Dying quail

In your experience how quickly does it spread and cause death. Does the timeline sound about right. I've never seen anything next to them and haven't noticed yellowish diarrhea. I have noticed they fluff up but I figured that could be to stay warm.

Would it hurt to treat them anyway? I didn't purchase from a breeder if that makes a difference. It was a family friend who runs a pumpkin patch and didn't want to keep them over winter. I'm not sure if that's important or not.

I will note that that the one that passed today looked like it had wet feathers by its vent. It was a lighter bird and the wetness had no color unless it was whitish. I kept it to look at better tomorrow.

Weird question but you've been quite helpful. Have tried to examine one for UE? If so was it quite noticeable when you opened it up?

I really appreciate the help.
It spreads like wildfire, very quickly. No, it would not hurt to treat them. Some may die without obvious signs of the disease or weight loss. Infected birds and especially those that are chronically affected will be lethargic and anorexic, they will appear to be 'hunched up' with retracted necks and closed eyes.
If they are infected, their droppings will be very evident if it's UE by the yellowish coloration and streaked with urates and usually surround with a watery ring.

Primarily the lesions will be found in the lower small intestine, ceca and liver. The lesions or ulcers will be well defined and ~ 5mm in diameter, they may be yellow in color.
Liver lesions will appear as yellow, necrotic foci or have an irregular shape. The other organ that can have lesions too, is the spleen, which will be enlarged and appear to be necrotic or hemorrhagic.

If you're conducting the necropsy, be sure to wear latex gloves and to wash your hands and any clothing that may be contaminated, throughly, afterwards to prevent cross contamination
HTH
 
It spreads like wildfire, very quickly. No, it would not hurt to treat them. Some may die without obvious signs of the disease or weight loss. Infected birds and especially those that are chronically affected will be lethargic and anorexic, they will appear to be 'hunched up' with retracted necks and closed eyes.
If they are infected, their droppings will be very evident if it's UE by the yellowish coloration and streaked with urates and usually surround with a watery ring.

Primarily the lesions will be found in the lower small intestine, ceca and liver. The lesions or ulcers will be well defined and ~ 5mm in diameter, they may be yellow in color.
Liver lesions will appear as yellow, necrotic foci or have an irregular shape. The other organ that can have lesions too, is the spleen, which will be enlarged and appear to be necrotic or hemorrhagic.

If you're conducting the necropsy, be sure to wear latex gloves and to wash your hands and any clothing that may be contaminated, throughly, afterwards to prevent cross contamination
HTH
Thank you very much for the information. I really really appreciate it. Unfortunately we seem to be unable to find the medication locally and have to order it. Hopefully it makes it here soon with the holidays.
 
Ok. New information. I could not find over the counter antibiotics anywhere local. I finally found a vet today that would do a partial necropsy.

He called me and said the quail had empty stomachs, barely any muscle mass and very little abdominal fat.

He mentioned hypothermia but seems like an odd diagnosis since we just started having really cold weather.

He also suspects a low grade respiratory infection even though the lungs looked good.

He prescribed an antibiotic that started with an L. I can't remember what he said it was.

We are considering moving them to the basement so they have consistent Temps.

Other than this we are still at a loss.
 
Did he open the lower intestines? Did he mention the liver and spleen condition? Very rarely will a respiratory infection cause them to become anorexic, loss of muscle without obvious signs of the infection.
???? I'm at a loss as well.
 
Did he open the lower intestines? Did he mention the liver and spleen condition? Very rarely will a respiratory infection cause them to become anorexic, loss of muscle without obvious signs of the infection.
???? I'm at a loss as well.
I will ask when I go in to pick up the prescription. He did say he seend no sign of UE which would lead me to believe that he looked at the intestines also he mentioned their stomachs were completely empty.

I feel like the answers I got really just left more questions. I don't know what would cause a quail to have no stomach fat or muscle mass and searching the internet hasn't lead to anything.
 
Well, an empty stomach, to me, would mean that it hasn't been eating, and muscle decline would mean they are not digesting said food! How was it's crop? ....did he look at it?
Usually, quail that old do not have a 'failure to thrive' syndrome.
I really have no idea, anymore!
 
Well, an empty stomach, to me, would mean that it hasn't been eating, and muscle decline would mean they are not digesting said food! How was it's crop? ....did he look at it?
Usually, quail that old do not have a 'failure to thrive' syndrome.
I really have no idea, anymore!
I'm honestly not sure unfortunately. I was in a feed store when he called so I was kind of caught off guard and I don't think I asked as much as I should have. I'll definitely take notes though.

If the medication is what I think it may be, it should take care of UE if he is mistaken.

Could bad genetics cause any issues like this?

I will say I didn't think the ones dying looked small or malnourished. I've never seen them kick each other out from the food or water either. The one that I separated before she died was eating and drinking still the day she died.


Being new to quail I could be missing something but I've done my best to research. Hopefully I'll find out more tomorrow.
 
Our quail are dying. It seems to come in spurts of two.

We started with a total of 40 quail at the beginning of November. We culled 3 know roo at that time. Now the quail won't stop dying. We've been losing at least 2 a week.

Things that are important to know.

They are on kalmbach wild flush which is 28% protein. It doesn't have grit in it.

It's cold here, they are in an 8 by 8 shed with straw bedding, and the top of a dog crate do huddle in if they are too cold. However, yesterday we put a heat lamp out (they can't get to it) it see if that may help. I don't think it's the cold though as they have been dying on warm days too.

The shed has 7" ceilings so I don't think they are breaking their necks.

I am not positive of the age but my best guess is this years hatch since the person we purchased from wanted to get rid if them before winter.

We did find that there were quite a few roos so we culled more but still have had deaths since.

My husband said one was twitchy and others were attacking it. By time I checked on it, it was dead.

Another was being picked on, so I separated it right away. It seemed like she was eating and drinking fine for 2 days. She seemed alert and nothing seemed amiss so I was going to put her back. She was dead when I went back out.

Those are the only two times something seemed off. Other than that, no symptoms at all. No blood, no feathers laying around. No marks at all.

We did have a really hard time keeping their water clean because the only heated waterer I could find is for chickens, so they would constantly walk in it and poop in it, but we changed it out for a heated nipple waterer that they have learned to use.

We put a tin of sand in with them for enrichment and grit (which I read they don't even need so long as they are only on crumble) just in case.

The one that died today was near the heat source.

If you read this far, thank you. I'd appreciate any input I can get.

I did consider a necropsy but it is $200 for a birds I purchased for $2 a piece and also several hours away from where we live.
Since you have explored so many possibilities and are still at a loss, perhaps the straw is contaminated with something that is poisonous to quail. Poisoning will cause loss of appetite and over time muscle wasting.
 
Since you have explored so many possibilities and are still at a loss, perhaps the straw is contaminated with something that is poisonous to quail. Poisoning will cause loss of appetite and over time muscle wasting.
That is an idea worth exploring. My only concern is that they have been dying since we have had them so if the straw is a gradual thing then it doesn't really line up. Who knows though.
 
That is an idea worth exploring. My only concern is that they have been dying since we have had them so if the straw is a gradual thing then it doesn't really line up. Who knows though.
Mmmmmm…perhaps ask the vet if he or she checked for liver or kidney failure. I am raising Jumbo Brown Coturnix. The 28% protein is generally recommended for the first 6 weeks, and gradually blending in a wild game bird layer feed crumble that is 16% protein to arrive at a 50/50 blend of 28% and 16%, which is the optimal 22% protein and 2-3% calcium by their 8th week of life.

Liver and kidney disease and organ failure can cause loss of appetite and muscle wasting.
 

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