Quail dying

[Alexacfreeman]

Ok so I have 2 week old California quails. Since hatch I have lost 15-20 of them. It’s getting less and less but today I lost one and it has stuff coming out right below it’s vent. I have the temp at 93-95. And humidity at 30-35 in the brooder. Can someone help me figure out what is wrong and what is coming out of this chick and why? I had one a few days ago that died and it’s stomach was enlarged and it had water like liquid coming out of vent right before it died.

 

[cherrynberry]

@Nabiki @FloorCandy ? Not sure if you guys have experience with California quail.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

What are you feeding it?

 

[Alexacfreeman]

Chick fee

What are you feeding it?

chick feed 18% protein and baby meal worms. 1-2 per day for each.

 

[FloorCandy]

Chick fee

chick feed 18% protein and baby meal worms. 1-2 per day for each.

Game birds need much higher protein. You will want to aim for 25% and higher, as far as I know, they have similar nutritional requirements to Coturnix.

 

[Nabiki]

I'm not familiar with CA quail, but the feed is definitely not right. They should have 28-30% protein feed.

As for the temperature, the numbers don't mean as much as how the chicks are behaving. Are they huddled together, climbing over each other? Are they spread out, laying flat, and maybe panting?

@007Sean would be able to tell you if this looks like disease.

 

[Alexacfreeman]

I'm not familiar with CA quail, but the feed is definitely not right. They should have 28-30% protein feed.

As for the temperature, the numbers don't mean as much as how the chicks are behaving. Are they huddled together, climbing over each other? Are they spread out, laying flat, and maybe panting?

@007Sean would be able to tell you if this looks like disease.

Thank you. Just got 30% game bird. About to put that in now.

 

[007Sean]

Best I can tell from your pic, it had a prolapse vent. What caused it I'm not sure but one thing that jumps out at me is your temp is way to high in the brooder. At 2 weeks the temp in the brooder should be around 80°F. for the warm spot and be at ambient temp at the opposite end of the brooder.

Have you been having chicks with pasty butt? Too high of a brooder temp can cause this problem. California, Gamble's, and Mountain quail tend to have this condition more frequently than Bob's or Coturnix quail. It's been reported that too low a brooder temp can cause pasty butt too but I haven't experienced that happening with my birds.

Gamebird chicks should have at least 24% protein feed, higher protein for chicks that are being raised as 'meat birds'...28 - 30%. A word of caution, higher protein feed can cause digestive problems if fed for long periods of time; ie, mature birds don't need the higher protein, especially 'breeders', it causes fatty accumulation in the reproductive tract of hens, which in turn leads to reproductive issues.

The only other issue I can think of that might be causing the death's is Aspergillosis - 'brooder pneumonia'. There are several strains of the fungus that cause the disease. A necropsy would need to be performed and lab samples to determine the Aspergillosis spp, or genera.
There is no treatment that is effective! Only strict sanitation protocols will help in the control of the disease.

 

[Alexacfreeman]

Best I can tell from your pic, it had a prolapse vent. What caused it I'm not sure but one thing that jumps out at me is your temp is way to high in the brooder. At 2 weeks the temp in the brooder should be around 80°F. for the warm spot and be at ambient temp at the opposite end of the brooder.

Have you been having chicks with pasty butt? Too high of a brooder temp can cause this problem. California, Gamble's, and Mountain quail tend to have this condition more frequently than Bob's or Coturnix quail. It's been reported that too low a brooder temp can cause pasty butt too but I haven't experienced that happening with my birds.

Gamebird chicks should have at least 24% protein feed, higher protein for chicks that are being raised as 'meat birds'...28 - 30%. A word of caution, higher protein feed can cause digestive problems if fed for long periods of time; ie, mature birds don't need the higher protein, especially 'breeders', it causes fatty accumulation in the reproductive tract of hens, which in turn leads to reproductive issues.

The only other issue I can think of that might be causing the death's is Aspergillosis - 'brooder pneumonia'. There are several strains of the fungus that cause the disease. A necropsy would need to be performed and lab samples to determine the Aspergillosis spp, or genera.
There is no treatment that is effective! Only strict sanitation protocols will help in the control of the disease.

Ok I just noticed they were huddling under heat if it was any lower.

 

[Alexacfreeman]

So their all dying still I have lost 10 more since making this post