quail pen questions (hidey holes and lighting)

[tinkatwerp]

So I have a 4'x10' outdoors pen with an insulated 2'x2' box for shelter. Currently it is bare dirt (rock hard clay actually). There are currently 16 four week old quail in there, but when I cull the extra males I'm anticipating having 5-10 birds or so.

I would like to have eggs during the winter, but I am a bit lost as to how to do the lighting. Do I need to have just the box lit? Just the run? Both? They haven't been sleeping in the box at night (which kinda concerns me because idk if they're intelligent to move inside when it's cold and windy) which seems to suggest that I should just worry about lighting the run, but then what if they do move inside in the coming months? Will the light in the run be enough to wake them up?

And what should I use for the actual light fixture? If it's going to be out in the run it needs to be weather proof. I read somewhere Christmas lights would work, but is that bright enough?? How bright does it need to be?

Also how soon should I get the lights up to make sure the quail start laying asap? They're only 4 weeks old now and try don't start laying til like 10 weeks right?

Aside from putting lighting up, I would also like to have things for the quail to hide in and around. I'd like them to be able to participate in as many instinctual behaviors as possible. I've considered putting like a juniper bush in there or something, but I don't really want to have to water my quail pen lol (we live in a dessert). How can I create as natural a setting as possible? I don't really have access to like fallen logs.

Also, where are you, and are your quail still laying? How late do they lay?

 

[shotgunrem14]

Post pics of there housing

 

[dc3085]

So I have a 4'x10' outdoors pen with an insulated 2'x2' box for shelter. Currently it is bare dirt (rock hard clay actually). There are currently 16 four week old quail in there, but when I cull the extra males I'm anticipating having 5-10 birds or so.

I would like to have eggs during the winter, but I am a bit lost as to how to do the lighting. Do I need to have just the box lit? Just the run? Both? They haven't been sleeping in the box at night (which kinda concerns me because idk if they're intelligent to move inside when it's cold and windy) which seems to suggest that I should just worry about lighting the run, but then what if they do move inside in the coming months? Will the light in the run be enough to wake them up?

It's not so simple as that, it's actually quite a science.

Also how soon should I get the lights up to make sure the quail start laying asap? They're only 4 weeks old now and try don't start laying til like 10 weeks right?

Go the river and pick up driftwood. Stack cool looking rocks into little caves. I've seen someone use dollhouses and make a "subdivision" in their cage, thought that was pretty funny.

Also, where are you, and are your quail still laying? How late do they lay?
Depends on your state. I live in central Calfornia and mine quit in december and have to be lit up or they won't start again until may.

 

[tinkatwerp]

Sorry it took so long to get the picture up I've been busy.

So if I shouldn't put the lights up until after they start laying, what if it's too late in the year for them to start? Right now we're getting 12 hours and 48 minutes of daylight, in another month they'll get 11 hours and 26 minutes. Is that enough for them to start laying naturally?

 

[dc3085]

If they don't begin to lay by 12 weeks or so you can consider lighting them up just beware of double molts since they will have just molted into their adult feathers. It is also the time of year where most quail begin to molt due to light cycle because of the upcoming winter so you have a lot of factors to consider. I'd say cross that bridge when you get to it.