drunk acting courtinix quail.?

DLS

Songster
11 Years
Mar 15, 2008
846
6
161
100 miles SOUTH of Atlanta
This morning I have a courtinix quail staggering around like its drunk . The others are OK. The quail are 5 weeks old what can iT be? And what can - or should I do?
Thanks
D
 
I lost an adult hen that was acting like that. She was egg bound. I know yours are young so that shouldn't be your problem. I have read that a dehydrated quail acts that way, but I don't have any first hand knowledge, maybe you could give her some sugar water. I wish I could help you more.

Brad
 
DLS- Just wondering how the Quail turned out, incase it ever happens my quail..

The more you read here about the experiences other people have the more is learned and hopefully remembered if it happens to you.

I learn something new everyday!!

Welcome to BYC!
 
It is still wobbling around . it will flop on its back sometimes . I wonder if it bumped its head on the roof of the cage? I was afraid it caught some thing might spread to the rest. but it just mostly sits there . when it tries to get around is when the staggering & falling down starts.
 
If it is still wobbling around and falling after 24 hrs I believe I would quarantine it. My reasoning is for a head bonk to still be effecting it this long afterward should have killed it. Hopefully it is some sort of neurological problem and not a bacterial/internal pest related problem which could spread to your other birds. Once again I'm just giving you suggestions of what I would do if it happened to me. I don't have any first hand experience with this ailment to a young bird.

Brad

ETA: I do hope your bird gets better.
 
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I have one that's doing that now. I had another die (while my covey was being cared for while on vacation) that may have had a similar condition. Lethargic, can't walk, falls over face first. Doesn't want to eat or drink. He seems strong enough to walk when I handle him, but it's like he has no balance/coordination. I have him in quarantine for 3 days now. He's at least standing and I find him in different areas of the cage. Won't eat sliced grapes, meal worms or food. It's like he's too confused and freaked out.

I've read about possible Mereks disease (look for watery diarhea) or even H1N1. All other birds in his large cage (20) are fine, as well as the two other tiers. Cage was cleaned from last birds with clorox water a month before. Feet look fine. Wish their was a bird Dr around. Dr Pol?
 
I have had the same thing from all the quail that have lived longer than a week. They start acting drunk, then they get super tired and sleep all the time. Then 3 days later they start to struggle to breath. I have been using durastat with oregano to give this new quail a fighting chance against sickness. But now it is doing the same thing. I am wondering if it's an ear infection or maybe neurological disease of some kind. The one where he is on his back was this morning around 8 Am and the others are 10 pm. The drunk walking started yesterday. Today he just gets weaker through out the day. What can fix this? Is there an anti biotic I can try? I would rather go natural but I really want to keep him alive. So basically I will try anything.
 

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I had a quail that was walking like a sailor on payday. He was falling over face first, appeared disoriented, would lay on his side.
I researched potential causes: H1N1 (bird flu) and another neurological infection which both seams to exhibit progressive and total paralysis in a few days.
For quail due to their "pop up" flight, they "boink" their head on the cage top and get a concussion. The treatment is pretty much the same... isolate, keep warm and access to clean food and water. It takes a good 4-5 days to recover from a concussion (think Sydney Crosby out for 6 months!).

My roo got progressively better after the first day or two. He was back to close to normal in 5 days. I waited 8 days before putting him back in his covey and he is doing fine.
If it's a neurological virus, he will most likely die at this stage. A vaccine is too late to help. Keeping him away from the others essentially in quarantined you will protect the others and give him the optimal chance of returning to health. Animals are incredibly resilient. Clean and cared for does wonders
 

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