"red" light for quail

[bobd400]

Since its getting colder here I'd like to make the girls a little more comfortable. I had read that the red lights use for reptiles are good because they throw heat but the light they emit won't bother the bird sleeping. I just plugged them in, 75 watt each, one for each hutch, and I don't know, seems bright to me. Will it be okay for the birds to sleep with?

 

[bobd400]

A bit more searching here and I found that the infrared bulbs are in fact okay for them to sleep with, but any personal experience or tips still welcome...

 

[dc3085]

Leaving a light on 24 hours a day will drive your birds crazy. Literally. If you are seeing temps below zero then you may want to install a ceramic "bulb" heater like they use for lizards. All animals should have at least an 8 hour "night" to rest even if you control the environmental lighting.

Use plastic sheeting to block out drafts around the cage so wind can't penetrate and as long it's above 0*F your quail should be fine.

This link helps to explain proper lighting for egg laying but when it comes to warming them up light is never the answer unless they are young chicks and even then after the first week they should be getting a "night" as well.

 

[bobd400]

That's sort of what my instincts told me, okay, I'll just use the heat lights during normal lighting hours.

 

[dc3085]

Coturnix exist in the wild in Russia, Nothern China, Europe and Japan. It gets really cold in all of those places so you don't have to worry your quail are adapted for cold temps. You aren't hurting them by providing a light but it is basically just a minor comfort.

Bobwhites another good example have no more protection from cold than coturnix and they exist in the wild in many places that it snows every year.

 

[Tony K T]

Adding heat for your birds does more damage then good.Birds produce down to keep warm.If you supply heat for them,they don't produce the proper down needed to keep warm.If you lose power for 3 to 4 hours your birds will surely die.
Birds will climatize to winter temps if they've been outside(with no heat) all year.
I raise cockatiels outside year round here in N.H. and they are very healthy and productive birds.I do poly their entire cage so no drafts get to them buy absolutely no heat.
In N.H.,Tony.