It's the shadows when a big bird flies over. Put a 50 percent shade cloth over the clear tarp to break up the shadows. I had to do that for my pigeons. They were stressing out over the shadows. Remember that a duck can throw a huge shadow on the pen.
I love your videos. Learn a lot. But I have to say that both of you are looking GREAT. The Keto/intermittent fasting works really well for you. I’m on the same diet. Losing weight much more slowly than a couple years ago but I’m getting older; now almost 70. It’s discouraging to actually put on a couple pounds occasionally, but I’m also doing Pilates 4/week so I can say the extra pounds are muscle, not fat. Hahaha. I sure do feel better, though.
Was thinking something similar. I was thinking of suggesting making the hoop coop have a sun roof by running the darker tarp partway up sides to ensure enough light for getting the egg laying to continue.
Hi Kevin - I noticed when you were raising the quail in smaller cages they were on wire; Now they're on wood shavings. When I was raising pheasants, I had some start dying when they were small. Couldn't figure it out. I dissected one and found the gizzard was impacted with wood shavings. I switched to ground up corn cobbs and solved the problem. Maybe worth investigating that possibility. Keep up the good work. - Jim
In the wild, a covey will burrow down in long grass to stay warm, even in the coldest temps. In very cold weather, a broken up bale of hay will provide this for them.
Kevin, seeing you calling your cows, you made me miss my dad at a time when he was young and virile. We used to drive our cows from pasture to pasture too. He'd yell, "Come boss!" And within minutes they'd come rumbling through the woods, bawling all the way. He practiced excellent animal and land husbandry long before the Dept. of Agriculture started it's "education" for farmers.
Kevin put a go pro in the coop for about a week on a time laps will give you vital information on the quail Do it on some hot days and cold days skim through it for looking for clues to what’s going on with them. I also agree with a dark strip down the middle of the coop to create a ceiling effect.
Go Pro sounds like a good idea, or a trail camera. Helped me get rid of a rabbit one time. Knowing what I was up against made it easier to come to a solution in less than a week. Having said that, shadows I would never thought of, but could be simulated very quickly simply by purposely casting shadows a couple times a day, for a few days just to see how they react. Might have to be a bit sneaky though. They are used to you, and I'd venture a guess that they don't hit the roof when you go in. They know you are the good guy, but shadows are an unknown and I suspect instills fear. Quail, like Partridge/Grouse are very timid. I hunt, as you and many others in here do, and I don't know how many times, when cleaning my birds, there wasn't a hole to be found. As if they were just scared to death. Don't know for sure. All they know is something is out there, and didn't make any noise on approach. When they hit the coop wall, their necks don't necessarily have to break their necks to die. Blunt force trauma could do it also. Wish you the best of luck figuring it out. TYFS
Good morning, I raise quail in aviaries and have some tips for you. You can find my contact info on my channel name if you want to talk more about about what's potentially going on. Quail housing needs four things: 1. Protection from the elements, 2. Predator control, 3. Correct height, and 4. Light to lay. I'll go through in this order my thoughts for your situation. 1. Protection from the elements you have covered except the open area of the door. They are completely fine with cold, so I don't think you need to lock them up so tight, however, if there is cold wind, they need to be protected from that (protection only has to be at quail level and the shile thing does not need to be covered)...I recommend plexiglass on the bottom and open on the top if you want them to look out and be safe. You are likely locking excess moisture and heat with the added boards and plastic. You can put a temperature/humidity meter in to see if this is an issue, i recommend more open areas to provide venting and air movement. 2. Predator control. Although you have them super safe physically, mentally, they may not be. They can be extra flighty or even just have a heart attack if a predator is trying to get in, or if they see something they think is a predator--I would watch at night to see whether a predator is moving around at night, also, as others have said, they may be seeing shadows through the clear plastic and freaking out because they think it is a predator, so I would provide a strip of something dark at the top to block shadows from coming over them. The door being open at ground level may not be good if there is something coming around as well. 3. Correct height is no more than 12-18" in a cage system and at least 6' in an aviary due to them having very strong "glorified leaps"--they flush with pretty powerful movements which can cause injury or death if they hit something. While most of your structure meets this, the sloping sides do not, so if they are flushung more, they could be hitting their heads on the sloped sides, or even on the hard wooden ends (walls), causing broken necks or other injuries. In general, if this wasn't an issue before, I don't think changing height will help now--figure out why they are flushing and fix that (predators or percieved predators is my guess). 4. Light. They don't need a set amount of light to live, however, for egg production, they need approximately 14-16h each day. This could be as simple as Christmas lights or a rope light casting enough light to read by at the level of the quail. You could also let your quail have a break from laying and not provide supplemental lighting at all. I hope this helps, and ket me know if you want to talk further. Good luck!
