I can't seem to find any good definitive information on this...

My QP Olive was housed in her indoor cage for a couple of years, then back in May I built her an outdoor aviary. She has been enjoying it all summer and has done fine in the Texas heat, but I am concerned about the cool temps that are just around the corner. It's now in the 60s at night. Obviously I need to move her back into the house before the first freeze, but I want to know what the lowest temperature is that she would be safe and comfortable in outdoors.

Does anyone know?
Thanks!

Amanda (and Olive)

Generally a good rule of thumb is, if you're comfortable, they're comfortable. If it's too hot for you, bring the bird into the a/c, and if it's too cool for you, bring the bird in where it's warm.

There are wild Quaker colonies in Chicago and New York who have to survive somehow in seriously cold weather, but they've had a few generations to adjust. I would say if it's too chilly for you to be comfortable outdoors in shirtsleeves, it's too chilly for your bird.

We've had an unusually cool summer and we had the birds outside on the deck (in their cages) a few times and they ruffled up and sort of huddled into themselves when it was about 70, so I think 60ish is probably too cool for a tame Quaker. We've even closed our windows now because it's getting down in the 50s at night and I don't want that cool air to come in and chill them.

Well, they can take the cold down to about 40 degrees any lower than that and they should probably be able to get in out of the cold.

My quakers out in my outdoor aviary are able to go in and out and last winter when we had 10 below they would still go outside for a while each day, but they also had an insulated room that I had a heat lamp in for them as well.

Remember, there are wild flocks in New York and Chicago as well as here in Washington state where the weather gets really cold and they seem to survive quite well.

If you allow her to stay out as it gets cooler she will acclimate and will have a heavier downy layer.