Quail Hens Fighting

[karthigan]

I have had 4 Coturnix Quail hens for about 5 months now. I have had them since they were 6 weeks old in July 2013.

The feed I have been using is Dumor Starter Feeder that has 20%+ protein (http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/dumorreg;-chick-starter-grower-20%-feed-20-lb)

They were a peachy family until yesterday. Last night I saw one quail that was hurt in both eyes, bleeding, and swollen. I have cleaned the eyes with warm water and put her in a separate cage with food and water. She seems to be okay but I am worried if she will be able to see anymore.

In the main cage, I still a some fighting and chasing going on. Why is there a sudden start of fights? What must I do? Please advise.

Kindest Regards,
Karthigan

 

[TwoCrows]

Welcome to BYC and the quail forums!

Many things can cause birds to suddenly go off on each other....could be a health issue, something is causing them stress or even their ages.

First, you need to figure out who has suddenly become aggressive. Give this bird a physical to see if anything might be going wrong health wise with this bird.

Next, make sure they are not becoming stressed in any way....such as too much human traffic, kid or dog traffic, no night time predators are prowling and scaring them, they are not too hot or cold. These things will definitely cause them sudden aggression.

As quail age, they can become more aggressive. The pecking order changes a lot during their first year. So make sure you are giving them enough room. At least 2 square foot per bird. Add hidey places in the pen by adding cut branches propped up in the corners to give it that jungle feel. This will calm them down quite a bit. If it is cold where you live, make sure they are not chilling. If it is hot where you are located, make sure they are not over heating.

And lastly, sometimes you just have a quail with a screw loose. Usually it turns up at 6 months of age. If this bird is healthy as far as you can tell, you have offered them up enough room, added places to hide from each other and they are not stressed in any other way, and this bird continues to act aggressive, you may need to permanently separate this bird. You can try separating her for a few weeks time out, (yes, it takes a long while to adjust their personalities) or you may need to keep her by herself for good. If there is a bird that she does get along with, you could always keep her and this other bird separated.

As for the bird that is injured, keep her separated for a few days. Use a heat lamp on her if she looks chilled. Injury can cause birds to go into shock which can kill them faster than the injury...shock makes them cold, so add heat if she fluffs up and looks cold. If you have any Terramycin Eye Ointment, you can apply that to the eyes once they stop bleeding. You can even apply human eye drops to help with the swelling and redness. Watch her for any infection. They can heal incredibly well however. Be very careful reintroducing her back in.

Good luck!

 

[karthigan]

Thank you so much for your feedback. I will follow your recommendations.

Karthigan

 

[karthigan]

The injured bird seems to be resting and doing okay. However, it has not opened either eyes. Does it mean it has gone blind?

 

[TwoCrows]

I sent you a pm on this.

But over all, only time will tell if this bird looses it sight or sees well enough. Please keep us posted on this outcome. I surely hope she recovers.

 

[karthigan]

Thank you, I sent you a PM with pictures. Please advise after you see the pictures.

 

[TwoCrows]

Done.