Kevin, I think the dark tarp presents a safe/secure environment for them, and the clear presents "open sky" and vulnerable to predation, in their mind. Maybe add another solar LED to extend their "daylight" for egg laying... and put the dark tarp back on the coop. The shadows are scaring them with the current tarp. I like your ideas for fresh air.
I PRAY YOUR QUAIL SURVIVE AND BE HEALTHY! PUT A BLACK TARP ON THE MIDDLE 1/4 OF THE TOP; SO THAT THE QUAIL CAN ALWAYS GET SOMEWHERE THEIR BODIES AND SHADOWS DO NOT BROADCAST THEIR WHEREABOUTS!
3 suggestions: 1. They like a place to hide (when scared or bullied), even if it's under a roost area from predator shadows. They feel safe on roosts, too. 2. Always have a partial shade area for cooling off because it can get very hot quickly, and you won't know. Think of greenhouse ventilation. 3. Have a permanently open space at both top ends for flow through fresh air year-round. The ammonia needs to not pool. There is a formula for that--and no drafts at the bottom when cold, but open for cooling in the sun. The tin could burn/bake them. I don't know if quail pant like chickens, but perhaps check the coop visually and read a coop thermometer when it is near 80°F. The range of temps is hard for them due to their down/feather/molt, so they may need more attention/adjustments 2x/day with the open/closed status during the season transitions. FYI...the bedding is possibly the cause of loss. I lost 2 young chickens in 10 minutes when I missed some tough long blades of grass in the dandelions verified by an autopsy of the impacted gizzard, and they often will eat some bedding. I don't know if quail need grit, but that could be a factor. I built a 9x16 Permanent Hoop Coop (plan from "Backyard Chickens") with a 16' tarp, and implemented your plywood ends for winter for the back half roost only area. I recently modified that with a clear 40 mil marine vinyl tarp for sunlight and view in the front 4' of the 8' front end run, and they loved it--visibly relaxed the atmosphere. (Originally had 16' tarp and they fought over who sat in the door area). More would cause too much heat. The door is covered with vinyl only during rain and at night if cold. If the rear door is uncovered, they roost toward the center for security (lots of predators) or draft, I think. I have implemented several ideas from you when I started chicks a year ago. Thank you, and best of luck.
I know nothing about any of that, but it came to mind that you could possibly put a skinny strip of dark tarp over the very top. Maybe 3 feet to give them a feeling of a ceiling so they won’t think they can fly out. (?) love watching you guys. Thank you for putting it out there for us. :-)
That's what I was going to comment! I think a dark strip along the top would still give them enough light, but make them think, "something is up there, avoid it".
l had a similar thought....l think that in nature, that quail spend most of their time under cover of foliage....l wonder if some of the 40% shade cloth from the green house might be more like their natural habitat. Anyway, thanks for your videos.
I was thinking putting dark on the sides and leaving the top clear, that would reduce the shadows from the outside that put the birds into flight mode.
I am not a farmer, but a birder and I agree with others below. I don't think it's the temps, I think it may be the clear tarp stressing the quail out from all the shadows overhead. They either need shrubs to hide under tied to the walls (so you they don't get dirty for you), a 50% shade tarp, or black tarp and add solar lights on a timer inside and they'll keep laying and be less stressed. Best of luck on that. I love seeing you call the cows...they all look so beautiful, healthy and happy! You guys are amazing!!!
