Winter is Coming.. (or is here for some)

[Ulaidian]

So, this will be my first winter with the Quail.. what advice have you for those of us that are new?
Of course, we all live in different places, I in the UK would have different considerations to someone in New England, someone in Qatar, or New Zealand (Summer there anyway I think).
So, whilst it is UKish advice I am looking for in particular, cold, wind and wet is cold, wind and wet.. so let rip.

 

[Rickba]

Quail are wild birds and are cold hardy. As long as they have a place to get out of the wind and can stay dry they'll be fine. Wet and windy is surly a killer.

 

[Ulaidian]

This is my thinking as well, and of course, I probably live in the windiest, wetest place on earth With cold thrown in for good measure.
My coop is my oul coal shed.. 60's style brick built, with pitch/tar roof.. so the wind and wet isn't an issue.. the run is attached to the side of it, a door made through the wall, and will be covered on the side/top just to keep some of it out. Should be grand.

 

[Dani xxx]

I got my quail last Nov and they were outside all winter they did fine but the water situation was more problematic for me than for them I used snuggle safe under the water at night but it would still freeze a bit so would have to break the ice in the morning. I put up a tarp over the run which is covered but rain could get in he sides so I built a frame for the tarp but had problems with rain gathering and collapsing the frame so this year I have made them a house in the garage but this is for my benefit they did fine outside
Do you have power going to quail house ?

 

[Ulaidian]

I can do.. just a matter of an extension etc
With the water I would be inclined just to bring it in at night.. they won't be outside till I let them out anyway.

 

[DK newbie]

I have button quail in my parents' garden. They are not supposed to be as cold hardy as cots, but they did just fine last winter. I'm in Denmark, so the climate is pretty similar to UK. They live in an aviary, approximately 3x10 feet. It has a roof and one long side is placed against a wall. One end is enclosed in wood and we've added transparent plastic roof sheets to the other end and part of the front, leaving only the door (2-3 feet long by 6 feet high) open to the elements. They've got two wooden boxes with open fronts at the most enclosed end. One box has soft, dry bedding, the other has sand. In front of the boxes I place spruce branches to keep the heat in a little and to make them feel safe. The box with the soft bedding is preferred when it's cold.
I also find that the main issue with keeping them outside, is keeping their water from freezing. Sometimes it's so cold it'll freeze several times during the day.

 

[Ulaidian]

Well, if you can do it in the Dane land, we should have no issues..comparing our winters is like comparing a sling to a rifle.. it seldom stays below 0C here, and snow is a once every five years thing.

 

[DK newbie]

Wow, guess I overestimated your winters ^^ Snow every 5 years? That sure isn't much.. With regards to the water, it would be nice if the temp didn't stay below 0C. Though from November to March frost is about the only break we get from mud, so the cold is kind of nice too And it allows the snow to stay for longer so we get a chance to enjoy it ^^

 

[Farmboy101]

I usually fill the coop part with lots of hay. If it gets to cold I will usually put a heat lamp in.

 

[EarthboundEiniosaurus]

I have button quail in my parents' garden. They are not supposed to be as cold hardy as cots, but they did just fine last winter. I'm in Denmark, so the climate is pretty similar to UK. They live in an aviary, approximately 3x10 feet. It has a roof and one long side is placed against a wall. One end is enclosed in wood and we've added transparent plastic roof sheets to the other end and part of the front, leaving only the door (2-3 feet long by 6 feet high) open to the elements. They've got two wooden boxes with open fronts at the most enclosed end. One box has soft, dry bedding, the other has sand. In front of the boxes I place spruce branches to keep the heat in a little and to make them feel safe. The box with the soft bedding is preferred when it's cold.
I also find that the main issue with keeping them outside, is keeping their water from freezing. Sometimes it's so cold it'll freeze several times during the day.

Wow, good to know your buttons are so cold hardy! I don't keep my buttons outside but it can get a little chilly in the room I keep them in and have long suspected that they're a bit more cold tolerant than people say they are. That being said, i'm sure it wouldn't be a good idea to keep them in the snow but if they have enough vitamins and a nice high calorie food it seems like they're pretty adaptable little birds.