Approx 10 wks old Poor feather coverage

[Bevridge Farm]

Hi There,

I am a novice with Jap Quails so am seeking some advice in regards to my approximately 10 weeks old Quail. As you will see from the photo he (I think, had a close look today) has poor feather coverage. He is a happy little fellow; attitude seems healthy, active and loves his dinner but the feathers!!

He has always had patchy feathers and did lose a few in a fight but has not improved.
I have him in at the bottom of a 2 storey rabbit hutch with dust bath under a north facing pergola. I am located in Perth Australia and we are currently in autumn.

He gets fed - finch mix, layer crumble (only just figured it is probably a male, in with 2 females), egg & biscuit and mashed up fruit/veg.

1. Lack of light?
2. Dietary issues?
3. Pest/disease?




Comments and advice will be appreciated
Regards
Mazzi

 

[TwoCrows]

Feather loss can be caused by many things...Could be something as simple as molting, maybe others are ripping his feathers out, mites and bugs always cause feather loss, the over all health of the bird and of course disease.

So you need to eliminate everything to narrow it down. Start by checking his skin. Is it red and irritated? Look around the vent and back of the neck especially. There you may find eggs and possibly bugs themselves.

Monitor the other birds in the pen to make sure they are not pulling his feathers out. It is not always aggression that make others pluck feathers. Sometimes they will do this to eat them for added protein.

The big thing you need to do is, and if this is a male, this is VERY important, get him off the layer feed. The calcium in the feed WILL destroy his kidneys. It is possible this is what is going on and why he is losing his feathers. His life might be next. Make sure to get him on some high protein gamebird food. Something with 24% to 28% protein.

Keep us posted.

Oh, and welcome to BYC and the quail forums!

 

[TwoCrows]

Oh...also, as a preventative, that hard floor may cause feet issues over time. The hardness of it can cause bruising and possibly bumblefoot to the pads of the feet. So you might want to consider putting down some sort of bedding or at least divide the area in half and make one half sand or bedding and leave the other half this hard surface.

 

[Bevridge Farm]

Two Crows. Thank you so much for the time taken for such an in depth reply. I really appreciate it!

I have looked on the internet in regards to gamebird feed available in the my local area, (not much luck really) do you feel this http://www.lauckemills.com.au/poultry-game2.html would be suitable ? This product is the highest protein I can find, most are 18%.

Having fun looking around and learning
Regards
Mazzi

 

[TwoCrows]

You do what you have to do and if this is all you have to feed, the do so. It depends on what you are doing with your quail. If these are meat birds, then a low protein diet is not good. They won't gain the weight and muscle you are looking for in birds you intend on eating. If these are birds you are selling to the public or their eggs, then again, low protein is not good. Will produce low quality birds. If these are just pets or entertainment, then they can survive on 18%. Depending on the health of each individual bird, some may not respond as well to the lower protein and as you are having the problem, feathers may not grow in as well. They may not lay frequently due to the lack of protein. But it certainly won't kill them. You can always add some meal worms to the diet or hard boiled eggs. Other animal protein, if they will eat it, would also up the protein. I have heard that quinoa, a grain, is a very high nutrient food and can improve the health of birds and humans as well.

Good luck with your quail.

 

[satay]

Laucke mills make a gamebird starter. That's is what I feed mine and would be better than the finisher.

 

[Sycamore27]

If the 22% protein feed is all you have available in your area then go for it, though if you can get them to order in the starter for you that would be better. I would suggest mealworms or cooked egg 3 or 4 times a week to supplement the protein for them if you have to go with the finisher. Though I would caution against mealworms for birds younger than 6 weeks, they usually seem to decide toes are food too before then.

Good luck!
Jessie