How To Prepare Your Quail Hutch for Winter Weather

[@napiyosun4677]

It’s an amazing video for me to watch about what to do for quails for the winter time. You really helped me a lot with this video. I live in Munich/Germany and I have 15 quails. we sometimes have minus degrees Celcius for couple weeks in winter. I have two questions: 1) Do you think there has to be a kind of light in the closed part of the coop (not for heating, just a normal light)? 2) In the winter time, do you remove and change the sand in the closed part on the left? If so, how frequently? All the best for you (and your quails) 😊 Maximilian

[@carolynconnelly3395]

Thank you

[@RandWFarmstead-TonyWalsh]

Great info Chris.

[@garyb4929]

GOOD SHARE CHRIS, thanks, like the container water, may use that, but I have bunch FOLGERS coffee tubs, may use those if needed.

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Those would work just fine. They can be a little top heavy and get tipped over pretty easily but you may not have that problem.

[@garyb4929]

@@Slightlyrednecked Good point, may put little rock in bottom, Thanks

[@onyxz007]

I was concerned. I'm thinking of getting quail and live in northern Indiana. Thx for the video

[@duvaughnyisrael2376]

Thanks

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Thank you for watching.

[@chuckmundhenk]

i am starting my first hatch tomorrow...thank you for your videos...so excited

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Awesome. Good luck with your hatch. And thank you for watching.

[@thomasgreenaway6279]

Thanks 👍

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Thank you for watching.

[@thomasgreenaway6279]

@@Slightlyrednecked some reason my quail want lay eggs and I have tried everything do u know what I can do?

[@cindyskillman544]

@@thomasgreenaway6279 There might be too many roosters; this stresses the girls. They may not be getting enough light; they need ten hours or more. Sometimes quail take longer to begin laying than the norm for no reason anyone I know can explain. 🤷‍♀️

[@thomasgreenaway6279]

@@cindyskillman544 thanks

[@bobcole3852]

Thanks Chris for what you do! I am building a hutch today, gonna be 24 deep and 96 long. Box at one end with 24x24 sandbox. should I divide the 96" length in half and add a box at other end?

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Sorry for the slow response. Honestly, you could do it however you wanted to. I kind of like the idea of a box at both ends but it is up to you. Only downside might be that you would have to search for eggs in both boxes each day.

[@BecomingaFarmGirl]

Always appreciate your quail videos. I hope to get some this spring and am slowly learning, preparing and gathering supplies this winter!

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Thank you so much for the kind words. And good luck with your new birds.

[@brianphilbrook5262]

Morning Chris. That puts my mind at ease. I just got started with quail this past summer and hadn’t gone through winter with them. I’m up in northern Maine so winter was a big concern.

[@mikeb2383]

I live in New York and they do totally fine here with no heat lamp or anything

[@dixsigns1717]

@@mikeb2383 Thanks, this has all helped. We get -20ºF sometimes for weeks here in Idaho. I was concerned

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Thank you for watching. I am glad that you found this video helpful.

[@tonysears4496]

Thanks for you sharing your knowledge. I took your waterer to the next level. I use A 50 watt aquarium heater to keep the water from freezing. I use A inkbird temp. Controller mounted to the hutch monitoring the air temp. When the temperature gets close to freezing the heaters come on. I use this set up for my chickens, quail and rabbits.

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Sounds like a nice set up. It gets cold enough here that the valves freeze up even if you do keep the water in the buckets and lines from freezing.

[@imuhburd2319]

What is the sandbox for!? I just took some in and gathering all my stuff I was scared it was to cold outside for them!! It gets in 40s at night in California 😅 so I thought they would die but seeing you have snow 🤣

[@SpYucaipaSoCal]

My birds are outside also and I’ve only had them a week. So I’m watching videos to learn how to for them. The more I see your sand box area the more functional it is. Since having them outside presents different challenges. Anyway. Excellent cage sir. Mine don’t have a roof like yours I hang them from the ceiling of my chicken coop that has a roof .The cold weather concerns me the frozen water and frozen birds.

[@johnscott7363]

Always enjoy your video but my Bobwhite Quail set out in the hutch at night and don't go inside?

[@Slightlyrednecked]

a lot of my birds sit outside all night too. I never found that to be an issue.

[@AdelardRen]

Your videos have been so educational, and helpful to my dad and I. We are thinking about getting quail, and have learned so much from you. I also love your hutch design, and that your quail have a little private den to hide in if they want to. I'm hoping we'll make an offshoot of your design.

