Coturnix cannibalism..............pleeease HELP!

[mhwc56]

last week i posted about the loss of some birds to ...rats?...
this morning i went out to tend birds and found 2 dead with holes through their back half to where the egg part of the quail is..just like before .AND 1 alive but a bunch of feathers pulled where she had been started on.
WHAT is going on with these birds ...has anyone had this problem before? WHY would they be doing this? I have a couple hens with blood all over their faces.

 

[Fat Daddy]

Hate to hear that its the other birds... I have never had this problem, but I think I would have those fine birds with the bloody face in for dinner!! Good luck Lady, Bill

 

[mhwc56]

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yep. they are DEFINITELY on the menu ! egg eaters are usually impossible to stop and these seem to be eggeaters to the NTH degree.........

i really think that's what they're after is the developing egg .......i sooooo can't believe this is happening ...

 

[FenDruadin]

Sooo sorry! Do you mind if I ask--do you have juveniles in with adults? That will often lead to brutal fighting. But this doesn't really sound like that--sounds like a gruesome form of egg eating.

Can you separate them into groups so you can begin to isolate who the perps are? Or do you already know? I couldn't tell if you were saying the girls had blood on the faces because they've been eating the other quail or if it's their own blood from being pecked on.

If you already know then, hurray. Dinnertime!

 

[mhwc56]

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No juvies in the pen. They've been together since hatch and are last fall's hatch.
No, the blood's from eating so i know who's guilty . i figure that once they start cannibalizing that's the end of the story for them. SOOOO glad i have LOTS of eggs in the bator b/c this is my main breeding pen and has most of my hens in it.
SOOOOOOOOO disgusted/sad

 

[FenDruadin]

Here's hopes for better luck with the next batch! That's such an awful thing to happen.

 

[mhwc56]

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it just doesn't make any sense to me WHY they are doing this !!!!!!!!

 

[yinepu]

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it just doesn't make any sense to me WHY they are doing this !!!!!!!!

What are you feeding them?.. is it possible they have a protein deficiency or something else lacking in their feed?.. over crowding would be my second thought.. but I don't think that's the issue with your birds..
gonna keep my fingers crossed that this is just an isolated incident and you never have to deal with it again

 

[TheRealTimShady]

Quote:
No juvies in the pen. They've been together since hatch and are last fall's hatch.
No, the blood's from eating so i know who's guilty . i figure that once they start cannibalizing that's the end of the story for them. SOOOO glad i have LOTS of eggs in the bator b/c this is my main breeding pen and has most of my hens in it.
SOOOOOOOOO disgusted/sad

i think the part in bold right there...thats your answer, i'd solve it right now*snip*

 

[mhwc56]

Quote:
No juvies in the pen. They've been together since hatch and are last fall's hatch.
No, the blood's from eating so i know who's guilty . i figure that once they start cannibalizing that's the end of the story for them. SOOOO glad i have LOTS of eggs in the bator b/c this is my main breeding pen and has most of my hens in it.
SOOOOOOOOO disgusted/sad

i think the part in bold right there...thats your answer, i'd solve it right now*snip*

yes i know WHO participated what i need to know now is WHY they did it....
they get 28% protein. apples, greens,etc to supplament as well as clean,seedy, fresh hay ,fresh water 2 X a day or as needed
there's room for 18 coturnix in the pen allowing 1sq.ft. each but there was only 9 in there ..1 roo /8 hens.
They HAVE to be culled. all except the roo. The roos don't seem to be the issue here but the hens definitely are . i cannot have them learning to do this then teaching it to others.
WHY? WHY ? WHY?????