My thought is if these birds were the same ones in your cages they aren't conditioned for flight space and just panic at every noise or movement, probably won't adapt totally. Best to start a new. Just start babies in coop next spring and take older birds back to cages or process them, you don't want older birds passing bad habits to young ones. I don't think weather is the trouble birds adapt to changes instinctively there, but learned conditions or training is permanently imprinted.🌼
I am a quail farmer, and quail can handle 20- degrees . I raise mine naturally on the ground, in a run with lots of hide outs. Baskets, and tubs. Lots of tubs over the top to stop wind and keep it dry. I make sure they have lots of natural light, I do not vlock them off. And I add supplement light to equal 14 hours of light.
Quail like to hide in a dark place. If they are seeing shadows, they could be just panicking and maybe over stressing themselves. Maybe just cover half the top with a dark tarp, that way they can/will go to the back of the coup for what they think is protection. Sorry for the loss. Quail are kinda flighty birds anyways. I know you guys do everything possible to protect all the animals. Love watching them all. God bless and be safe out there. 🙏🏻💜 🙏🏻💜
You both take such EXTRA CARE of ALL of your sweet animals...! Love watching the process of you coming up with "NEW IDEAS" for that care...! God Bless you both...! Shelly.. 👍❤👍
Inside the hoop coops if you had thermometers down at the floor level where the quail are staying you could actually record the data over time and see if it is at the temperature that is best for the animal.
Lovely looking cattle. Such cute quail looking out the door together then they go about their business. Everyone needs a nice window to look out of LOL! Thank you - always interesting to see how you adjust and tweak your plans.
Just a thought what about adding a light blocker to the sides so that shadows don't scare them so badly and only have light penetrating from the upper sides and top, maybe block the light up to the top of your fence posts.
I love how you can just call the cows and they come! Thank you for all the hard work you do to bring us along on the daily. My husband and I look forward to your videos. We also enjoy the way you love and care for your animals. Blessings to you all.
My grandpa raised quail to sell for meat. He had a few other meat fowl as well. Of course, theories of husbandry were different back in the 60's and early 70's when I used to visit. But I remember he had a hoop-type setup similar to yours but longer; however, he had a heavy-ish, black netting hanging from about halfway up to top. Sort of like a cord of an arc, you could say, about 3.5 - 4 feet off the ground and attached to the sides. He had clothes line props running down the middle to prevent sagging. I know the netting wasn't too high as he used to send me in to adjust the props and then I could sit on a stool and watch the quail and feed them treats. He liked to send me in when I was there because I have always been small for my age🙂. The net was always at least 6" above my head. Anyways, its seems that the quail netting was to keep the quail from flying up and injuring themselves in the fly pen. The netting was black and heavy (for netting) so they could see and feel it but it let in light and air. I was wondering if your quail are in fact injuring themselves, and if quail netting is still something people can get. I just thought I'd mention it since grandpa did know a lot about quail and turkeys and he really read alot to keep current with his flock raising success. I think the game cam idea mentioned below is a very good idea. Also, if you are worried about ventilation I know there are solar powered small fans out there in google-land that should work. Good luck and I do love to see your quail!
Hi! I'm not sure if someone else has mentioned this yet, but it may be the condensation not necessarily the heat, that is killing your birds. You may want to drill some holes in the plywood near the top for heat and moisture to escape all the time, even when it's cold. Or you could just leave that small back flap down all the time. Quail are really hardy. They can handle it. I really enjoy watching your channel and seeing the two of you work together. It is inspiring and wholesome. Thank you both!
When they get startled they jump straight up in the air. As others said a dark tarp over the top keeps them from spooking as easy. I used to keep my quail in a coop with a dark tarp over the top and a tight weave screen on the sides with deep litter on the floor. It got down to the mid 20s at night as nd they were fine without additional protection.
Not a pro but... I have 4 quail hutches, similar to what you had in the barn except I add an enclosed area and a sandbox in each hutch and a sloped metal roof. We are at 7800 elevation, had single digit Temps and last winter i knocked off 15" of snow off the top. People raise quail in Alaska, cold temp is not an issue but you have to protect them from wind and moisture, ie snow and rain. I use one 32' strand of Christmas led lights spread on top of layer hutches on a timer to give them 15 hours of light a day and get at least one egg per hen, usually a couple more! I think ventilation is important and agree that they like to look around. Good luck with your birds.
