Education & Training

At its core, a brooder for Coturnix quail (or quail in general) is just a safe micro-environment that gives chicks four things on Day 1: warmth, dryness, traction, and easy access to feed and water.

Winter doesn’t and shouldn't stop you with Coturnix quail. You can keep quail outside all winter (even at the high elevations and temperatures here in Colorado) and keep production steady, as long as you design for what they actually do need. They want their essentials available all the time: dry footing, constant feed and water, and a place to get out of the wind while fresh air keeps moisture moving out.

Cedar smells “clean,” repels pests, and looks great in a bag—so why do so many keepers warn against it for quail, especially chicks? Short answer: aromatic compounds and fine dust from cedar are tough on avian airways, and quail are small, fast-breathing birds with delicate respiratory systems. The safer play is low-dust, well-drained bedding that stays dry, neutral-scented, and mold-free, plus a brooder plan that puts traction and temperature control first.

Running quail isn’t about heroics; it’s about stable systems. Your kit (and your mindset) should keep birds comfortable, workflows predictable, and you calm when reality throws a wrench. Treat every task like a pre-flight checklist: prep, confirm, execute, log. When something goes wrong—and it will—fall back to a simple reset: stabilize water, feed, heat, and light first; then diagnose. That sequence keeps birds safe while you think.

Raising Coturnix quail doesn’t stop when the temperature drops. One of the most unique advantages of these birds is that they can be hatched all year round — even in the heart of a Colorado winter. With the right setup and awareness, winter hatches can thrive just as easily as spring clutches. But when it comes to brooding in cold weather, preparation is everything.

Are you in city limits too? Do you have regulations on what type of animals can inhabit your yard? Here are some small space homesteading options to consider aside from or in addition to chickens.

Hello, I'm Kelli Knecht. I operate a small business we call Feathered Knechtions (pronounced connections), and I wanted to do a quick introduction of myself and let you know what I'm all about over here in my neck of the woods (central Utah).

When winter closes in, we don’t close the barn—we adjust the mission. Coturnix respond to day length, not brute lumens. Our job is to deliver a calm, predictable “sunrise-to-sunset” that tells their bodies, “keep laying,” while avoiding stress, overheating, or power waste. Treat lighting like nutrition or ventilation: measured, intentional, and boringly consistent. Decide on a program, write it down (timer settings, check points, backup plan), and fly it every day the same wa

Building the Perfect Launch Pad: Quail Housing Done Right. When it comes to housing Coturnix quail, your setup can make or break your flock’s comfort, productivity, and long-term health. These little birds are compact, quiet, and efficient — but they still need the right balance of safety, space, and structure to thrive. At Zero G Quail Farms, we treat housing like a launch system: every detail counts before takeoff.

The days are short, the air bites, and the world outside feels tucked under a gray blanket. Winter always seems to linger a little too long here. The coop is quieter now, and even the quail seem to move slower, puffed up like tiny feathered snowballs against the chill. I love winter and most winter months I'm jealously looking at everyone's pictures on Facebook. Here. in the south, we don't get your typical winter, with most days just being wet and cloudy with warm weather. A

Chick "Do's & Don'ts".

Incubation crash course. The simple basics to get you on the right path.