Winter watering

[havensteinjohn]

So I am new to Quail, I got 12 coturnix and 23 eggs in my incubator that will hopefully hatch this week. I am trying to figure out what everybody does for water for their quail in the winter.

I currently use a heated dog water dish for my chickens. I just dump it out and refill everyday. The guy I got the quail from said he just uses a metal bowl, and knocks the ice out in the morning and refills. He said the quail should get enough water in the morning before it freezes. And doing this once a day should be enough. What are your thoughts? Any product suggestions, homemade ideas? I have electricity close by, so its now big deal using something heated. Or would just dumping the ice in the morning and refill work?

I live in Kansas, so its not super cold all winter long.

 

[beakmaster]

One good thing is during the winter they would require less water. You could mount a light just outside the pen that puts off some heat and put the water bowl near the light on the inside of the pen. This should keep it from freezing. If you put up a wind block of some sort to help focus the heat it would help. This would also keep you birds a bit more comfortable and keep you in the eggs. Maybe put the light on a timer to run it only at night.
I am sure there are some kind of products out there to do the same thing but you most likely have the light already.

 

[ylly]

I live in Canada near the New York State border. So it's gets pretty cold. My Valleys, Gambles, Snowflakes and Tennessee's are kept in Hun style breeding cages, I use metal dog bowls when they freeze its easy to knock the water out.

 

[havensteinjohn]

Thanks for the replies. Probably going to try the dog bowl trick.