Nasty skin/feather problem

[rosco]

the larger birds in these photos hatched and looked all wet. the feathers looked smeared. i figured out the problem (you can see smaller chicks that hatched a few days later are normal in way of fluff feathers), but now they're not growing feathers normally.

even though the problem started in the hatcher, i thought it might be mites so threw some DE on them.

if you have seen and fixed this feather problem, please let me know.

THX!

 

[joe125]

I'm no vet, but my best guess is mites. Chicks that young shouldn't look like that. You probably need something stronger than DE, and maybe stronger than 7 dust. You may have mites in your brooder/s. Simply turning them off for a month may help.

 

[rosco]

i can't use a pesticide such as 7 Dust. i'd just have to 86 the ones that don't respond to DE and treat the brooder. then return it to service. these quail will serve as food in a short time.

my question, i guess, is really, is this an insect issue or is it related to the hatcher conditions. they kinda started this way when hatching.

Thx though

 

[Stellar]

There is garden dust (pyrethryn) that serves as the same purpose as Sevin.

 

[shelleyd2008]

You say they've looked like that since hatch? They were probably stuck in their shells and pulled some of the fluff off.

 

[MetalSmitten]

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or possibly a nutrition deficiency with the breeding stock that those eggs were from.

 

[rosco]

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or possibly a nutrition deficiency with the breeding stock that those eggs were from.

that is what i was thinking.

i called the feed store and a lady there reminded me of the heat. it has been excessively hot here. one week it was even hotter than hot. usual has been 100F. one week it was 105-110F. lots of animals died that week. not here but in the area. i won't even bother to trace back in time to determine if that was the week of collection or whatever other part was affected. it was that one week.

thanks for the help!

oh, the feed is game bird startena by purina. 30%CP; 1-1.5%Ca & 0.8%P. is that the same as what everyone else is feeding? this is a good feed store. not a tractor supply where the workers really are nutritionists. these people are in most all ways. talking to them is like talking to tech assistance at a feed mfg.

 

[joe125]

Quote:
this.

or possibly a nutrition deficiency with the breeding stock that those eggs were from.

that is what i was thinking.

i called the feed store and a lady there reminded me of the heat. it has been excessively hot here. one week it was even hotter than hot. usual has been 100F. one week it was 105-110F. lots of animals died that week. not here but in the area. i won't even bother to trace back in time to determine if that was the week of collection or whatever other part was affected. it was that one week.

thanks for the help!

oh, the feed is game bird startena by purina. 30%CP; 1-1.5%Ca & 0.8%P. is that the same as what everyone else is feeding? this is a good feed store. not a tractor supply where the workers really are nutritionists. these people are in most all ways. talking to them is like talking to tech assistance at a feed mfg.

Purinimills Game Bird Starter (Startena) is the hands down best feed for coturnix chicks that I have found. Product number 5419 is the non-medicated version that I use, and swear by. They also make a medicated version, product number 5422, that is only available in certain geographic areas. The product number is prominently stamped on the feed tag. As far as nutrition goes, either is fine, and if you have been feeding this from hatch, then I can rule out nutrition problems. I have no experience with the medicated version #5422, so I can't rule out the medication as a cause, but not wanting to start a medicated verses non-medicated argument, I'll say that they are nutritionally the same.

The heat could possibly be a problem on 2 counts. #1. It could be just too hot and anything can happen, however, "MOLTING" rarely results in bare patches, at least around here. #2. It could be caused by piling,picking, or perching. This happens when temps are to low in a brooder, and chicks pile on top, perch on top, or pick feathers.

Are we talking about one single chick, or a whole batch? I admit to being confused about this.

 

[Stellar]

Ammonia buildup can cause feather loss or not growing properly.

 

[sourland]

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