Quail piling in a weird spot

[MarionIN4Chickens]

Hey all I have a possibly dumb question. My three week old quail recently started piling on top of each other. I know that if they do it under the heat source they’re too cold, and if they do it far from the heat source they’re too hot. The brooder temperature is at 82 degrees and the quail are piling right in the middle of the brooder. Not in the hot area or the cool area just directly in the middle. What could be the cause of this?

 

[007Sean]

That's their 'comfort zone'.

 

[MarionIN4Chickens]

That's their 'comfort zone'.

So should I adjust their heat down?

 

[Kholts]

Do you have any other animals or children walking past the brooder or looking in periodically that the quail can see.

Piling together right in the middle makes me think they are possibly seeing something outside the brooder that they perceive as a predator and are trying to remain in a “safe” zone.

 

[Whiskybear]

So should I adjust their heat down?

If they are Coturnix, probably. At 3 weeks, they’re good down to the forties °F as long as the transition isn’t rapid.

 

[MarionIN4Chickens]

Do you have any other animals or children walking past the brooder or looking in periodically that the quail can see.

Piling together right in the middle makes me think they are possibly seeing something outside the brooder that they perceive as a predator and are trying to remain in a “safe” zone.

No their brooder is in a separate room from the rest of the house but they only do it when they’re sleeping I’m not sure why and researching it hasn’t given me any answers

 

[Huntmaster]

So should I adjust their heat down?

I raise Coturnix Quail and mine are usually off heat by 3 weeks of age depending on outdoor temps.

 

[MarionIN4Chickens]

Thank you! My research said to lower the temp by 5 degrees each week so that’s what I’ve been doing. I turned it off and they seem happy

 

[Huntmaster]

Thank you! My research said to lower the temp by 5 degrees each week so that’s what I’ve been doing. I turned it off and they seem happy

What temp is the room the brooder is in?

 

[MarionIN4Chickens]

What temp is the room the brooder is in?

76 degrees in the day hours up to 80 and down between 74 and 71 degrees at night