Mute Quail chick???

[Quailer21]

one of my coturnix quail chicks is making the motion of peeping but no sound comes out of his mouth???

 

[silky_3699]

maybe he could be choking????? but its not cutting off his water and food supply to himself???? not sure????

 

[Quailer21]

He eats and drinks but it is like he is on mute. He is always trying to make noise but he can't.

 

[animal8]

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Maybe it's just a quirk?

If it doesn't seem to be doing him any harm, then it's okay. Would be interesting to see if he stays mute when he grows to adulthood, though

 

[chrishel]

Sometimes the chicks do that. They stretch and make warbling looking motions with their throats but no sounds come out, at least none that we can hear, I guess.

As an experiment, you could try separating him from the group for 2 minutes. I've found that separated chicks often make chirping noises. The, "I'm lost!" chirps.

Alternately, they hunker down and stay really quiet. Another instinctive reaction to being separated.

I currently have quail that do both. Curious George will make a racket if separated from the flock. He always has. I predicted he was a boy from the start because he always seemed to be the chick in charge and looked out for everyone else. Houdini totally disappears and stays quiet and hides. She never makes a peep. She's every roo's favorite and has a bald head to prove it, so when she's hiding, I let her be. I figure she deserves the break.

 

[snyd08]

Quote:
yep. all my birds do it. the males usually do it and it looks like a rooster crowing (quails and chickens) but no sound comes out. i think it's a yawnn

 

[Quailer21]

Thanks

 

[Quailer21]

Do they do it obsessively? Like mine?

 

[Quailer21]

He passed away