Birds dropping like flies

[jojackc]

So I have something going on at least I think. I have now had a total of 5 adult birds and 4 chicks die in a one week period and I am not sure what is going on. It started with my Gambel quail, I had 4 together in a cage 2 males and 2 females. One day I come home and one of the females is dead, no signs of damage on her so I didn't think it was fighting but wasn't sure how she died. Next day I get home and one of the males is missing a huge clump of feathers on the back of his neck, so I am like wait a min maybe they are fighting. I was in the middle of their breading season. So I remove that male and put him in a cage by himself and I think my problems solved. Wrong. I also had 4 chicks inside the house about two weeks old. I have 3 of them die one day at a time so every day a new one is dead. Next day I get home the two Gambels together are dead along with one of my coturnix quail that are in another cage that was yesterday. Today I got home to my last chick being dead and the last Gambel I had. So now I am down to two coturnix birds and I don't know what to do. Sorry for the long story but I can't put my finger on it. I live in Arizona so I was thinking maybe the heat? But they why did the chicks in the house die? And the Gambels are native to Arizona and shouldn't have any problem with the heat. Any help would be helpful.

 

[Binki]

Oh no !! It sounds like a spreading illness or perhaps something wrong with something you've been exposing them all to such as food/water??

If they aren't all eating the same food/got the same treats, then could be an illness or water problem, you'd think since it started in adults outside it wouldn't be the water so I would think maybe a sick wild bird??

No symptoms at all like lethargic behaviour or runny eyes, etc?

Is it possible to get a necropsy on an adult bird? I don't know how much vets charge for that or if maybe the government has a place to send suspected bird illnesses?

As I'm sure you're already thinking, you need to find out so you can stop it from happening again... I don't have experience with illness in birds, does anybody know anything about a sickness that makes a bird "drop dead" with no symptoms? :/

Poops were okay? No new changes in anything from dishes to bedding?

 

[chickmashnoon]

It was about $120 for a necropsy for my parakeet from the local avian vet about 10 years ago.

 

[chickmashnoon]

You can check with your local state University or extension agency to see if they have anything spreading around lately in your area.

 

[Binki]

Here's a list of some "sudden death" in birds,

https://www.beautyofbirds.com/suddendeathinbirds.html