Quail has a head infection?

[CaptainPooka]

I went on a cruise for a week and I think my wife didn't give my quail enough food. I came back and saw one quail had a small gash on his head. Not just feathers missing, but a gash. I figured I would wait a day and see what happens to it. I looked again today and noticed a second one with a gash that was much bigger. I must have just missed him the day I got back... So now I have two. One with just a gash and a second with, what looks like, an infection. Should I cull the two? They're both female and with my short supply of quail I can't really afford to

Thanks
-Q

 

[dc3085]

treat with neosporin or other antibiotic ointment. Make sure it contains no pain killers. Most likely they hit their heads on the ceiling. Doesn't look like they did it to each other, too deep of a wound. Can they stick their heads out of the cage? If so that could be caused by crows or ravens pecking them.

 

[HunterH]

I would cover their eyes and give a quick squirt of blu kote. Awesome stuff.

 

[dc3085]

The problem with using blue kote on galliformes is their ability to see colors. If you put blue kote on one spot on one bird, you should put it on the same spot on every bird in the cage to avoid the birds trying to pick the blue out of the wounded birds feathers. It's the same reason why a breeding group of pharaohs with one A&M will almost always wound or kill the A&M at some point trying to pick the spot of the top of it's head.