Have you inspected the dead birds? I know that sounds awful, but maybe examine them to see if their wings are broken from the blunt trauma from smashing into the top of the hoop coop? Idk…it’s my thought that came to mind?
Aerial predators and shadows will freak them out!! Put a dark shade cloth on top, overlapping a foot or two over each side!!! Your cattle are looking great! Good Ozarks grass!!! 🥰
I would try giving them more hiding spaces inside. You could experiment with simple upturned cardboard boxes with a few holes cut in them so they have an entrance and exit. My quail loved that.
Most people build short pins so the quail cannot fly and gather speed to break their neck. I believe it's to much upper space to attain strong flight. .2 dark tarp did not look like sky.
SUGGESTION: go back to the dark tarp! It will attract and trap more heat for Winter, a good thing. Yes the light tarp allows more daylight-hours but you have the lamps now. Also the door window allows for extra day light and warmth to enter the house. Finally, the darker habitat is more like the birds natural environment and so this makes them feel more secure and less flighty. The back hinged door is also an excellent addition. That would be my recommendation, for what it’s worth. 😊 All that you have done is VERY thoughtful and respectful to your animals. You have done a great job! All new projects take some tweaking, so keep going, you will get everything sorted again. The ‘in between’ seasons are always the tricky ones. 👍👍👍
I got a temperature gage the registers on my phone in our green house. Maybe you should put that inside your hoop coupe? I use it in my greenhouse and then you’ll know what the temperatures are. If it is getting too warm or too cold!
Birds handle the cold better than heat. How about a smaller bird tractor to get them daylight and cover the coop partially with a dark cloth again. There really needs to be good ventilation at the top. Good luck. It’s sad when our livestock dies.
Good evening to you two..welcome to our world as it is ...and Im on the bottom of it...same goes here..our weather is all over the place.... about the quail..when a bird fly's into my house the exit is the lightest.. so they always seem to hit the windows or double glass doors with a hell of a whack.. and unfortunately as I comfort them in a wee box with soft cloth they eventually die. so maybe it is the light tarp..just a thought.. what you could do about it... well i dont have a clue..especially when you want them still to be laying... but then the chook shed is always dark and the chooks keep laying..got me betwix'd for sure...bit like your tee shirt...i can explain it to you but I cant understand it for you... I love that shirt!!good luck on your wee puzzle..you will sort it tho I know this because Ive watched a lot of your shows and you two do get it sorted... The cows are beautiful ...and Thankyou so much for sharing your homestead with us!!
Maybe if you suspend some sort of net under the peak of the hoop coop then they wouldn’t hit their heads or break their necks if they fly up in fright at shadows. It may not be your issue, but I have heard of turkeys freaking out and breaking their own necks.
It sounds like you need to put a camera up in there. You may need to add the tarp back, if they're flying up and hitting their heads and dying. I had mine flush last week for no reason that I could see (I was out there with them). 6 of them hit the ceiling (14" high) so hard, they had bloody scalps. They're not the smartest of birds. I think a camera would give you the best answer. Good luck.
I PRAY YOUR QUAIL SURVIVE AND BE HEALTHY! PUT A BLACK TARP ON THE MIDDLE 1/4 OF THE TOP; SO THAT THE QUAIL CAN ALWAYS GET SOMEWHERE THEIR BODIES AND SHADOWS DO NOT BROADCAST THEIR WHEREABOUTS!
1 run a line from the back flap to the front with a spring you will be able to open and close from the front, still use ur wing nuts if the wind or real cold 2 insulate the steel sides (ply wood should do) the steel will make it bitterly cold in your winter. I am in a hot part of Africa and even here on a cold day steel sheets are cold and transfer that temp through. 3 black is a colour we cannot see it is just devoid of light so I suspect they don't want to fly onto darkness, with is light the may feel more comfy flying. Continue being a bkessing
A thought. If you covered the top of the hoop coop with something they see-not necessarily black, but something opaque it will let them know there’s a ceiling. Leave the sides clear. To make up for any loss of light you can make part of each end clear plastic. On the bottom they might be less likely to try and fly out as it’s a sideways flight.
I gave up my quail cage 6 months ago and moved my quail to a hoop coop I notice when I put some hay or leaves in the coop they really like it and I notice that I get more eggs. Happy quail means more eggs. Sometimes you lose a quail and never know why.
