4.5 week coturnix not eating/drinking. Won't open beak. 😕

[Urbanhomestead_ut]

I woke up this morning and my favorite quail buddy looked really off. He's sleeping standing up and won't really move around. I have been watching him all day and he's not eating or drinking. When I tried to feed him some meal worms he tries to go for them but won't open his beak to actually get them. And he won't open for me to try to give him water.
I really don't want him to die. He's my only pearl. Any ideas how I can help him?

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Not really sure how to help but maybe you could VERY VERY Gently try to open his beak using your fingers and just drop a bit of water in there. A few minutes later open it again and drop a small piece of food in there. If it doesn't work i don't know what to do...

 

[shrimpsilkies]

Yeah, I had an Ameraucana cockerel that got into a fight and got his head really badly pecked. Wouldn’t open his mouth to eat. So what ended up happening was I would hold him under one arm, force his beak open, and use a pipette to put water into his mouth (make sure it isn’t going into his windpipe). I would also feed him by making little balls of compacted feed and egg yolk which could be put into his beak, and he could swallow those. He ended up making a full recovery. If you scaled it down to quail size, this might work.

 

[Nabiki]

Here are some questions that will help us try to help you.
What is your set up like?
How many birds do you have?
What are you feeding him?
How old is he?
What does his poop look like?

 

[Urbanhomestead_ut]

Here are some questions that will help us try to help you.
What is your set up like?
How many birds do you have?
What are you feeding him?
How old is he?
What does his poop look like?

Set up is a 4x2 cage with 7- 5 week old quail in it. They are currently in my garage with a heat lamp to acclimate to the cold weather.
I'm feeding a 28% protein game bird mash
His poop has looked green and more watery
I syringe feed him some water mixed with nutri drench today.
He still won't move around and is sleeping standing up.

 

[Urbanhomestead_ut]

Excuse the red light. It's the heat lamp. He just stands in the corner and doesn't move, doesn't lay down, doesn't eat. He was fine yesterday.

 

[Nabiki]

That doesn't sound good. The green poop implies that he hasn't been eating for a while. Do you have any Save-a-chick or Nutri-drench? I would separate him from the rest of the birds in case he has anything contagious.

I hope he gets better.

 

[Urbanhomestead_ut]

That doesn't sound good. The green poop implies that he hasn't been eating for a while. Do you have any Save-a-chick or Nutri-drench? I would separate him from the rest of the birds in case he has anything contagious.

I hope he gets better.

I "fed" him some nutri drench mixed with water from a syringe earlier today but he wouldn't take much. He goes over and puts his head in the food holder but doesn't eat.... then walks back to the corner and just drops his head down and closes his eyes.

 

[Urbanhomestead_ut]

I added a feeder from when they were smaller and he started eating out of it. I also saw him take a drink. Hopefully that means he's improving.

 

[Quailobsessed]

How is he now?