First day with Bobwhites

[Quail Jailer]

Just found out it's splay leg. Would it be too late to try to treat it they are 3 days going on 4

You have nothing to lose by trying.

 

[ButtonBuck]

Good point I will nurse on them asap. When could I expect to be able to keep them outside and not use a lamp?

 

[Quail Jailer]

Good point I will nurse on them asap. When could I expect to be able to keep them outside and not use a lamp?

I only raise Coturnix but with cots about 4 weeks when their head is fully feathered...

 

[dc3085]

They don't generate any of their own body heat until they are fully feathered which will happen right around 4 weeks of age.

 

[ButtonBuck]

I have been losing a lot of chicks 20 out of the 60 to be exact. So a third in just a few days.. I am feeding them gamebird starter have them a area about 95 to 100 degrees all the time and a dark side with water. I find the goners dry and dead so I know it's not the water getting them I have rocks in it. Lined with a papertowel for their legs and nursed the legs I needed too. I have noticed more bobwhites dead then reds. Any ideas?

 

[dc3085]

Read through the link in my signature titled Common Game bird diseases and see if any of their behavior sounds like coccidosis or ulcerative enteritis(quail disease). These are bacterial diseases most commonly seen in chicks. If your birds are suffering from either they must be treated before you run out of birds. Both of these diseases are usually avoided by keeping a clean brooder but can even be picked up in a clean one on rare occasion.

Here are some more links, that may give more description. Either of these would need treatment or losses can be complete. Typically both of these diseases have a 50% or higher mortality rate of a flock.

Coccidosis
Enteritis
Another Enteritis link

Just so you're aware Tennessee reds are bobwhites as well.

 

[ButtonBuck]

They run around drinking and eating they all seem energetic. I have cleaned the brooder daily and changed the water out several times a day. I do have some with diarrhea is there a antibiotic I can pick up at the feed store and treat them all at the same time ?

 

[dc3085]

No there is no one size fits all antibiotic. You need to treat them for what they specifically have, unless they have both cocci and enteritis, which can and does happen. All of the information you would need to diagnose is contained in those articles. Giving them antibiotics for things they don't have can lead to new antibiotic resistant strains of old diseases among other things so be a little careful with that. You'll have to diagnose them and decide. If you google either disease there is a lot of info out there about them that can be helpful in diagnosing.

For cocci you would treat with Corid (amprolium) here is a dosage chart for chickens, you'll have to decide how much less to give your quail.

Bacitracin or BMD soluble powder for enteritis. You can order it here if you can't find it anywhere else.

You may not be able to get either at a feed store. Corid they might have since it is for larger livestock.

You will need to refill their water everyday with clean water and retreat. If your water supply is hard or excessively treated with chlorine you might want to use RO water or distilled.

 

[elmendorfquail]

Just found out it's splay leg. Would it be too late to try to treat it they are 3 days going on 4

I had the same problem when I first started and most of the time they won't survive because they can't get their footing to eat and drink. I built nursery cages and put fine mesh wire in the bottom of the cage and they learn to walk pretty fast. The wire I use isn't screen door wire but the smallest openings possible so their feet doesn't go thru it. Hope this helps. Jay

 

[dc3085]

I had the same problem when I first started and most of the time they won't survive because they can't get their footing to eat and drink. I built nursery cages and put fine mesh wire in the bottom of the cage and they learn to walk pretty fast. The wire I use isn't screen door wire but the smallest openings possible so their feet doesn't go thru it. Hope this helps. Jay

If you search BYC there are several effective ways to splint or bandage the legs of chicks with splayed legs. If you get on it in time they can fully recover.