Sad Quail Day :(

[mochicken]

We had the coldest night we have had this year last night, we got below zero wind chills. I had some 6 week old coturnix that have been outside since 4 weeks old, they have a 250 watt heat light above them but they are in a 1/2" wire cage so it is drafty around it. They are in a 6x8 metal shed and the cages are hanging on the side walls inside, with the heat light on it usually stays warm enough in there that the water bottles on the 6 different cages with various aged quail didnt even freeze but last night was too much. My older birds are ok but I found 2 of my 6 week old quail dead this afternoon, I didnt check on them before leaving for work this morning but I am assuming they died overnight with the -10 wind chills.

Since my older birds are far away from the heat light and they are fine I am guessing the young ones are just not big enough to get to temps that low. I made sure I have been giving them plenty of feed, bird food mixed in, and even ground corn for body heat but obviously that doesnt fix every issue.

I was a little upset about it but I shook it off, I came inside to check on my 3 to 5 week old quail and I found one of them dead in the dang water bowl, sad day at my house but I will recover ( by hatching out 100 quail to replace them lol )

Hope you all are doing well if the temps are low where you are too, make sure your babies have plenty of food to keep their bellies warm and enough water that is not frozen.

 

[Tikkajazz94]

Oh, so sorry to hear this

My quail are doing good with the temps at night

 

[TwoCrows]

Yeah, that is a little cold for young quail. Adult quail's bodies adapt as they grow to temp extremes. However you mentioned they are in a metal cage on wire. In the winter it is advisable in cold climates to offer quail on wire, a place to get off the cold metal so their feet don't get cold. Quail lose heat from their bodies thru their feet. So maybe you could add a low box or pan with hay in it, to snuggle into, so when it gets really cold, the cold air does not pull up thru the floor, freeze the wire and chill the birds.

I am so sorry about your babies. Hugs to you...

 

[bfrancis]

Sorry to hear about your losses...sounds like you're getting ready for a huge rebound though with 100 for the hatch! Good luck!

 

[mochicken]

Yeah, that is a little cold for young quail. Adult quail's bodies adapt as they grow to temp extremes. However you mentioned they are in a metal cage on wire. In the winter it is advisable in cold climates to offer quail on wire, a place to get off the cold metal so their feet don't get cold. Quail lose heat from their bodies thru their feet. So maybe you could add a low box or pan with hay in it, to snuggle into, so when it gets really cold, the cold air does not pull up thru the floor, freeze the wire and chill the birds.

I am so sorry about your babies. Hugs to you...

Yeah I have been putting tall dead grass in there, kinda thinner "hay" I guess but they do snuggle up in it, not sure why they decide to stand on the 4" of unprotected floor but they seem to do it

 

[TheRealTimShady]

We had the coldest night we have had this year last night, we got below zero wind chills. I had some 6 week old coturnix that have been outside since 4 weeks old, they have a 250 watt heat light above them but they are in a 1/2" wire cage so it is drafty around it. They are in a 6x8 metal shed and the cages are hanging on the side walls inside, with the heat light on it usually stays warm enough in there that the water bottles on the 6 different cages with various aged quail didnt even freeze but last night was too much. My older birds are ok but I found 2 of my 6 week old quail dead this afternoon, I didnt check on them before leaving for work this morning but I am assuming they died overnight with the -10 wind chills.

Since my older birds are far away from the heat light and they are fine I am guessing the young ones are just not big enough to get to temps that low. I made sure I have been giving them plenty of feed, bird food mixed in, and even ground corn for body heat but obviously that doesnt fix every issue.

I was a little upset about it but I shook it off, I came inside to check on my 3 to 5 week old quail and I found one of them dead in the dang water bowl, sad day at my house but I will recover ( by hatching out 100 quail to replace them lol )

Hope you all are doing well if the temps are low where you are too, make sure your babies have plenty of food to keep their bellies warm and enough water that is not frozen.

sorry, to hear that, i hate checking on chicks and seeing one dead. it will all get better soon. i'd make it so that shed closes completely, or just put tarp over the cages.

 

[Eyeheartquail]

Friday the 13th strikes again. Sorry you had to lose some birdies.

 

[navasima]

Sorry you went through that! Tough news to post, but thanks. This will probably help someone avoid the same thing by learning from this.