Bullied Cross-Beaked Quail

[HappySetHayes]

Hi

I have four coturnix quails - two are about 9-10 months old and two are 4 weeks old now.

The two older girls are tuxedo and white, and the babies were hatched out under the tuxedo who went broody (I shipped in some fertile eggs to put under her).

The two babies are pretty happy and healthy - I think they're both girls - but one was born with a crossed beak. Beaker (as I'm calling the crossed beak) is fine with eating and drinking and so I've just been leaving her be without any special treatment.

However, now the white aunty quail has started bullying Beaker. She chases her around and around the cage and sometimes pecks at her.

I wonder is this ordinary pecking order behaviour or is the white aunty going to hurt Beaker (maybe because she looks different)? And do I need to separate them?

 

[tumnus]

So first and foremost, great name. 10/10

A little chasey-pecky stuff is going to happen with quail. The older quail might be feeling a little bit territorial, or it could be pecking order. Your juveniles are quickly becoming adults and aunty is marking her place in the flock.

I view my quail more as livestock than pals, so when I see this kind of behavior, I tend to let the flock suss it out and intervene if the bird is injured. It sounds like you've got a degree of fondness for Beaker, so you might consider a second enclosure for your two juveniles. Keep in mind that quail skin is thin and tears easily.

Do you keep them indoors or out? How much space do they have?

 

[nightowl223]

First, congrats for actually getting a Coturnix to actually choose to go broody. That's not exactly a common thing with them.

I would suggest you gently trim Aunty's beak so it isn't so sharp. That's what I would do - what I have done, in fact, in comparable circumstances. Nail clippers work well with birds' beaks. One snip on one side, towards the middle, one on the other side, to create an even sharper point, then clip off the point. I generally use two more clips to begin rounding off the beak, then one final one in the center (5 clips total... hope that description makes sense). Don't go very far up, though, as birds' beaks will bleed if they are cut or broken too far up - compare it to cutting into the quick of your fingernail, as an example.

As well, keep a close eye on things. Even with a rounded off beak, she could do some damage. Just in case, find some bluekote medicine, which is a liquid that is not only antiseptic & antibiotic, but purple colored, so injuries are not so easily visible to other birds. It's comparable to the spray that is used on horses, but without the aerosol dangers. Just keep it handy. Even if they never need it, it's better to be prepared rather than panicked. It WILL stain, though, so be careful with it, LOL!

 

[lomine]

A Cot went broody and managed to hatch shipped eggs? That's pretty darn cool.

This could be normal pecking order behavior. How old are the younger ones? If they are just now coming into maturity that may be a reason for the chasing. Now they need to find their spot in the hierarchy and Aunty wants to make sure they know she is on top.

Are you sure they are all girls? Could be Beaker is a male and tried to mate the older hen and she didn't take too kindly to it.

It could also be because of the cross beak. Sometimes nature can seem cruel when it comes to that sort of thing but keeping such deformities out of the gene pool is the best for the whole species. That is how nature deals with the issue.

I personally see mine more as livestock too, so I would cull any with a cross beak. But if you want to keep Beaker, I would recommend a "wait and see" approach. As long as there is no blood drawn it should all work itself out. If it escalates then you will have to decide what you want to do about Beaker.