have heat on them and your power goes out they will freeze because they haven't been use to the temperature and don't have enough down feathers... I would only heat their water dishes so they down freeze. My birds have no heat but they are sure fluffy.

 

[Avyron]

I think my stat is set at about 5-9 degrees. Would it be better for me to reduce this gradually then until nothing? I originally put the heat in cos some of the young quail were looking really cold... all fluffed up and a bit lethargic and I was worried I would loose them. They have all perked up and are like their normal selves now

 

[Invision]

Where are you located? Just make sure to keep the wind off them.

 

[Avyron]

oh ... im in the Uk

 

[Invision]

ok, you could always slowly lift the heat away from them few centimeters a day or something and see how they do. Like I said though they are use to cold they just need to not have heat on them when the days are shorter and the temps slowly drop.