HattiLongSoks
Chirping
Hi all, UK-based first-time quail keeper with a flock of 7 that are 12 weeks old. My boy, John McQuail, has been completely fine, healthy, hates being picked up kinda guy, until now.
I noticed yesterday that he was moving weirdly and straining to poo. So I managed to grab him and put him in my hospital hutch.
Watched him for a bit and he could poo, but it came out sausage-shaped (not watery, no blood, like a normal poo but v thin shaped, so I thought maybe constipated?) His butt looked really poopy and like it kept sticking to him so into an Epsom salt bath he went in a little Tupperware and I held his butt in for about 15 mins maybe. Dried him off. Still straining, but not as bad as before. His butt looked clean, couldn't see anything. Then he seemed to move normally, stop straining for the most part/less severely, etc. but I wanted to keep him in overnight.
Today: There's not much poo in the hospital cage, but there were a couple of more we than usual ball-shaped ones, but v small, his food doesn't seem to be going down much, or his water (added Apple Cider Vinegar to this in case it's just a tummy issue). But he seems fine, not lethargic or sleepy, or cowering in a corner. Behaving normally for John, moving around, hating me and being picked up! But his vent/below/sides had poo on again. Another Epsom salt bath, dried and back in the hospital hutch - any ideas?
I found some of his poo today squished, as he stood on it, couldn't see any like mites/bugs/worms or anything like that but it did look weird with like red bits in - it didn't look like blood- I can't really describe it and couldn't get a good photo - but almost like chili flakes in his poo but a lighter red - just didn't look like blood.
Could this be Coccidia / coccidia / Coccidia (Coccidiasina) ? not sure what it's called globally / the right phrasing.
All my ladies seem fine, laying fine, pooping fine, all normal, but if I treated John and kept him in his hospital I'd want to treat the others too just in case - ordered this since I can't find it locally https://www.vetuk.co.uk/bird-suppli...67/harkers-coxoid-oral-solution-112ml-p-43302 (all the labels say don't give to birds for human consumption, which these aren't primarily, but does this also mean I should be binning the eggs during treatment?)
As I mentioned he doesn't seem to have the symptoms of diarrhea (seems more blocked up than letting it all out), not lethargic, sleepy, v alert and normal really bar the above.
Other info re housing and
- Kept outside in UK northern weather (been lots of rain.) but tops of hutches/runs are fully covered, lots of dry spaces, covered spaces, plat pots, branches etc.
- Kept on the ground on grass, soil, mulch, wood shavings, etc.
- Regularly cleaned (poop picking for the most part!) and hutch moved each month.
- Access to water in multiple places from multiple feeders.
- Dust baths in diatomaceous earth, sand, wood shavings.
Food is the following: (we do seem to be limited here re food, protein etc) all separated into different feeders:
- heygates-quail-layers-breeder-pellets https://www.smallholderworld.co.uk/...s-breeder-pellets?_pos=2&_sid=ff53c5ddd&_ss=r
- fine oyster grit.
- regular bird grit.
- egg shells and occasionally their own eggs scramled.
- Battles Poultry Easyverm - for instestinal health & parasite/worm control (ground up - give them less than stated as everything is in chicken sizes.)
- Poultry Spice https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/314537127421(give them less than stated as everything is in chicken sizes)
- Natures Grub Garlic, Herb, Seaweed & Probiotics - health supplement for... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313946053578(give them less than stated as everything is in chicken sizes.)
I can try and get photos... but it's like there's nothing to show unless he does a poo he doesn't stand on and cover in wood shavings.
I noticed yesterday that he was moving weirdly and straining to poo. So I managed to grab him and put him in my hospital hutch.
Watched him for a bit and he could poo, but it came out sausage-shaped (not watery, no blood, like a normal poo but v thin shaped, so I thought maybe constipated?) His butt looked really poopy and like it kept sticking to him so into an Epsom salt bath he went in a little Tupperware and I held his butt in for about 15 mins maybe. Dried him off. Still straining, but not as bad as before. His butt looked clean, couldn't see anything. Then he seemed to move normally, stop straining for the most part/less severely, etc. but I wanted to keep him in overnight.
Today: There's not much poo in the hospital cage, but there were a couple of more we than usual ball-shaped ones, but v small, his food doesn't seem to be going down much, or his water (added Apple Cider Vinegar to this in case it's just a tummy issue). But he seems fine, not lethargic or sleepy, or cowering in a corner. Behaving normally for John, moving around, hating me and being picked up! But his vent/below/sides had poo on again. Another Epsom salt bath, dried and back in the hospital hutch - any ideas?
I found some of his poo today squished, as he stood on it, couldn't see any like mites/bugs/worms or anything like that but it did look weird with like red bits in - it didn't look like blood- I can't really describe it and couldn't get a good photo - but almost like chili flakes in his poo but a lighter red - just didn't look like blood.
Could this be Coccidia / coccidia / Coccidia (Coccidiasina) ? not sure what it's called globally / the right phrasing.
All my ladies seem fine, laying fine, pooping fine, all normal, but if I treated John and kept him in his hospital I'd want to treat the others too just in case - ordered this since I can't find it locally https://www.vetuk.co.uk/bird-suppli...67/harkers-coxoid-oral-solution-112ml-p-43302 (all the labels say don't give to birds for human consumption, which these aren't primarily, but does this also mean I should be binning the eggs during treatment?)
As I mentioned he doesn't seem to have the symptoms of diarrhea (seems more blocked up than letting it all out), not lethargic, sleepy, v alert and normal really bar the above.
Other info re housing and
- Kept outside in UK northern weather (been lots of rain.) but tops of hutches/runs are fully covered, lots of dry spaces, covered spaces, plat pots, branches etc.
- Kept on the ground on grass, soil, mulch, wood shavings, etc.
- Regularly cleaned (poop picking for the most part!) and hutch moved each month.
- Access to water in multiple places from multiple feeders.
- Dust baths in diatomaceous earth, sand, wood shavings.
Food is the following: (we do seem to be limited here re food, protein etc) all separated into different feeders:
- heygates-quail-layers-breeder-pellets https://www.smallholderworld.co.uk/...s-breeder-pellets?_pos=2&_sid=ff53c5ddd&_ss=r
- fine oyster grit.
- regular bird grit.
- egg shells and occasionally their own eggs scramled.
- Battles Poultry Easyverm - for instestinal health & parasite/worm control (ground up - give them less than stated as everything is in chicken sizes.)
- Poultry Spice https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/314537127421(give them less than stated as everything is in chicken sizes)
- Natures Grub Garlic, Herb, Seaweed & Probiotics - health supplement for... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313946053578(give them less than stated as everything is in chicken sizes.)
I can try and get photos... but it's like there's nothing to show unless he does a poo he doesn't stand on and cover in wood shavings.
off I go to take some photos! Well for next time it looks like John McQuail is fine now, back to normal poops and back with the flock. I took him out observed him for a few days and he was eventually back to his old self. 
