Quail with leg paralysis

[Taylettice]

I have a now indoor quail that can't control its legs. She went from being perfectly fine outside one moment and within a few hours she was on her side with her legs stretched out behind her. This happened in early February and she has been inside ever since and it's now April. She can make her way to the food and water dish and has a good appetite. There are times when she can walk, but her legs will cross over and she will trip over them, and other times her legs are stretched out behind her and she cant get up. She cant fly, or at least she doesnt try. She also has not laid a single egg since February. Does anyone have any ideas what to do? I keep trying to upload some videos but they are too large to upload

 

[Fishkeeper]

What kind of quail?
What do you feed her?
Do you have any other birds?

 

[DK newbie]

I had a button quail in a similar situation. She was totally fine and I picked her up for some reason - when I put her back down she couldn't walk. I checked her legs and couldn't find anything wrong, so I decided it had to be a calcium deficiency (calcium is required for the muscles to work properly, my theory was the used up her last reserves trying to get free when I caught her). I gave her extra calcium but there was no improvement after a few weeks, so I decided to cull her.

 

[Taylettice]

What kind of quail?
What do you feed her?
Do you have any other birds?

Courtnix quail, she eats gamebird layer crumbs like the rest of them. And I have quail and chickens but they are separated

 

[CoturnixComplex]

I have a now indoor quail that can't control its legs. She went from being perfectly fine outside one moment and within a few hours she was on her side with her legs stretched out behind her. This happened in early February and she has been inside ever since and it's now April. She can make her way to the food and water dish and has a good appetite. There are times when she can walk, but her legs will cross over and she will trip over them, and other times her legs are stretched out behind her and she cant get up. She cant fly, or at least she doesnt try. She also has not laid a single egg since February. Does anyone have any ideas what to do? I keep trying to upload some videos but they are too large to upload

I am so sorry to hear this!

In my birdroom, I would be concerned that was indicative of something neurological, and potentially transmittable, so she would be put down right away just to protect the others. That symptomology is actually a little reminiscent of Marek's disease (I have never dealt with it but I understand leg and wing paralysis is often a symptom), and hearing you have chickens on the property makes me more concerned that this is a possibility. They can harbor the disease and never be affected by it, but gamebirds are way more susceptible and are usually not vaccinated, unlike hatchery chicks. I am not saying this is what she has, but you need to consider the possibility and err on the safe side.

If you are dead set on keeping her and trying to fix her as long as possible, DO NOT keep her near the others, wear gloves when you handle her, and change clothes/wash hands afterwards.

I would try some vitamin E/selenium combo booster in her water for a while, but if her quality of life can't improve I would consider putting her down. I am sorry.

 

[Taylettice]

I am so sorry to hear this!

In my birdroom, I would be concerned that was indicative of something neurological, and potentially transmittable, so she would be put down right away just to protect the others. That symptomology is actually a little reminiscent of Marek's disease (I have never dealt with it but I understand leg and wing paralysis is often a symptom), and hearing you have chickens on the property makes me more concerned that this is a possibility. They can harbor the disease and never be affected by it, but gamebirds are way more susceptible and are usually not vaccinated, unlike hatchery chicks. I am not saying this is what she has, but you need to consider the possibility and err on the safe side.

If you are dead set on keeping her and trying to fix her as long as possible, DO NOT keep her near the others, wear gloves when you handle her, and change clothes/wash hands afterwards.

I would try some vitamin E/selenium combo booster in her water for a while, but if her quality of life can't improve I would consider putting her down. I am sorry.

There are days when she can get up and walk perfectly fine around her pen, this is what confuses me. The majority of the time the legs are stuck behind her, and it's like whenever I'm considering culling she seems to jump right back up and I'll see her walking around the cage.

 

[Fishkeeper]

Next time she can't get up, pick her up and try to flex her legs. Be very gentle so you don't hurt her. Do they feel like they're being held rigid? I'd almost think it's a seizure disorder or something of the sort.

 

[Taylettice]

Next time she can't get up, pick her up and try to flex her legs. Be very gentle so you don't hurt her. Do they feel like they're being held rigid? I'd almost think it's a seizure disorder or something of the sort.

Yes that's it exactly. When I pick her up she straightens them right out and it's hard to set them in place to stand up

 

[Taylettice]

She has alot of strength in her legs to push up when I'm trying to set her legs in place. But it's like she can't coordinate them once she falls over

 

[Fishkeeper]

If it seems like she's uncontrollably forcing her legs out straight, she's probably having some kind of seizure.
How often does she have those days where she can't walk? If it's more often than she can walk, I might be inclined to cull. You have to consider if her bad days outweigh the good. If they don't, I'd put her in a sling on the days she can't stand, so she's at least upright.