Quail got attacked

[Daveym]

I have 10 quail together, have not sexed them yet as the males are not really producing the 'foam'. I found one this morning with it's feathers missing on it's head like they were pecked off and eye red, trying to hide from the others....I removed some of the ones I thought were male just so it doesn't happen again but I'm wondering if the one that got attacked was a male trying to compete with another or if it got attacked because it is female and it happened while they were trying to breed it?

 

[DK newbie]

Most likely a male, but it could be either.

 

[abot87]

Hi there.

The most likely scenario is that the injured bird is the weakest male in the covey - making it the preferred target. The chances of a female being attacked in such a manner is unlikely (unless she's being over-mated and subsequently plucked), unless the injury was caused by "flushing" in an attempt to get away from a hormone driven cockerel.

Be sure to check their housing for possible culprits such as exposed wire - basically anything sharp or of such a nature that impact could tear or prick holes into their flesh.

Isolate the injured bird, treat the wound (I use Terramycin wound spray) and allow it time to heal. Quail are very curious birds and will peck at the injury which will worsen the situation.

Remember that you can "feather sex" your quail, depending on the mutation and thus you don't have to wait for cockerels to crow and secrete foam.

ABOT