[@jeanninebooth6415]

Researching this because we have lost most of our quail when the temps drop below 40. This season we are now down to one quail left. Every frost we have lost 1-4 birds. Hopefully this will help us?

[@jeanninebooth6415]

Does fog hurt them? We have had other fowl and poultry for many many years with no issues ....these quail are our challenge

[@evamast7456]

Hello Chris. Can you get fertile eggs during the winter time?

[@ethanhwang4287]

yes, if you give them artificial light since in fall/winter there isn't enough sunlight you can still receive eggs

[@evamast7456]

@@ethanhwang4287 Thank you Ethan for your response. Can you get fertile eggs regardless the temperature?

[@ethanhwang4287]

@@evamast7456 if you have a male with your females, it does not matter. watch out for the cold wind because the eggs can freeze and die, so a plastic cover can help

[@evamast7456]

@@ethanhwang4287 Thank you so much. A plastic cover is exactly what I have put.

[@ethanhwang4287]

@@evamast7456 np

[@WalkerFarmFam]

Gonna make one of those waterers today. We are in Northeast Oklahoma

[@Slightlyrednecked]

They work very well for me all summer and into late fall.

[@aileenkrauchi6553]

Can you use that Tupperware water bucket with the head holes in it also for chicks. I am scared my first batch of chicks will drown even with the rocks in a typical round carousel waterer.

[@KlausM4]

Hey Chris, I have a question. I have now quails, they are like 3 weeks, I live in Holland, we don't have here that cold winter, sometimes under 0, like -3°C... I have a sheet in the garden, it's closed, with window and door... When shall I put them out? And if I will keep the light more then 14 hours, are they also going to start laying eggs? Sure it's gonna take longer but anyway I need to ask that 😂 Also thanx for your channel, those videos helped me a loot!!

[@ethanhwang4287]

quails need 14-16 hours of light to lay, and if you cover the hutch with something, let's say a plastic one... they will be fine and continue to lay. you may need to wait a while because they are only 3 weeks old and haven't reached maturity. by the end of december they will start to lay as long as you have light and a space concealed from predators (don't forget to give them sand)

[@KlausM4]

@@ethanhwang4287 yeah, I know I had quails before, just never had them in cold place. It's closed area so even mouse can't come inside ... There is no wind, there is light, just want sure if they are laying eggs in a cold weather, not sure if temperature makes some difference ...

[@ethanhwang4287]

@@KlausM4 no, temperature makes no difference as long as they have sunlight. unless you can block out the cold wind the fertile eggs will freeze and die, except for if you collect them to eat, which the cold can preserve the eggs when you actually collect them.

[@KlausM4]

@@ethanhwang4287 Thank you very much for help 🙂💪

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Sounds like Ethan pretty much got your question answered. I would say that you may want to wait a week or two before putting the birds out if it is cold outside. You can start weaning them off of the heat lamp now by lowering the temp about 5 degrees or so every few days.

[@dixsigns1717]

Did y'all preorder your quail lights yet? I did. Thanks for the video, Chris.

[@ethanhwang4287]

yes, i did

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Thank you so much.

[@stevegraham4585]

I use ceramic bulbs, ( like for retiles) keeps my enclosed side warm enough so that water doesn't freeze. Does not have any light.

[@mikeb2383]

How big is your enclosed side and how many bulbs do you use ?

[@stevegraham4585]

@@mikeb2383 main cage is 32x30 insulated. 2 nd is same size but not insulated, but is enclosed. Bulbs are about 2.5 diameter by 3 in. Long. The bulbs and holders can be gotten on Amazon. They use this style for reptile cages. Don't have any light.

[@Slightlyrednecked]

That sounds like a nice set up.

[@stevegraham4585]

@@Slightlyrednecked had to set up something, I'm only 4 hrs from Canada, in Idaho.

[@Vadlife]

Love your videos. God bless you!

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Thank you.

[@woodsman2433]

Hi Chris did you sort your Fox problem out.

[@Slightlyrednecked]

For the time being. He hasn't gotten any more birds lately anyway.

[@MissingLinkMTB]

I got thinking and somebody please correct me if I'm wrong.... so if they stop laying during winter but only live about 2 years, I'm thinking I'll just dispatch them and have quail for dinner. Then start over each spring with fresh eggs from a local quail farm.