Here in South Texas during winter season if the days are in the 80-90 it signal a cool/cold weather is coming. It’s wonderful it get less humid and daytime temps in the 50-70s with cooler nighttime temperatures.
Our wild birds bury themselves in tons of leaves on cold days to protect themselves. Plus they do it under bushes or fallen trees so they have some top cover. Give your birds the same benefit.
They need more hiding areas. Ariend of mine has similar pens for her quail and pheasants. She uses old artificial Christmas trees to make shelter spots. Your hoop house is too open. They like cozy spots. Maybe get potted tall plants (fake for winter time) to make it more comfortable and safe for them.
I read some of the comments and no one said anything about "perches" for the quail to land on when they fly up. My instincts (for what THEY are worth)--tell me the hay for them to burrow into for warmth AND to hide is a good idea. But they also tell me that a mid-height perch for those quail that fly up to land on would be a good thing--less likely to mortally injure themselves. A thicker wood dowel suspended from the cattle-panel grid would be easy enough to try to see if it helps. Add a camera to watch their use of the perch--good idea. If is of no help, the perch would be easily enough to remove. Love your vids & look forward to Weds & Sats!
This would be a good idea for chickens, however Coturnix quail don't perch; it would be an extra obstruction they can hit their head on when they flush.
Hi Kevin, I decreased the "ceiling" of some of my quail pen to about 2 feet within my walk-in pen. They are no longer flying so none of my quail are dieing due to injury. I also use the least dusty bedding such as sand or straw. I had issues with the wood shavings because the quail got congested and died. I also make sure they have plenty of airflow even in the super cold weather. With little ground hideaways, they can get out of the cold, rain and snow if they wish. Anyway, all these changes have prevented loss finally. Win! Good luck! -Debbie-
They need a lot, lot more hiding places with the clear tarp. They feel exposed . In the wild the would stay close to brush and tall grass where the could hide at quick . With the dark tarp the felt safe . The stress of being out in the open will kill them .
My guy said that he had a friend who lived in TN and he cut a 4" PVC pipe in have and used it as a roof of a tunnel that was cut at a angle at least one ft. below the frostline on an angle so when it got cold the birds could crawl in and out if it got too cold outside. It was on an angle and even went outside the pen below the ground of course and the PVC half pipe was used to keep the dirt from caving in on the birds. Hope this helps! Of course adding a little heat might help as well.
Kevin, I'm wondering if you would put the dark cover just over half (or quarter) & see where the quail moves too. They may feel safest under the shade. P.S. Thinking about it some more I would get rid of the sawdust & put straw down for them, while living on a farm Mr. Hazel always used straw when it came to his animals & stray cats when they showed up.🐮🐷🐏🐔🐣🐈
You could add battery run fans which would add some air flow. That way you can shut them off when you don't need them but can use them when it is warm.
Some houses have foundation ventilation "holes" but actually a rectangle about the size of a hesting system's floor register cut into the foundation and fitted with mesh for rodent and/ or insect control; similar/ the same as roof soffit vents. Buttt...they also make solid covers for these vents for use when it is dry and cold. Some must be manually put into place and as the price points increase these vent covers can be automatic at the flip of an electrical switch or fully automatic utilizing a thermocoupler. Green house vents work on the same principle.
❤ Kevin, with traditional greenhouse canopy, it's 2 layers of plastic to give an insulated layer between the two surfaces. Will your single layer be warm enough in winter? I thought about this when you replaced the black plastic. The idea is it would offer light/heat, and in warmer times, your ventilation will take too much heat out.
The problem comes down to fear. You could use artificial plants to mimic tufts that they can run in to and/or under to make them feel safe (you could create a spot or two with live plants, only you'd have to keep replacing it). Cold is, generally, not a problem with quail. As for the crazy back and forth weather, just prepare for the upcoming season as you deem it should and would be... And much like chicks in a brooder, they will go to the light if they're cold, and away from it when they're warm. Provide both. They'll regulate themselves. Hope that helps.
