By raising quail and keeping a flock during the winter months. Some preparations will have to be made. Obviously, it is better to have some type of quail that avoids the cold drafts of winter. As you know from raising quail chicks, cold drafts can be a big enemy when raising quail.

If a quail house is not available, you will need to protect your quail from the elements in another way. You could build a small box enclosure in the quail pen with an opening big enough for them to get in and out. This would help give your quail a place to gather and avoid the winds a bit.

You should have a minimum of 15 to 20 quail per pen to create a heat flock. Also if you are not raising your quail in some kind of quail house and have them on wire outside the ground. You will definitely want to at least take a tarp and drop it all the way around the chicken coops from ground level to the ground. It will help prevent drafts from coming up the bottom of the cage. This is very important. On very cold and windy days, it would be a good idea to cover the entire cage. Just make sure to allow some ventilation.

You can also place low wattage light bulbs in the quail flock area. This can offer them some help with warmth. I prefer a closed color bulb, so they can’t come into contact with it.

Another problem with raising quail in the winter months is the formation of ice in the water. You will have to be aware of this, to make sure that your quail always have water available. Never add anything to the water just to keep it from freezing, the additive would probably kill your quail.

Hay is usually a great winter bedding for warmth, but it should be changed at least once a week. As you must know, the problem that can cause the accumulation of falls. It shouldn’t be much of a problem in the winter, but why take a chance on your quail?

In the wild, they gather in thick bushes and grasses to avoid the elements. The closer you are to creating that type of environment, the better off your quail will be.

You have probably raised quail from eggs and have been watching them ever since. If so, then you should have some kind of insight into your actions, if there is a problem. Quail have a way of letting you know when they are under stress and need some kind of attention. Learning to read them is part of raising quail.

So when preparing your quail for the cold winter months, use a lot of common sense and observation.

Provide quail with protection from drafts, rain and snow. Make sure they have drinking water, not ice, and enough quail in the same pen to create a flock. Giving the quail a little help with a man-made heat source would also help.