Problem solved!

[Vyraal]

Hey again guys, this morning around 7 am my neighbor brought me a young bird that I've done a little research on and believe to be a Japanese quail, if not one of our native quail. It's got a nasty scaly leg mite infection and was spotted alone, and in this neighborhood that means its now an only child or an orphan. It's fully feathered and seems to be otherwise healthy, but I need some tips on what to do with it. There are no wildlife reserves or shelters that take avians within a couple hundered miles that I know of, and I can't really rerelease it around here without a huge chance of death.

It is currently housed in a large rat cage with a heat lamp and it is covered.

TL;DR Found a quail, don't know what to do with it. Scaly leg mite.

 

[TwoCrows]

You can soak the entire leg in mineral oil or rub vaseline into the foot and leg scales once a day to loosen up the build up from the crusts. Do this for 2 weeks or until the crusts are gone. The oil will also help suffocate the mites under the scales.

You need to get the quail on gamebird food. Since you only have one and no doubt, no quail food, LOL, if you raise Turkeys, you can feed this little quail their feed. Quail need a high protein diet, 24% to 28% protein. You can also feed it high protein chicken starter and offer up meal worms or hard boiled egg every day.

By chance are you located in Missouri? I guy I know that raises quail in MO just had some folks sneak into his yard and release his quail. He lost a ton of birds.

 

[TwoCrows]

Also, unless it is really ill, you probably don't need the heat lamp.

 

[Vyraal]

Oh that poor thing. No I live in California..wow people suck. I don't raise turkeys, only Chooks, and right now I gave the quail a bit of their laying mash to tide her over until I can get down to the dairy and buy some chick starter there. I will be scrambling up an egg for her once she calms a bit more *she is eating by the way* and hopefully she'll be totally fine.

I do wish luck to your friend at finding his quail, honestly I wish I could help.

Edit: My room is really cold in the mornings, don't want to stress it out more by being cold and captive.

 

[TwoCrows]

Japanese Quail, or Coturnix Quail as they are called, can be kept as lone birds, even as indoor pets. I know many folks that do keep them in the house. You can not free range quail and they can not be kept with your chickens due to their small size and disease transfer. (wash your hands after touching other poultry, quail are suseptable to things from other birds). You can keep this little guy in a rabbit hutch or large parrot cage. Offer him/her up a tray of dirt for dust bathing also.

Good luck with this little quail! I keep Bobwhites. If you have any questions about quail, you can pm me.

 

[Vyraal]

Awesome, thank you, I have a free rabbit cage from when my disabled chook was stil alive, I think in a few days I will transfer her to that. You really are a great help! I wouldn't have let the tiny thig in the run with the chickens anyway, my big roo is right clumsy and would step on it in moments.