Gnats killing quail

[yotetrapper]

Years ago, my husband's daughter's husband , who raises gamebirds, told about how those little gnats (we in this area call them dog pecker gnats) would kill quail by plugging their nostrils. I thought he was insane, LOL.

But, I believe that's what's happening! The night before last my Dh noticed a bunch of gnats by the quail pen. He pointed it out, and told the quail to get to eating them "little b__tards." Well, yesterday I found 2 dead quail. I wondered about it, but didnt think too much of it. I just went out there today.

There are gnats everywhere, 4 dead quail, 6-8 quail gasping for breath with their mouths open. Is it really the gnats??

what can I do to save them?

 

[Plain_View_Farm]

I don't know if gnats will draw towards the yellow color of a sticky fly trap or not.
Perhaps you could hang one outside your quail cage where nothing can get into it.

Best of luck to you and your problem,
David

 

[aprophet]

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/206800.htm

I am not a vet or anything but I thought of this when I read your post if your local university has an extension service they may be able to necropsy a couple of birds for you and find out what is going on good luck

 

[kingmt]

Mix some clorine & water about 25:1& spray under & around the pen. If you still have a problem make it 10:1.

 

[Jplejeune]

I have had the same problem. I live in S louisiana and have over a 1000 quail and tons of other birds. I take a saucer put some dirt and a lil bit of 7 dust in with it. put it in the pen and let them dust themselves. It has worked for me and ppl i know that raise too.

 

[yotetrapper]

Thanks June, I'll try that tomorrow. The weather got cold and the problem stopped but now it's warming up again and I'm seeing gnats again...

 

[RaiseQuail]

Years ago, my husband's daughter's husband , who raises gamebirds, told about how those little gnats (we in this area call them dog pecker gnats) would kill quail by plugging their nostrils. I thought he was insane, LOL.

But, I believe that's what's happening! The night before last my Dh noticed a bunch of gnats by the quail pen. He pointed it out, and told the quail to get to eating them "little b__tards." Well, yesterday I found 2 dead quail. I wondered about it, but didnt think too much of it. I just went out there today.

There are gnats everywhere, 4 dead quail, 6-8 quail gasping for breath with their mouths open. Is it really the gnats??

what can I do to save them?

I know this is an old post, but I wanted to let whoever finds this know you can spray the poop pans under the cages with pinesol to keep gnats and flies away from your birds. Learned this not too long ago.