My quail numbers are slowly dwindling.

[Kennicuttfarms]

So over the last three weeks I have lost a number of quail, for reasons unknown.

I have lost my pair of gambles, 4 out of 5 blue scale and 10 or better Mexican speckled. I have gone over many things and can't seem to find an answer for this. We thought it was mosquitos, or flies transmitting something. Then we thought it was the rapid decrease in temp at night. Maybe something from another bird in the aviaries with them. We had the dept of Ag come out and test our birds and as of now they are clean of the major diseases. So I have no idea what is going on. I was wondering if maybe these quail needed to be in solitary housing not mixed with others in our aviaries. Maybe someone would know this better than me. This is my first year raising quail and while my cotournix did really well, I seem to have a hard time with the more exotic quail. I could really use some advice from a experienced quail breeder and raiser.

Thanks in advance.

 

[JJMR794]

How Old Were The Quail?

What Were They Housed In? And With Which Other Speces?

Did They Exhibit Any Signs Or Symptoms Before Or After Death?

 

[PetersonD]

I think those are good questions. Also, have they all been in good feather condition with no signs of head injuries (maybe predators around outside of pens scaring them) or picking issues?

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
THATS WHAT I'M WORKING TOWARD! MEXICAN SPECKLED ARE BOB WHITES AND BOBS ARE JUNKYARD DOG MEAN ROOMMATES... BUT I LIKE TO COVER ALL THE BASES AND NEED MORE INPUT FOR THAT

 

[Tony K T]

I had the same problem with bobwhites a few years back.I gave them sulmet 1 once a week and it cured whatever it was.I would take their water supply out the day before and dry them out then when you medicate they will drink in down.After a few doses give them a day or 2 with cranberry juice and it will help clear them out.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[shelleyd2008]

I personally haven't had any of those, but I have heard that the more exotics (like the mearns) are harder to raise. I don't know why though.

 

[Kennicuttfarms]

Quote:
The Gamble Quail were about 2 yrs old. The mexican speckled and the blue scale where this years hatch. None of these guys were housed in the same aviaries. They where housed in aviaries with chicken wire over the top to prevent escape but with some enclosures to let them get out of the elements. Each aviary has one type of pheasant, one type of quail and one type of duck. We tried to form colonies with our birds. No one showed any signs of being sick or hurt. They were up and running one minute and then dead the next. We even looked in to the feed ratio for them. We started having our feed custom made because we thought the feed we were previously giving did not have the right nutritional make up for our game birds, no one seemed to be gaining any weight. But everyone is looking better and feeling better on our new feed. Do you think I have overlooked something?

 

[JJMR794]

Yes I Do Think You Overlooked Something. Not Sure If Its The Case Here, But It Can Be. You Overlooked The Fact That Chickens And Ducks Carry Illnesses That Gamebirds Have Little Or No Resistance To. The Gamebirds Will Sucumb To The Illness While The Roommates Never Get Ill. This Is Frequently Seen With Pheasants Housed With Chickens Coming Down With Coryza While The Chickens Never Get Ill From It.

I'm Not Saying Thats The Case Here, But I'd Certainly Keep A Close Eye On The Pheasants( They're Likely To Be Next If It Is) I Do Beleive Its Something Contageous To Quail At Least If Nothing Else For The Fact That It Is Moving Thru All Speces And Ages Of Quail In Your Flock....

Any Blood In Their Stool? Or Diarrhea? Runny Nose? Coughing? Facial Swelling?

 

[DLS]

put terramycin in the water... solved my troubles

 

[JJMR794]

Quote:
THATS CERTAINLY A GOOD PLACE TO START, AS WELL AS CLOSE OBSERVATION, FREQUENTLY--- HOPEFULLY IF IT IS A CONTAGEN YOU WILL SEE SYMPTOMS AND BE ABLE TO DIAGNOSE WHAT EXACTLY IT IS AND MODIFY YOUR TREATMENT IF NECESSARY.