[@jjmontes4544]

I have a very similar quail coop to yours, over the last few weeks something has been chewing their toes, I have lost 4 already. I have 1/2" wire as flooring.

[@dixsigns1717]

Check out the other Slighty Rednecked videos. In one of them, Chris had the same problem, it was a fox. He shows how he dealt with it.

[@jjmontes4544]

@@dixsigns1717 thanks for the reply. I'm in Ontario Canada and it has been below zero on and off, my wife has a theory that the birds might be getting stuck (frozen) to the wire. I placed some pine shavings this morning, will see if that help.

[@dixsigns1717]

@@jjmontes4544, You are welcome. We are in Clayton, Idaho, high mountain desert, very cold winters. I have been watching this channel for a long time. Are the quail, somehow, getting their feet wet? Ours live on the ground in runner pins with wooden hutches on one end. We do put shaving in the hutch area.

[@jjmontes4544]

@@dixsigns1717 I believe they must have gotten wet, last night we had a pretty bad storm with rain and snow , the two that were injured were the only ones that weren't in the shelter. I just recently built this coop that looks exactly like Chris' just for the winter, I also have them on the ground during the summer. Hopefully the pine shavings will help. Thanks again for your replies. Take care.

[@dixsigns1717]

@@jjmontes4544 Sounds like you all your bases covered... happy holidays

[@jirasogames]

what if they are alone? we have some roosters separated

[@Slightlyrednecked]

They should do fine. But if you are talking about alone as in one bird all by itself, I think they would do much better in a group. Quail are social birds and seem to do better in a flock as opposed to by all by themselves.

[@jirasogames]

@@Slightlyrednecked i understand, but with my set up right now and what we have. we have some of the roosters separated because they get REALLY aggressive toward each other. 6 roosters all in individual cages, and the 6 hens are all together. and i don’t want to just cull them. helpp

[@Slightlyrednecked]

@@jirasogames You can try to cover the cages to limit the amount of light. If you can get it under 10 hours a day they should calm down and be much less aggressive.

[@jirasogames]

@@Slightlyrednecked thank you! I have googled everywhere and noone has suggested this online. i will try this, calm them down, and hopefully get them settled down and not pecking eachother’s eyes out before winter.

[@syedali92314]

My quail crop is blocked what I could do

[@Slightlyrednecked]

that is tough to treat in quail. I don't have any videos on it and it is hard to describe in text but it basically requires a minimal surgery to remove. It can be done but it difficult on small birds. I would suggest you look up "impacted crop in chickens" and watch a video on that subject. It is the same process for quail. I am sorry I can't help more.

[@syedali92314]

@@Slightlyrednecked hello bro My quail is recoverd I Use colic drops and in 7 hours my quail is healed

[@joedefazio1464]

Do you ever give them warm water to warm them up internally

[@Slightlyrednecked]

no. It isn't necessary.

[@pennybyington3638]

Getting ready to move down by you. Moving to Webb City from Lebanon

[@Slightlyrednecked]

That is right next door to me. I actually grew up in Web City and graduated from High School there.

[@Azam_Pakistan]

Very nice. Saw your earlier video on winter care too. Your enclosure also has 20% floor open /mesh floor, if I am not wrong. So it's a tough bird, that does well with just a wind barrier. It doesn't even snow in my city.

[@Slightlyrednecked]

The closed in side does have about 20% open floor. My other hutch is all solid floor on the closed in side. But the birds do just fine in both hutches.

[@turretlizardinthesun957]

Good Morning Chris. I Know this is not a timely question, but I am looking at getting into Quail and have a concern. I live in Georgia and winter is no problem, but how do quail do in hot weather? I live near Savannah, Ga. and was wondering how they will handle our hot, humid summers.

[@mikeb2383]

They do well in the heat especially if you can make sure your coop isn’t in the direct sunlight all day. Unfortunately my coop has no shade cover so I put a cheap fan on the side of my coop

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Like M. B. said, as long as you can give them plenty of shade, they do fine in the heat. Shade and ventilation are the key.

[@turretlizardinthesun957]

@@mikeb2383 Awesome, thank you for the reply. They would be in a covered coop that would itself be under a pole barn so it would get plenty of shade and air flow. Worse case scenario, I have power there and could set up a fan as well.

[@turretlizardinthesun957]

@@Slightlyrednecked Thanks for the quick reply and all the great information you are providing.

[@geralddunn2654]

what is your pick starting 2021 for an incubator? just a small getting started one, with turner and fan?

