baby quail with beak deformity

[ozzie]

I hatched this batch a few days ago and didn't pick it up till this morning. This little guy has the top part of its beak shorter than the bottom - kinda like those chooks that have been debeaked. I haven't done anything to it. It seems to get around okay ie eating and drinking and everything else is 'normal'. I guess I shouldn't be breeding from him/her?

 

[cjeanean]

Do you see the look of shame on that poor little guy's face?!?!?! You need to go hug him and kiss him and tell him that you love him anyway!!!!

 

[cjeanean]

j/k by the way....I couldn't help myself! He looks all bright and perky in the first pic, then in the second he looks all upset....

I don't know anything about quail....

 

[Ironsun]

Hi,

I don't think there is anything to worry about with this chick, I'm sure the top mandabile will grow normally.You ofter get this with many birds, and they go on to breed successfully.

Ironsun.

 

[dave3877]

looks fine to me im sure it will grow out of it and dont shame that poor quail lol

 

[ozzie]

They all look like this when you pick them up - all sad and dejected. I find that I need to hold onto them tighter than normal chicken chicks - I had a few literally just popcorn out of my hands, quick little buggers.

Thanks for the advice - I'll just watch it as it grows. I still have yet to figure out vent sexing. I tried on a couple (and got pooped on) - no idea still.

ozzie

 

[shelleyd2008]

Hi there, I had a baby goose that was ordered a few months ago that looked like that. It turned out to have cross-beak. Just keep an eye on it, if it gets worse and does turn into cross-beak I wouldn't use it for breeding.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

It makes him look like a canary!

Depending on how it grows out, you can decide whether to breed it or not. I definitely wouldn't use him in your main flock, but if you wanted to play with genetics and see if you can start a whole new variety of canary-beaked quail, that would be cool.

Nothing serious, but it would be a fun project to play with.

Many defects are looked down upon, but if you think about it, many of the coolest birds originated from selective breeding of "defects". I know that seems the case with many other animals, "Wow, this 'random animal-bird,dog, cat" is "random adjective-shorter,darker, taller" than the others and it in many cases inspires breeding projects. Not all work out, but those that do can produce some pretty interesting things.

Just think of the pigeon breeder who first saw his pigeon sieze up and do a back flip? Yeah, he could have culled that bird, but instead he/she decided to run with it and now you have some pretty cool pigeons that do multiple and random tumbles and flips.

-Kim

 

[Mrs MIA]

In another couple of weeks you'll be able to tell the sex from their chest feathers anyway...

I get birds all the time with something not quite right, and they turn out just fine. I don't think you have anything to worry about with his beak. He must have been falling asleep with the warmth of your hand!