None Agressive Pecking - Why? !

[yallapilko]

Hi, I've kept quail a couple of years now and my recent batch are puzzling me. They will take a look over their sisters feather pecked back and stare a bit, then peck it as if they have seen something. It doesn't seem aggressive, no chasing around, and neither can I see any mites, even with a magnifying glass, and there is no blood to attract them. They all peck each other, and now they have no feathers on the majority of their backs. This has gone on for a few months and they look dreaful. I have given them diathamous earth mixed with sand to bath in, but still it continues. And I've dosed them in the same powder. Does anyone have any ideas as to why they are pecking each other and what I can do about it?

 

[dc3085]

Feather picking can become a nuerotic behavior once they develop a habit of doing it. It can be almost impossible to stop. They see more colors and see them differently than we do so often once something is different they will continue to peck at it.

 

[yallapilko]

Thanks for your answer dc3085. Very interesting. I didn't know they perceived more colours. I really was beginning to wonder if they were infested with something I couldn't see. I sprayed them with Gentian Violet (purple) and it did help, but the spray faded quickly and the pecking resumed. Don't know where to go from here though! They are such good natured girls, the best I've ever had, but they look such a mess and look neglected, even though they are well kept.

 

[dc3085]

In the absence of proper protein or calcium they may also pick the feathers intending to consume them once they learn there is nutrition to be found that way.

 

[yallapilko]

Thanks again dc3085. More things I did not know! They could be down on calcium, as the rest of their food is correct in nutrients, according to the label, but slightly down on calcium. Though they do have some oyster shell grit and occasional liquid calcium supplement. I'll give a go increasing their calcium and see if that helps too.