Which side for their sand bath?

[pac]

I get sun in the summer and snow in the winter.
I'm guessing I can keep the food and water in the open side of my hutch year round. The side with hardware cloth everywhere but the roof. Unless something happens where I get snow accumulation in the open side... in which case I can staple some plastic up to block it. And then it won't be so open. But it would be nice if the birds did at least some of their poopin' where it can fall into a litter pan.

But which side for their sandbox?

I've read (mostly here) not to put it in direct sunlight.
That it needs cleaned regularly.
That you often find eggs in the sand. (Does this mean they prefer hanging out in the sand even if they aren't bathing?)
And to keep it in one spot. I'm not understanding that, but I read it here.

So for a year round place for their sandbox, maybe put it in the enclosed side?
Maybe it's not a good idea to make it too crowded on one side or the other with the sand, food, and water.
Maybe if the sand is in the enclosed side it will give me extra time before the eggs freeze.

What do you cold weather quail keepers do?

 

[gummylick]

I had mine through just a couple cold snaps that aren't much here, but 20f for a few days and as long as it wasn't raining, they hung out huddled together on wire side and every so often went to closed side. I even put an extra box with straw for warmth, but they stuck to the wired side, didn't seem to bother them.

As far as the sandbox, they love that thing to death. I've had it both on wire side and on cubby side and regardless of which side, they hang out in it. I've heard they like to lay eggs in it but mine just seem to like to make a burrow in the pine shavings and lay and another just lays it anywhere in the wire side.

I currently have it on the cubby side because the kicked out sand was filling up the tray and I've switched to try to use that tray (wood pellets + poop) for compost. I have a water pipe along back to maximize space and a vertical food tower on the wire side.

 

[Nabiki]

I'd put it on the wire side. That gives them another place to rest their feet from the wire.

 

[pac]

Thank you both. That gives me some things to help me decide.

I had thought about the waterer that uses the cups and takes up zero floor space, but everyone that uses them goes back to conventional waterers during the cold months. And that can easily be five months here. That's why I am concerned about floor space. That and the plastic container I use those no waste neck nozzles in.

Based on what was said, I'm going with inside. I only want them dusting in it, not hanging out. Or not to encourage hanging out in it anyway.

Thanks again.