Coturnix feathers sticking out

[DeeAnn5]

Hello. I have 4 Coturnix hens - all healthy and good layers. One of the 3 always looks like this (picture posted) - scruffy. The other 3 have smooth appearance (see one resting)

. I know what huddling is, how a sick bird will fluff out their feathers to stay warm. But she is not sick and not huddling. She has actually looked like this for a long time. My girls have a sand bath with a little bit of food grade diatomaceous earth in it and they love it. Though not sure I've ever seen her in it...could the other hens be keeping her out of it? If so, what should I do?

 

[Erkenstein]

Looks kind of like a frizzle. Have you hatched eggs from her?

Those birds look spoiled with all the goodies and terrain in their cage.

 

[Fishkeeper]

Oo, she might have a frizzle mutation. Definitely hatch a few eggs from her, you may have just discovered frizzle quail! May be recessive, though.
I doubt anything is wrong. It's probably just something odd in her genes somewhere. At worst it's a hormone issue that's causing her feathers to grow in weird.

 

[DeeAnn5]

OK thank you for the information! My roo died so it's just the 4 hens. I have never hatched any eggs. That was our original plan but after I got them we decided just to stick with these girls. They are amazing producers! I get 4 eggs daily, very few exceptions. They are pretty spoiled, I can't even look at different kinds of grasses this time of year without wondering if they would like it, for nesting or for snacks!!! I think she does get in the sand. They get lots of enrichment like cut grass from mowing, logs and rocks, so they hardly ever fight.

 

[DeeAnn5]

Also we have tons of extra kale in the garden so, you know.

 

[monkcat]

It does look like a frizzle. Funny, just today I read that it is, indeed, a thing quail can have as well as chickens. Sweet looking girl.

 

[DeeAnn5]

This was the first time I ever heard of frizzle!!