Wintering quail?

[sumatra lover]

I was curious as to how some people winter their bobwhite and cutornix quail?

 

[qlicer49]

I put my old feed bags around the cage as wind protectors and I put a heat lamp on my frizzled bobwhites.

 

[WaterfowlWierdo]

Ironic, I have bobwhite and coturnix and am trying to figure out how to winter them.

 

[TwoCrows]

If you keep quail in an area that is cold and snowy, then always offer them a place to get completely out of the wind, rain and snow. If they can stay dry and out of the wind, they can survive brutally cold temps. If they don't already have a small box or coop to snuggle into, then start now getting them used to it. Make sure this "coop" has enough light and ventilation, and lock them in for a few days now, so that they see it as safe and secure and will figure out that they will stay warm at night when using it. If you don't lock them in, they will never use it. After a few days, they will wander in when it is cold outside or to escape the wind and snow. If you use something with a wire floor, then use bedding over the wire so their feet do not get frostbite. Wind and air from underneath them can chill and kill quail. When a birds feet are cold, so are they. Keep the feet warm and the birds can survive thru winter. Use something that has solid floors, ceiling and sides so that no wind, snow or rain can enter. If it is going to get down below minus 5 or minus 10, use a heat lamp to keep them warm. Otherwise, no heat is needed.

 

[sumatra lover]

I have something like that and I have boxes with straw in them and around the chicken wire and plan on keeping a tarp around the open ends where the wind can breeze through. Thank u for the info and idea!

 

[Raelf]

I'm using an inexpensive "under-desk" panel heater, under my coop. It's facing outward and the heat rises to the "nesting box" side of the coop providing some heat, but not so much I am going to disturb anyone's natural cycles.
My problem is that my six quail live UNDER the coop 90% of the time. I see the post above that says I need to lock them into the coop for a few weeks to acclimate. Is this accurate?

Heater


There is also a sun lamp on them from a height of about 7 feet, so while it does not provide much heat directly, it's enough that I can sense it on my skin and I am hoping it provides a more natural lighting for them. I provide 3" shavings, many piles of straw, and a daily heap of lettuce (gone to seed in my garden) and other such stuff, and millet sprays, both inside the coop and on the floor.

While Coturnix do not roost per se, what other than shavings, straw, and greens, can I provide inside the coop that will improve the odds they'll use it? Branches? Drapes? LOL.

Here's a link to the coop project in general, and suggestions on getting them to use it are welcome!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/quail-coop-inside-the-screen-house

 

[TwoCrows]

The easiest way to get quail to stay inside an area you want them to use is...lock them in for a few days. Quail can be afraid to enter new places unless they feel it will keep them safe. If you don't want to lock them in, you can try to lure them in with food, but that is not always easy to do. You can hope they use it and they may wander in on their own, or if all else falls, lock them in.

I have one of those panel heaters in my chicken coop. I just installed this fall but have not used it yet. Have you used yours this year? Does it radiate enough heat that it makes a difference? My chicken coop is so big and airy, I am not sure it is going to heat up much but a few inches away from the surface. LOL It might work as a beak warmer. LOL

 

[marksouth]

Hey Raelf, you being in the South I'm not so sure you need to be too concerned with giving your birds heat. I use the shreaded pine mulch that comes in a bag from the home improvement store and they love it. Also the poop dries and falls to the bottom making cleaning less often. They like to scratch and peck around in it more than straw I've found. Make sure you don't use cedar shavings, for some reason it's harmful to quail. I think they would like the drapes as well, mine prefer red with gold paisleys.

 

[marksouth]

If you put something for them to scratch and peck around in on that floor I bet they will stay in there on their own.