Mareks in quail?

[ClassyChicks]

Thank You-I hope it's just a fluke thing. The 2nd died this morning. We bought the hatching eggs from a local, so I honestly know nothing of his flock.

I have separated the Cochins from the quail in their own brooder, have completely cleaned out the quail brooder and decided to sprinkle light pine shavings in the bottom til my husband can get them up on hardware cloth tonight. The paper towels, even being changed regularly, just did not seem clean enough.
So, we don't vaccinate the quail or feed them medicated feed and they're still OK? I'm just getting freaked out about disease bc. I've heard horror stories-I don't want anything to happen to my existing flock.
Thank You again for your help.

 

[TwoCrows]

Wait for it.

 

[TwoCrows]

You are less likely to have any disease issues with the chicken babies as you would with the quail at this stage. However to be on the safe side, it is not recommended to brood chickens and quail near each other or at least in sneezing distance.

I would however, urge you to wash your hands EVERY time between the chicken chicks and quail chicks. Your hands are going to carry more bacteria and virus's than you know.

There is no way for certain to know if the quail chicks have picked anything up from the chicken chicks unless you have a necropsy done on them.

Also, is this a brooder that you have used before? They need to be completely disinfected between broods.

Are they ANY other symptoms that you can describe that you are seeing before death or afterwards?

 

[ClassyChicks]

Brooder hasn't been used since last August-completely disinfected in between broods. I should have known to brood the chicks and quail separately, wasn't thinking about anything air-born. I have been the handwashing nazi, so nothing should have spread from my hands.
The only symptoms beforehand were slight paralysis-#1 hatched with what was thought to be spraddle leg and splinted, but then started showing signs of being unbalanced, walking in circles, falling over on his back, then came the severe wry neck. #2 wasn't growing as fast as the others, but they're only 5 days old. This morning noticed chick was very groggy, then seemed to be having signs of paralysis/unbalanced, falling over, laying on side with feet out-stretched. Quarantined chick from the rest immediately, but died an hour later.
The remaining 7 seem OK, all moving about, eating/drinking, but some are bigger then the others...We want to hatch more, but now I'm so hesitant. Should I not get eggs from the same person in case his breeders are carrying bad genes? Can anyone recommend a safe place to purchase eggs? Should I wait til my own survivors start laying and go from there?
I really appreciate any advice.

 

[James the Bald]

Cha-CHING!!! Up to eight-five cents. This way of saving is so much fun.

 

[James the Bald]

Wait for what?

Dring the month of February, there were many members posting within several days of each other as to weather quail can be kept with chickens. Some of the most experienced quail keepers had given their answers. On March 2 of this year, I had made the coment that "if I had a nickel for everytime somebody mentions "quail and chickens", and I'd throw in a dime for everytime TwoCrowsRanch replies". At this very moment, I'm up to 90 cents in my jar. If TwoCrowsRanch replies to todays posts, then I'll have $1.10. I may just forfeit the 20 cents and reply before he does.

There is a lot of debate about keeping quails with chickens. The photos at this post sums it up for me. A very experienced member by the name of JJMR794 has made it quite clear about fowl carrying the disease coryza that can be fatal in quail and other game animals. Some members have done it with no ill effects, but my opinion is that they have just the right environment where this disease doesn't exist or spread. My feelings are that if there is a disease that can be fatal to quail, then I will do everything I can to prevent my quail from getting it.

 

[Sahwithchicks]

Thank you for the link. There is some good information there.

I am happy to say that my quail are completely seperate from my chickens. I did hatch some chicks together (like I said above) last fall, I got lucky an had no problems.

 

[TwoCrows]

Dring the month of February, there were many members posting within several days of each other as to weather quail can be kept with chickens. Some of the most experienced quail keepers had given their answers. On March 2 of this year, I had made the coment that "if I had a nickel for everytime somebody mentions "quail and chickens", and I'd throw in a dime for everytime TwoCrowsRanch replies". At this very moment, I'm up to 90 cents in my jar. If TwoCrowsRanch replies to todays posts, then I'll have $1.10. I may just forfeit the 20 cents and reply before he does.

James, I am a "she". LOL

 

[Chick Charm]

Sahwithchicks - good looking birds!

James, I am a "she". LOL

So funny, I laughed coffee out my nose.

Just for the record.

Phil -

I like funny, but laughing coffee out the nose kinda burns. One can only take so much humor in one day.

 

[James the Bald]

James, I am a "she". LOL

TwoCrowsRanch, My sincerest apologies.... with no male or female references in your login name or photo, I had no idea. Please forgive me.