I first want to say thank you to everyone who kept this thread going while I was away & gave so much encouragement for the Deep Litter method. I took a big hiatus before the winter to focus on things at home & really settling in since the move to our new home. It was well needed, but now I'm back & ready to continue with more stories of my quail adventures!
I also want to say I'm very happy to read all these posts from people who switched to DL & how happy their quail are now. This is wonderful. As for all the questions, some were answered & some still had questions so I'll try to answer where I can. Pardon me if I missed any!
Fire Ants: I've never had to deal with quail & fire ants together, though I did stand on a colony as a kid (but that's another story). I would say any type of critter/bug which can potentially swarm & bite/sting might be dangerous to caged quail (and any type of small pet/livestock for that matter).
If the quail are caged, they're essentially trapped since they can't fly or run to escape. So it's up to their caretaker (that's you) to make sure they have a safe place to live, free of pests. Either the pen should be moved away from any troublesome ant colonies or secured in such a way that the ants cannot enter. For the latter, I would assume a combination of mesh, safe traps (non-poison) & sticky mats might help. It depends on how bad the pests are & what resources you have - please research & ask around locally if you can!
As for the use of straw...
I would recommend
against using any type of LONG & hollow straw for poultry deep litter - especially for small birds like quail. If you can get it pre-shredded (or shred it yourself somehow) & if the cores aren't hugely hollow then go with that but make the portions smaller than the rest of the litter (ie, more shavings, leaves, dry grass). Otherwise it becomes a problem. Long straw doesn't 'mesh' well together with the deep litter, often floating on top or matting like cement on the ground (just like with larger chicken runs). The hollow cores means the straw is more likely to encourage mites to make their home in it. Lastly, straw is not very absorbent - in the past it was used as a type of natural shingle to shed water off barns, houses & animal food/hay huts. You don't want water shed, you want water absorbancy.
DE in deep litter. I've never used it, I don't personally like the idea of it for a few reasons. Since that stuff can easily kill bad bacteria in one swoop, it may also kill beneficial bacteria in the litter. That might mean the litter won't break down as quickly. Remember, you don't want to keep deep litter there forever, you want it to be used & moved into compost as it gets broken down by time & scratching. A healthy deep litter is a thriving environment for GOOD bacteria & bugs (like springtails).
If you decide to use DE at all I'd say do it sparingly, in little tests to see how it affects the litter. Make sure it's turned in well so it doesn't hurt your quails lungs or eyes.
Wood Ash substitute. Oh boy. I live in Canada so wood ash is something of a surplus here - especially because of this crazy winter. I wouldn't know what to use as an exact substitute to wood ash but it's possible you could ask around & see if there are places that make wood ash as a byproduct. I would speak with national parks, call local pagan or Wiccan groups (some may hold outdoor spiritual events with bonfires), and the likes.
Alternatively, if you have a BBQ grill, you could try to burn bits of wood in that - I've never done it so def research first. It's also possible to order some wood ash, or get a friend in colder climates to send you a package of fine ash - it would be much lighter than shipping soil. I hope that helps give some ideas.
Okay so, now for my own update!
I wanted to mention here how wonderful deep litter is for someone in a freezing cold climate like me. Spring is right around the corner, though yesterday's blizzard suggests we've got another couple weeks more to go. But I digress...
No Drafts: Quail do NOT like drafts. Especially under their feather-skirts! Having deep litter always at their feet means they can squat down to rest anytime & stay warm with no drafts under them - unlike a mesh floor. Sitting for a long while will also keep the ground warm & cozy in that spot all night. It's kinda like when your bed is cold when you first lie down, but when you wake up in the morning you don't want to leave it 'cause it's so warm & everything else is freezing. Now imagine laying on a bed that has cold drafts coming up from the springs. Ugh! That's what I imagine wire mesh floors are like for the quail.
Warm Feet: There is NO worry about their feet freezing to metal floors. I can have open water tubs, they can run right in them (much to my displeasure) & run back on the litter without hurting their feet. Ever lick a frozen pole as a kid? (I admit I did this!) It's not fun, neither would be running on wire with wet feet (from water or feces). I've also found their feet stay clean on deep litter, even in winter. While they do get a bit dirty, they don't clump & so far I've not had to wash any of their feet while they've been in the coop.
Downside: The only big downside I've found is the litter does get hard & may freeze in very cold weather if there's a bit too much moisture in the litter. But at around 0C/32F the deep litter is workable & easy to fluff with a scooper (I use a plastic dust pan). Since my quail balance is about even with the amount of litter they mess up, I just leave the DL till it thaws & then work it.
Sometimes I just scatter a few handfuls of shavings on top & let them work it for me...it keeps them entertained.
Below is a video of my quail on the deep litter in the later end of winter (February). It was getting close to -30C/-22F consistently, so last month I decided to make them a little quail hut. They don't use it as often anymore since it's only around -10C/16F & prefer the open pen to the little hut. Though some do lay inside the hut, which is nice.
The deep litter at the time was mostly pine shavings, since grass & leaves are in short supply when snow is up to your knees. I'll have to remember to save a bag or two of dry leaves in the coop's loft for the quail.
That's all for my update. Please let me know how your quail have been doing in winter. If you have any more questions or even some new pictures of your quails & DL runs/coops please feel free to share!