comfortable temps for ADULT quail

[GreedySeedFeedy]

Hello! I'm failing to find answers on google about the comfort of adult quail in hot weather. Everything is buried under page after page of everything from brooder/hatching temperatures, to how long to cook them before eating is safe.

I usually keep them indoors with us, but I've just got some space cleared out for them to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air outdoors! The only problem is, it gets uncomfortably hot for me where I live, and I don't want to subject them to any sort of unnecessary misery if I don't have to.

How hot is TOO hot? Before you say 'until they start panting', my quail pant from excitement, even in cold weather when they are shivering, so I'm looking for a temperature in farenheit or celsius. Thanks in advance!

 

[007Sean]

Depends on the species of quail. Most quail can tolerate a wide range of temperatures. -20°F on the low end to 115°F on the high end but the most important factor is shade availability and ventilation. 2nd factor, equally important, is fresh, clean, cool water. If those requirements are met, then there should be no problems.

 

[Green Bean Quail]

Well, it depends on what type of quail you have. I'm going to answer this based on coturnix, because that's the limit my experience goes to.

If you are basing it off "ability to survive" instead of "comfort", then they can make it into the 100's, but need cold packs, cool water, shade, and I use poultry electrolytes when it reaches extremes. However, once they have proper tools then they can tolerate heat well as long as you aren't "stressing" them too much/causing unnecessary movement.

If you are just wanting them to get some sunshine, then you additionally could just let them be outside in dusk/early morning, especially when it will be plenty sunny and slightly cooler. Although that may require a lot of movement and stress them out.

Theoretically, if you just provide proper resources, they should do great outside. My quail will sit in the sun for hours on cooler days, and absolutely love scratching around outside and dirt bathing and chasing bugs and such in the evenings

 

[JacinLarkwell]

My coturnix have survived from -20+ to about 101 so far with no intervention apart from opening and closing windows for breezes

 

[NY Coturnix]

I think the big issue would be....if you currently have them in an inside environment don't put them in 100 degree or -20 heat day one. As has been said water, shade, ventilation are important. There are people raising coturnix in AZ and in AK. They're tough little buggers but let them adjust before any extreme.

 

[Nabiki]

When it gets into the high 90s I provide ice bottles for my coturnix to lean against. Last year I lost 3 due to heat when it reached 114.

 

[vall]

I run a fan and give them ice blocks if it's over 90. Max temp last year was 104, no problem.
I have a grow out pen in my garage for 6-8+ week old birds, it got up to 90 in there for the last hatch and they were perfectly fine with it.

 

[GreedySeedFeedy]

Depends on the species of quail. Most quail can tolerate a wide range of temperatures. -20°F on the low end to 115°F on the high end but the most important factor is shade availability and ventilation. 2nd factor, equally important, is fresh, clean, cool water. If those requirements are met, then there should be no problems.

Thank you! I do have coturnix. Their space gets close to 100 degrees, but they have fresh water and shade at all times. I also have a wallow, or a shallow bin full of wood shavings and water enough to form a puddle, and have a fan set up in front of that.

I've just stuck a thermometer out there, I'll go check it in the hottest part of the day so I can see how high the temperature gets. I could probably cope just fine with temperatures that are out there, but I'm not covered with feathers and I can sweat!

 

[GreedySeedFeedy]

Well, it depends on what type of quail you have. I'm going to answer this based on coturnix, because that's the limit my experience goes to.

If you are basing it off "ability to survive" instead of "comfort", then they can make it into the 100's, but need cold packs, cool water, shade, and I use poultry electrolytes when it reaches extremes. However, once they have proper tools then they can tolerate heat well as long as you aren't "stressing" them too much/causing unnecessary movement.

If you are just wanting them to get some sunshine, then you additionally could just let them be outside in dusk/early morning, especially when it will be plenty sunny and slightly cooler. Although that may require a lot of movement and stress them out.

Theoretically, if you just provide proper resources, they should do great outside. My quail will sit in the sun for hours on cooler days, and absolutely love scratching around outside and dirt bathing and chasing bugs and such in the evenings

Yes, coturnix quail! Sorry I forgot to mention that! I'm definitely going off of comfort. I'm quite confident they wouldn't die, but I don't want them to be feeling like OMGOMGOMGTOOHOT!!! All day.

As for stress, these guys are lap birds and love to be picked up! The temperature outside is a good 20 degrees F hotter than it is inside though, so the sudden change in temperature could actually stress them out.

I love your idea about just putting them out and then just bringing them in when it gets uncomfortably hot! It's something I wanted to consider, since they are animals. Blobbing on a cushion in front of the TV with a bowl of sprouts and mealworms is nice, but they should be allowed as much of their natural behavior as possible.

My wife doesn't go for the idea very much, and just wants them in or out. I can try setting it up with a small pen inside and a big pen outside and if she hates it, it's probably a lot safer to just have them in the house, lol.

 

[GreedySeedFeedy]

My coturnix have survived from -20+ to about 101 so far with no intervention apart from opening and closing windows for breezes

Oh yeah, they can definitely survive it! They're super tough little guys.

I just don't want them to *have* to survive it, if it's 'surviving' and not 'enjoying' I'll just keep them in the house.