[@amishfarmer4504]

Thank you! I have my flock in my poultry house. Going to go cover the cages a bit better so a stray wind doesn't bother them. This is my first winter with quail. I live in South Arkansas and today it was in the low 30s and I was wondering how my Birds would do.

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Thank you for watching. I am glad that you found this video helpful.

[@samdurham8902]

I have a little house for my Quail that is slightly elevated.( it's elevated because when it rains it pours) some of them don't seem to like it. They always seem to sleep outside at the little house. Should I give them an alternative?

[@Slightlyrednecked]

If your quail are all doing ok then i don't know if an alternative is needed.

[@ignitepoint1159]

My quail are breeding but not laying eggs please replay me why they are not laying eggs

[@Slightlyrednecked]

I am guessing they are young and just started breeding. Give them a little time and they should start laying. The roosters tend to mature a little faster than the hens.

[@tedc2453]

Good day Chris I hope you are doing great! I have some 2 week old quail chicks and I will be moving them out when they are approximately 4 weeks old. I live in Sweden and we get pretty low temperatures with much snow. Do I need to acclimate them when I’m moving them out from room temperature. Maybe a heat lamp in the hutch? Thanks in advance Chris, your videos are really helpful!!

[@ethanhwang4287]

as long as you put them together, they will huddle up into a circle like penguins to protect themselves from the cold since they already have feathers. if you're concerned, a heat lamp will lessen the possibility of a few freezing to death

[@Slightlyrednecked]

I would try to acclimate them if it is a drastic drop in temperature from where they are now. By 4 weeks old they should be fully feathered out but a big drop in temperature all of the sudden can be difficult on them.

[@ethanhwang4287]

Hi Chris, my quail hutch is built on the ground and i have a tarp cover to keep raccoons from going in front of it and making noises. Will this affect their egg laying if they are suddenly scared by the scratching and banging?

[@Slightlyrednecked]

It shouldn't bother them much unless it is a constant thing. I wouldn't worry about it if it were me.

[@s.o.l.t8173]

Why do not my quail lay everyday.

[@dixsigns1717]

Are they getting 14 hours of light a day?

[@s.o.l.t8173]

@@dixsigns1717 on november 29 I got the first egg.but yesterday i got nothing.as for day light they get 11 hours natural daylight and i provide them extra light 4-5 hours.

[@dixsigns1717]

@@s.o.l.t8173 What about going to one of the Slightly Rednecked live-shows on Thursday night and asking Chris? I am a beginner and only know the simple things that you are apparently already doing.

[@Slightlyrednecked]

It sounds like they just started laying (if you got your first egg on November 29th). As long as you keep the light on them and give them some time, they should start laying more consistently very soon. It just takes a little time from when they first start to lay for them to start laying consistently. Sounds like you have the right set up though.

[@s.o.l.t8173]

@@Slightlyrednecked You are right I just collected my second egg half an hour ago.TNX

[@1tcallaghan]

I'm new to quail as hatched 10 this week and are all in the brooder. I have a hard bottom cage for when they are ready to go outside, what would you recommend to put on the bottom of the cage? I'm thinking sand?

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Sand would work well. It will be pretty heavy but is probably the most economical and easiest to clean option.

[@wyatth9555]

Hey man! So I know you can’t refrigerate eggs that you want to hatch, the temperature has dropped down below 30 a couple times where I am. Are the eggs still ok to hatch? Or did it get to cold

[@Slightlyrednecked]

It depends on how cold the egg actually got. If you are collecting them fairly early after being laid, they will probably do fine. If they freeze all the way through then they will not hatch. So, if your eggs are sitting out there for a while before you collect them, it could affect your hatch rate but some of them are probably still going to hatch.

[@jessicanail4901]

Excellent video. Thank you. We'll be making quail tractors for our yard. Question: Does their hutch hide-out have to have a bottom? Or would chicken wire be okay if it's on the ground (since no air flow)? I figured chicken wire would be easier to clean than wood, but am wondering if maybe the ground would be too cold or something. 🤔 Though in real life scenario...they would be on the ground.... I think I just answered my own question.... 😂

[@JefferyCarr-fk9wb]

I think my Quail might be spoiled, It's in the 30's at night and 40's during the day and they have headlamps on. Them little jerks have me trained already lol

[@dixsigns1717]

😉🤣💖

[@Slightlyrednecked]

Sounds like spoiled birds indeed. :)