Button Quail: Inside or Outside?

One common question of button quail breeders is whether they can and whether they should live outside. They seem so small and delicate they almost seem like they would need a heat lamp!

Well they definitely can live outside. The temperatures should not go below freezing, and they shouldn’t walk on snow.

These are pretty much the main guidelines. Many people heat their outside coop and they do just fine. Of course, like any animal, they need some degree of shade, cover, and hiding places.

It is also not that bad to keep them inside. They don’t smell (that much) if you keep them clean enough, and they don’t need too much room.

All that said, let’s look at some reasons why you would want to do either.

OUTSIDE

1. Most people have more room outside

Having a decent sized cage is important, and it is much easier to keep much larger groups of quail if you keep them outside where there is more room. It is hard to keep ten breeding pairs inside your house.

2. Most people don’t want to be cleaning constantly

For my inside button quail, I have to clean the walls and vacuum pretty much everyday to live up to my standards of cleanliness. I don’t really mind doing this, but I can certainly imagine why one would.

3. Fresh Air and Sun are Actually Good For Your Quail

Your quail will tend to be more mentally healthy outside. They will tend to lay more eggs outside and be happier.

4. It is easier to maintain vegetation outside

It is good for quail to have access to plants. It is not necessary, but it’s good for them. It easier to keep plants in actual dirt outside, because you probably don’t want dirt inside.

INSIDE

1. Warmth

It isn’t an extra electric bill to heat my inside quail. If I were to keep them outside in the winter, I would have to pay for extra heat, most of which would just escape into the broader world.

This is why I keep all my quail inside in the winter, and outside in the other three seasons.

2. It is more fun to sleep when button quail are snoring

How would one sleep without the noise of button quail ‘snores’ in the background?

Yes, when button quail sleep they make small whistling noises that I call ‘button quail snores.’

It is sad not to have those constant little chirping noises in the background of your life.

3. They are fun and therapeutic to watch

It is just much easier to observe your quail’s lives, which is fun as all get out.

4. It is easier to keep an eye on them

If you have your quail in your bedroom, like me, you notice pretty quickly when somethings off because every time you pass them, you notice them.

Thus, it easier to catch when things are wrong.

5. Predators tend to be more common outside

Although the only button quail predator attack I’ve ever had was by a black racer snake who somehow got into our house, it is generally considered to be more of a problem outside.

But in fairness, some of the worst predators are house cats so…

6. They tend to be tamer inside

When quail are constantly exposed to humans and their activity, they get less scared of humans. They tend to then become nicer.