Help, off their feet

[yellowherb]

Ok, I tried to get answers in the help emergency section but no one answered, so sorry mods for the double post, but I'm going to try here.

I have some coturnix hatched on 4/18-4/19. I live in florida and after keeping them inside for a week we put them outdoors in the cockatiel aviary. They were doing great, growing like little weeds. Then we get a little bit of a cool snap with lows around 64 at night. They seemed well. Fast forward 2 days and I find 3 weak and laying on the floor with their legs stretched out. One has since passed. The other two are now indoors under a lamp keeping warm in a hospital tank. I am dribbling chick saver into them and they are happy to drink it, pecking at my dropper. They are also turning their heads to eat the food I've scattered for them. Other than not being able to stand and laying on their sides, they seem vigorous. They do have some poo on their behinds from not being upright.. but, any ideas what is wrong and is there anything I can do to save them?

They have been eating 30% gamebird starter and cleaning up seeds the cockatiels drop and any bugs they can find on the aviary floor (it's mulch but aged well in there). There are some grasses growing from old bird seed. They have plenty of water and have never run out. And last thing, was the day before they fell over I had given the quail some mealworms.

Please, anyone have any ideas what is wrong? I have buttons in another aviary but they seem fine as do the two, month old buttons with the coturnix.

 

[lauraminic]

What does their poop look like? I would put them under as much heat as possible,give them as clean of a surface as possible.

 

[dc3085]

They're too young to be consuming feed off the ground and too young to have been taken off the light. Until they are 4 weeks old they cannot generate sufficient body heat to warm themselves even if they had adult feathers to hold it in. In the future brood them out a full 4 weeks to avoid things like this happening.



Have they been getting grit? They cant digest seeds or bugs without it.

Look throught the paralysis thread in my signature and try to identify what it is that is affecting them.

Ulcerative Enteritis doesnt usually cause paralysis but is one of the most common afflictions of young quail kept on the ground so check that out too.

 

[yellowherb]

This has been a learning experience, we know now not to put them out so young. They do have access to grit.

I will read your info that you suggest. I now have another who is starting to show it, wobbly on the feet is the first sign. I think next I will be researching how to humanly cull them. Funny it's only the goldens who are doing this, the pharos are all fine so far.

 

[dc3085]

If you watch my video on slaughtering the process is essentially the same. You have to use the scissor method on young birds since their bones are pretty soft. If you cant bring yourself to do it with your hands look up co2 euthanasia. Its a common practice for pre killing snake food so there is a lot of info out there on it.

 

[yellowherb]

Thank you for your information