Quail suddenly unable to walk??

[Kosb]

Any updates? I’m having the same problem with mine. With the first one, I thought maybe an injury. Now 3 out of 4 cannot walk. No other signs. New to quail.

 

[Nabiki]

Any updates? I’m having the same problem with mine. With the first one, I thought maybe an injury. Now 3 out of 4 cannot walk. No other signs. New to quail.

What are you feeding them?
How old are they?
Are they eating and drinking?
What does their poop look like?
What is their home like? (How high is the ceiling, what is the flooring, what are you using for bedding? How much space do they have?)

 

[PatientType]

I had a hen die about 8 days ago. She was weak & unable to stand.

Today, when I opened the door to one of the pens, another hen was lying with her legs stretched out behind her. She seemed alert but couldn't seem to move her legs. She flapped her wings a little when she saw I was watching her. Now I think this bird may have the same malady - whatever that might be - that the first bird had, but I ran across her sooner.

I only have ten quail remaining, so with another very possibly dying, I'm concerned that whatever the problem is will be contagious and wipe out the flock.

 

[catesquire]

This is a very old thread and I haven't read the rest of it, but regarding your post: I would move that hen to a quarantine cage.

How tall is their enclosure? If it's too high, it's possible they both flushed and hit their heads, which is the best case scenario since it wouldn't be contagious.

Mold in their feed could also be a possibility, and can also cause neurological symptoms.

And less pleasant disease options that I'm not well versed in. Have there been any symptoms, like strange poops, watery eyes, etc?

Do they have contact with wild birds? Bird flu also presents as weakness, I think, so if this really does spread through your flock you should consider contacting whoever in your local government is dealing with that.

Good luck to your little hen! You can try giving her boiled yolk and/or nutri-drench in her water, if you have any on hand. Here's hoping it was just a head bonk and she recovers.

 

[pac]

Timely bump.
I have a hen that I noticed always seems to be in the same spot. And sure enough, she can't seem to stand up and walk normally. But she doesn't have a problem getting around when she wants to. Like when I went to pick her up.

I'm letting things play out. She seems otherwise alert and healthy. It just looks like she's roosting all the time.

 

[PatientType]

We will probably be getting 2 males and 5 females.

Nice, practical layout. They should be low-maintenance and meet your needs nicely.

I would move that hen to a quarantine cage.
How tall is their enclosure?
Mold in their feed could also be a possibility, and can also cause neurological symptoms.
Have there been any symptoms, like strange poops, watery eyes, etc?
Do they have contact with wild birds?

Thanks for the thoughtful response.

I have been planning to build a grow-out cage that could serve that purpose. However, that cage exists only in my head at this point so, unfortunately, I don't yet have another cage to move her to. As a result of this I'll move the timeline up but that doesn't help for now. I'd have to either cull and dispose of the sick hen or put her into a storage bin and bring her into the house. The last option would result in domestic discord and I try to avoid doing things that deliberately set my wife off.

My quail cages are internally 11" high. So they've got head room but no air space to build up momentum should they suddenly take to flight.
No other symptoms. I put food & water next to her. She's drinking a lot. She hasn't eaten while I've been standing there. She prefers either drink or to stare back at me. Food disappears, but I can't tell if she's eating or if, as soon as I close the cage door, the other quail are running over and eating her food (there's a full self-feeder in the cage but they seem very interested in whatever I give the sick hen.)

There are lots of wild birds in the proximate area. Two blue jays nest in a hedge about 25' from the quail cage. However, the quail cage is a closed wire-mesh & wood box. so it's not accessible by wild birds in any way that would allow close contact

I've been researching and, based on the symptoms, the most likely cause seems to be either avian encephalomyelitis or Marek's disease. The only symptom so far is lower leg paralysis. That condition is not listed as a symptom of bird flu.

 

[catesquire]

Yeah, that cage height shouldn't be a problem. I would maybe dump out their feeder and double check for any wet spots/anything suspicious, just to rule out mold (and I assume their extra feed is being stored somewhere dry, and isn't a brand new bag that might be introducing new variables.) In general, disinfecting the main food and water containers might not be a bad idea, in case whatever this is can spread that way.

Is putting her in a storage tub in a garage/on the porch an option? Otherwise if you're fairly sure it's a communicable disease and can't separate her, culling might be the only option.

Good luck with her, keep us posted if you figure something out.

 

[catesquire]

Timely bump.
I have a hen that I noticed always seems to be in the same spot. And sure enough, she can't seem to stand up and walk normally. But she doesn't have a problem getting around when she wants to. Like when I went to pick her up.

I'm letting things play out. She seems otherwise alert and healthy. It just looks like she's roosting all the time.

Is it possible she's egg bound? When did she last lay, and is she pooping normally?