Is my quail choking?

[aperez54]

One of my quails does this constant head, beak open motion/shaking its head like they do when they're drinking water. But it's doing it ALL the time... it will break for a quick nap, but almost all of its waking moment is spent doing that... I also haven't heard it peep for about a week. It's only 1.5 weeks old, is it choking?

 

[Kherome]

Maybe it has those esophageal worms, what are they called? Gape worms?

 

[aperez54]

oh no! OK i'll look it up..

Thanks

 

[Kherome]

I am new to quail myself, so I have no idea, but I did just read about the worming issue and I wonder if that could be the issue here? Hopefully some of the more experienced people will come along and offer their thoughts.

 

[GrandmaBird]

gape worms or impacted croup? is the feed fine crumbles ? also grit is being offered?

 

[aperez54]

The chicks are only almost 2 weeks old... I blend their turkey crumbles with some ground up kitten food...

They're still in their brooder, aspen shavings... I just started adding tbsp of ACV to 1 quart of their water...

 

[dc3085]

Gape worms are super rare but possible. To check for worms use a q tip and gently swab the back of the throat of the affected bird. If the q tip has red strings on it your bird has worms (not a fool proof method but good enough for most cases).

There are other things that make them do that though like getting seeds stuck in their throat or planes flying overhead. Hens will gasp for air sometimes when eggbound, and birds will gasp for respiratory ailments like MG or severe Coryza.

Check for worms, smell around the sinuses for a foul smell, look closely for swelling around the sinuses, listen to it's breathing to see if it has anything wheezing or rattling in it's chest and get back to us.

 

[vtspilotcar]

Have you been grinding the food up? usually the crumbles them selves are too big for them to eat.

 

[aperez54]

Yes, I grind up their food with my Magic bullet, it's powderized, some small pieces but very small..

dc3085 - i'm kinda scared to swab the quail's throat, it's only 2 weeks old, i won't kill it right? Thing is, this quail is extra special for us, it's the 1st one that hatched 3 days early (on the 14th day!), and it's the only pure white one of the bunch... i really don't want to kill it but i guess if I don't do anything it'd be the same thing as killing it LOL, ok that wasn't really funny..

 

[dc3085]

Just be careful not to choke it to death and you should be fine. I wait a day when I see gasping because most often it's something stuck in their throat like a seed or somesuch.