Questions on deep litter and winter enclosure

[Mandiii]

Hi! I've had a couple of quail that I've kept inside as pets and am interested in branching out to keeping several more in an outside aviary set up. But, I'm not completely sure that my plan is a good one. I've been going through old threads and have gotten some answers, but I could use a little help answering some other questions.

I have a 4x8 foot garden bed that I never grow anything in (it gets a lot of shade). I am hoping to convert this into a small aviary, with about 1/3 of it a covered box type of enclosure with vents at the top and the rest protected with hardware cloth. I am planning on digging down and adding hardware cloth underneath as well. I live in the suburbs and get the occasional predator.

Questions:
1. Can you really use deep litter with quail? I've heard conflicting info on this. If not, is there a better system? I would like to compost their poop to use in the rest of my garden. If you can use deep litter, how many quail would you suggest I start off with in a space that size?

2. I live in Michigan. It gets COLD. Do I need to keep a certain number of quail for them to keep warm in the winter? If I wrapped the enclosure in heavy plastic
leaving a gap at the top for airflow, or put pieces of acrylic around the outside of the enclosure during winter would that be sufficient for them? Is there good products to keep water from freezing, or do you just change it out a couple of times a day?

Thank you so much for any help!

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

I am getting into quail as well is this is a wonderful question! Are you raising quail for meat or eggs? Or both lol. I as well live in Michigan, more in the Ludington, GR, area, where are you?

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

I would definitely get a water heated, just like a dog bowl heater from Amazon, put a strip of chicken wire in front of it so that they can only get their heads in there, and then you'll only be filling it a few times a week depending on how many quail you get. How many are you planning on getting?

 

[Mandiii]

I am getting into quail as well is this is a wonderful question! Are you raising quail for meat or eggs? Or both lol. I as well live in Michigan, more in the Ludington, GR, area, where are you?

Hi! I'm in a Detroit suburb (Madison heights). I'll definitely use the eggs and am hoping to use the males for meat. (Lol. That is mostly based on if I can get the courage up to butcher them. I've watched a few YouTube videos and think I can do it.)

 

[Mandiii]

I would definitely get a water heated, just like a dog bowl heater from Amazon, put a strip of chicken wire in front of it so that they can only get their heads in there, and then you'll only be filling it a few times a week depending on how many quail you get. How many are you planning on getting?

Thanks for the suggestion on waterer! I wouldn't have thought about that. I'm still figuring out how many quail to get. I'll probably start with ordering a set of hatching eggs and go from there since I have an incubator.

 

[Nabiki]

This sounds very similar to how I keep my quail. I have 6' x 8' garden beds and I keep my quail on them when I'm not planting in them. I hoe the poop under every now and then, and it works quite well.

 

[_-Captain BRM-_]

Hi! I'm in a Detroit suburb (Madison heights). I'll definitely use the eggs and am hoping to use the males for meat. (Lol. That is mostly based on if I can get the courage up to butcher them. I've watched a few YouTube videos and think I can do it.)

Neat, that's my same plan!! Let me know how everything goes, I will do the same!