I have grow out pens with egg roll out. Each space is no morw than 8-10' tall. They prwfer short spaces my groq out pen has 3 layers each with (3) 1"x2". I raise then in one small bedroom by a bright east facing window that I open each morning. The radio comes on each morning which makes a happy environment. I turn lights on in the evening until abour 9 pm and turn our lights and shut b the door. They crow day and night when I have over abundance of males. I use plastic dropclorh up the wall and underneath the cage unit for easy cleanup. I do not worry about bird flu. I clean cages and trays once a week. They are raised on organic feed and I preserve eggs. This small setup wi works for me and them.
I was thinking a hiding place/warming station like a half of a medium dog crate or half a medium plastic dog house. When i had mine we had an indoor/outdoor run, out was wire floor and inside was a wood floor with wood chips. I always kept a light in there weather it was low wattage or something warmer for winter. I covered that outdoor pen with plastic and had wood on top to keep the rain off when the plastic wasn't on. Mine laid year round and I had a brooder built into that multi story unit to raise babies.
I know that when the temperature makes drastic changes quickly, many animals of all kinds get pneumonia and can die quickly. Often before you know they are sick when they are small or those with long necks like alpacas and Emus. Your Quail don't have many hiding spots and as such nervous birds they panic about lots of things. Bring in some natural hiding spots for them to go under instead of up. Many people have used things like small cedar trees that they have removed most of the under branches from creating a cave for the birds to hide under. You can even make a couple mini saw horses and drape evergreen boughs over the top and sides for them to get under. They will perch on top when not hiding and oftentimes will lay their eggs under them as well. They do like to hide as your finding out. As they become adjusted to their new home and especially the ones who have been born there and lived their whole lives in a hoop coup, they will realize that they are safe in their home and don't need to fly away from it.
My first thought about the quails might be partly due to the plywood if it is pressure treated. The wood has chemicals in it that prevents rot and bugs and over time and weather wood rot or dry rot. So if you are using pressure treated plywood i would find a safe wood sealant to keep the chemicals from leeching out of the wood especially when it is hotter outside. I sure do miss Tex! LOL I really loved him!❤ Peace and God Bless. PS. I believe due to the strong el nino thus year you guys may have less snow than normal. Down south and east we will probably see above average snow. Oh i hope it is snow and not the awful ice storms we usually get. We have had the coolest summer in SC that i can ever remember. We never did get over 98. Usually in July to August we are in the 104 range.
Thank you God bless you and may God smile upon you and show you his face and may he give you his peace and thank you for showing me the cattle I'm Moana I'm 67 and clintonville Wisconsin and I love I love seeing the cattle I don't know why I just do thank you thank you for all you do and I've learned a lot too I wish I had my own farm and ranch I believe one day I will if not I will in heaven and I enjoy watching your life on the homestead thank you very very much I am very appreciative I'm your sister in Christ Jesus yeshua God bless you and yours and yeshua's name amen 🌹🙏🌹🌹🌹
Quail, as all tiny creatures very sensitive to Electro-Magnetic changes (weather mod). That's your problem, not light or other usual issues. Grounding stick is needed.
Watch The Dimming Like your solar light. Waiting for mine to bite the dust...really old ones. Have mine in the house:) Yep, I think your right, flight. Just put a half dark tarp..
I don't think it is the cold that is killing the quail. In the seventies here in Ohio we lost most of our wild quail population due to deep snow not cold temps. Deep snow effects the wild turkey population as well as they actually starve. I don't think cold temps will kill them as long as they are protected from direct wind.
Thanks for sharing with us Sarah and Kevin. I hope that fixes your Quail problem. They do shoot up really fast and that could be the problem too, just have to wait and see with the changes you've made. It was good seeing how easy you get the cattle to move for you. Stay safe and keep up the great videos and the fun you two are having around there. Fred.
Try talking to them as you approach. seeing if getting used to your voice, knowing who is approaching won't frighten them? Anything is worth a try. Sorry for the lost birds. Hope a solution has been found.
I have never raised quail so this is me just thinking out loud lol. Plexiglass on the bottom of the door in the winter so they can still see out but protected from the cold. Can you set up a temporary camera inside to see if they are flying and hurting themselves. If they liked the security of the darker tarp, would some larger shelters on the floor work? I love watching you both take care of your animals and give them such great lives.
