Mysterious blood on the floor?

[MageofMist]

So... I have a mystery. There is blood on the floor, but there is no reason for there to be blood on the floor to be found.

I checked every single one of my chickens and checked the two quail that live with the chickens for any injuries or blood on their feathers or beaks... NOPE. Nothing. I thought it could have been an egg laying issue, checked all 3 eggs that were laid, no blood. Re-checked the butts of all the hens, also no signs of blood or any other issues. I also saw no new broken pin feathers on the feet that could have possibly caused it either.

Looked like quite a bit for no signs of any issues, and it starts in the middle of the kitchen, then leads to the kitchen door and seems to stop, it is no-where else... But the door was locked and I am pretty sure I would have woken up to an intruder being mauled by chickens... Any ideas anyone?

 

[speckledhen]

If they are molting, sometimes, others will pick at the new feathers and often, one will bleed quite a bit. Also, check their feet. I've had that happen a few times, and usually, it's a feather that was bleeding from a broken quill.

Wait, in the kitchen, did you say? They're in the house?

 

[igorsMistress]

 

[MageofMist]

If they are molting, sometimes, others will pick at the new feathers and often, one will bleed quite a bit. Also, check their feet. I've had that happen a few times, and usually, it's a feather that was bleeding from a broken quill.

I believe some are molting though judging from the feathers on the floor in the mornings, but it is very light and near impossible to tell by just looking at them, and I gave all of them a good look over, picking them up and turning them about in all sorts of angles to make sure I missed nothing and saw no broken pins on the feet, or cuts or anything.
It is moments like these I am glad my birds kinda just go with my shenanigans.

I have 3 roos also (5 including the 2 male quail, but they are a different specie,) so I gave them a thorough look-over in-case they had a fight or something... Nope, no signs of any fighting in any of them.

 

[Eggcessive]

This can be common from a peck to a comb or pulling out a blood feather. This has happened to most of us, and we frequently never find the source of bleeding.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Any possibility of cocci? Some of those bloody poos just look like a big puddle of blood and don't necessarily leave blood behind on bums and feathers. Though it isn't as common in older birds, it can happen.

 

[azygous]

When you were inspecting feet for broken feathers and ruptured pin feathers, did you happen to look closely at the toenails?

An injured toenail will bleed like nobody's business.

 

[speckledhen]

When you were inspecting feet for broken feathers and ruptured pin feathers, did you happen to look closely at the toenails?

An injured toenail will bleed like nobody's business.

Yes, that, too! I've had them literally tear out a toenail by getting caught on something and it's crazy how much that will bleed. I forgot that one.

 

[MageofMist]

No bloody poops, the poops all look normal and the blood was on it's own. Also the mystery was finally solved. Scrappy the Japanese Quail got a rather nasty peck wound on his back, about the size of my pinky fingertip, though I couldn't see it at first as it was hidden under the feathers but I felt it when petting him and looked under the feathers. It was already scabbed over despite the size of it, crazy how fast these guys heal!

He seems to have also learned his lesson about trying to mount the chickens too, as he hasn't tried jumping at them today and keeps his distance. My bet it was Hen-Hen who did it as she is the only chicken who ever fought back against him while the other hens and the three roosters just ran from the feisty quail. I am gonna put Scrappy and Bambi the quails in a box when I go to sleep and am unable to watch over them from now on.