Warning: Graphic descriptions
I hatched two quail, fertile egg rate was way low, and they are currently three weeks old. Last week one got injured, she scalped herself somehow. I managed to get the skin back nearly in place and separated her until the wound was better. There were some edges to the skin, but overall she was fine. Now a bit over a week later I'm sitting here with her in my lap. This time the skin is completely gone and there is some meat of some sort, skin or muscle or something else, dangling from the side of her head. She is not bleeding nearly as much as the last time. She is not in distress, I have no idea why, and seems to think everything is okay.
The box they are in is about two feet long and a foot wide. It was big enough for my original three without problems. My concern is that the second quail is attacking her. It seems the most likely scenario since I can't see any way she could have horribly cut herself.
Now, what am I to do? She seems fine, but also destined to have her head ripped open by anyone bigger than her. Then that leaves the other one, who I am fairly sure is a bully and would not wish to put with my other quail to have more injuries. The solution I see is putting down/culling both of them. So, I seek the wisdom of those who have way more knowledge of these problems than I do. What would you do?
I hatched two quail, fertile egg rate was way low, and they are currently three weeks old. Last week one got injured, she scalped herself somehow. I managed to get the skin back nearly in place and separated her until the wound was better. There were some edges to the skin, but overall she was fine. Now a bit over a week later I'm sitting here with her in my lap. This time the skin is completely gone and there is some meat of some sort, skin or muscle or something else, dangling from the side of her head. She is not bleeding nearly as much as the last time. She is not in distress, I have no idea why, and seems to think everything is okay.
The box they are in is about two feet long and a foot wide. It was big enough for my original three without problems. My concern is that the second quail is attacking her. It seems the most likely scenario since I can't see any way she could have horribly cut herself.
Now, what am I to do? She seems fine, but also destined to have her head ripped open by anyone bigger than her. Then that leaves the other one, who I am fairly sure is a bully and would not wish to put with my other quail to have more injuries. The solution I see is putting down/culling both of them. So, I seek the wisdom of those who have way more knowledge of these problems than I do. What would you do?
