Poorly quail chick

[Cattt123]

Hi all,

So I got given this tiny now 3 day old chick yesterday because it was poorly. It had twisting feet which I've dealt with already by splinting and wrapping them. It's also quite wobbly and sleepy. The others were all pecking it ad stepping on it. I think a big problem is when it falls over it can't right itself again.

I have it on it's own now with a heatlamp set at about 37C. Feeding it blitzed up chick crumb and a small amount of boiled quail egg mixed in. After reading mixed advice on chicks needing grit when eating boiled egg I added a tiny amount of sand too.

For water it has a bottle cap, which I've added some Vit B and a tiny amount of sugar for electrolytes.

Having never raised chicks before I'm not sure how much they normally eat, sleep and poop. It slept through the night last night, and is pooping several times a day - a little bit runny and a little bit green but nothing I'm overly concerned with. It is pecking at food, I have to keep showing it how with my finger, but it's so hard to see if it's actually eating it. Though if it's pooping I'm guessing it is?

Is there anything else I should be doing? Or can do to help it survive? It seems quite feisty when awake, but does sleep ALOT in the day. I keep thinking it's died when it's asleep on it's side!

A couple pics attached for ref.

 

[Xouie]

They usually sleep a lot the first couple of days, but often in short little naps. quail are kind of ADHD chicks — running from one thing to another, eat-drink-play-eat-play.... And then they suddenly run out of steam and stretch out in “dead bird pose” for a nap. Which has given more than one person a bad turn.

It sounds like you’re doing great. You should start to see more evidence of it eating, including poops that are more feed-colored. Your food grains in the pic are a good size. Watch out for excessive peeping as a sign of distress. Also lethargy. You’re giving it the tools to survive. If it has the will you’ve given it the way. Just keep asking questions if you run into trouble.

 

[FloorCandy]

You should see if the person you got it from can give you one more, they really need company and it will start bouts of non stop peeping calling for others. It looks nice and strong so far.

 

[Cattt123]

They usually sleep a lot the first couple of days, but often in short little naps. quail are kind of ADHD chicks — running from one thing to another, eat-drink-play-eat-play.... And then they suddenly run out of steam and stretch out in “dead bird pose” for a nap. Which has given more than one person a bad turn.

It sounds like you’re doing great. You should start to see more evidence of it eating, including poops that are more feed-colored. Your food grains in the pic are a good size. Watch out for excessive peeping as a sign of distress. Also lethargy. You’re giving it the tools to survive. If it has the will you’ve given it the way. Just keep asking questions if you run into trouble.

Thanks I keep waking it up to make sure it's eating and drinking, maybe every half hour? It might be eating and drinking in between that I don't know...

It was peeping a lot yesterday but that's to be expected when I brought it to a new environment, but it seems to calm as soon as I speak to it/hold it.

So lethargy - do you mean when it's awake it's got low energy? Rather than simply sleeping a lot? I'm worried that today it seems less energy than yesterday but it's so hard

 

[Cattt123]

You should see if the person you got it from can give you one more, they really need company and it will start bouts of non stop peeping calling for others. It looks nice and strong so far.

It's from my Dad who raises them for meat and eggs, so he doesn't like to give away too many! Only because this one was poorly and didnt look like it was going to survive he gave it to me. I have two ladies and a male who are around 6 months old so I'll introduce it when it's old enough.

It seems to calm when i speak to it or hold it, otherwise it peeps. And it does like female quail sounds on YouTube!

 

[Xouie]

Thanks I keep waking it up to make sure it's eating and drinking, maybe every half hour? It might be eating and drinking in between that I don't know...

It was peeping a lot yesterday but that's to be expected when I brought it to a new environment, but it seems to calm as soon as I speak to it/hold it.

So lethargy - do you mean when it's awake it's got low energy? Rather than simply sleeping a lot? I'm worried that today it seems less energy than yesterday but it's so hard

Yes. When it's awake it should be alert. Looking around, maybe cheeping quietly, wandering, pecking, etc.

You're being such a good quail mom!

 

[shrimpsilkies]

High protein starter and egg yolk are definitely the right things to provide. Live insects like mealworms are a good and natural boost too if you cut them up first.
I had one who needed shoes and a leg brace but in only two days it the bones had grown enough to take the appliances off. In fact the amount she struggled in the shoes (although she ate plenty) made her legs unusually strong and she’s still the fastest and best flier in my pen!

 

[FloorCandy]

High protein starter and egg yolk are definitely the right things to provide. Live insects like mealworms are a good and natural boost too if you cut them up first.
I had one who needed shoes and a leg brace but in only two days it the bones had grown enough to take the appliances off. In fact the amount she struggled in the shoes (although she ate plenty) made her legs unusually strong and she’s still the fastest and best flier in my pen!

I agree, the effort of the braces sometimes makes them stronger, I also had one who would stand up real tall and call call call while in solitary because she would fall over and get stepped on constantly, and that standing on tiptoes made her legs so strong, even tho one leg is shorter than the other, she’s still fast as lightening as an adult.

 

[Chip76]

Your chick is absolutely adorable!!