Quail with sores on their feet

[JW21]

I need some help with my bobwhite. I have 9 that are 20 weeks old and all are developing large sores on their feet. They are all in the same place, right where all the toes meet on the top of the foot. Can someone please tell me what this is and how to treat it.

 

[TwoCrows]

These sores are on the TOP of the feet? Bobwhites are notorious for biting each others toes, feet and legs. When Bobs are crowded in, they get this way. Cannibalistic. All you can do is offer them more room. Some folks have had good luck with bits that you put on the birds to stop them from biting at each other. I have never had to use them.

 

[JW21]

Yes they are on top of their feet. It is 9 of them in a 2 x 5 pen, I will try giving them more room. I just thought it was weird that they sores are in the same spot on all the quail.

 

[TwoCrows]

That is not enough room for bobwhites. Bobs need about 4 square feet per bird to keep them happy. They may turn to scalping each other pretty soon with that small of a space.

 

[quailchick]

That is not enough room for bobwhites. Bobs need about 4 square feet per bird to keep them happy. They may turn to scalping each other pretty soon with that small of a space.

Hi I read this and I am wondering if you could give me some advice. I have four bobwhites that we hatched from eggs, which our homeschool advisor sent to us without asking me...I only decided to hatch them because I thought we had a home for them, which turned out to not work out. We fell in love with them and now I am glad we have them, but I am trying to make sure we do things right. Where we live in CA, it is not allowed to release them.

We got 4 out of 4 eggs to hatch, which I understand we are lucky for that. They are about 3 months old, hatched April 14, and they are all healthy. We started them on Manna Pro Game bird starter feed, and now we are feeding Purina Startena Game Bird Chow now. They also get meal worms, millet sprays, greens I find outside like clover and mustard, and an occasional bug we find outside. Sometimes I give them egg and today I tried fruit, which didn't go over well.

I had them in a fish tank brooder, but had to move them into something with more room. I used a guinea pig cage and lined it with 1/4 inch mesh. I can't put them outside where I live.

I am planning on a walk-in indoor aviary made from using screen doors as panels with a double door entry. You can see it at finchinfo.com. It will end up being about 9 feet long and about 4 feet wide. I am planning on mixing Coturnix quail and my four Bobwhites. I don't think I will be getting any more Bobwhites, because I want to be able to get eggs from the quail I raise.

 

[TwoCrows]

Mixing Bobwhites with Coturnix Quail is not advised. Bobwhites are far more aggressive then Coturnix and the Cots could get hurt. Bobs are hyper birds and need a lot more room then the Cots.

Sounds like the new quarters will be 36 square feet. I would divide that in half or a third and separate the Bobs from the Cots. But you seem to be doing all you can for these Bobs. You should be able to sex them pretty soon and know who is who.

 

[quailchick]

Mixing Bobwhites with Coturnix Quail is not advised. Bobwhites are far more aggressive then Coturnix and the Cots could get hurt. Bobs are hyper birds and need a lot more room then the Cots.

Sounds like the new quarters will be 36 square feet. I would divide that in half or a third and separate the Bobs from the Cots. But you seem to be doing all you can for these Bobs. You should be able to sex them pretty soon and know who is who.

Thank you, that is a good idea to put a divider. Coturnix are more docile then? I also get the impression that Coturnix are smellier?

Yes, there is definitely one male and three females. The females have no white on them, and the male has a very white throat, stripe above eye is almost all white, and his beak is very black, plus he keeps hopping ontop of the females and going at it! They are only three months old, I read they don't lay until 6 months, so is he going to just be "practicing" and not producing for three more months?

 

[TwoCrows]

Bobs will start laying at about 6 months. But don't expect any fertility in the eggs until next year. Bobs mate for life with one female only. So come next spring, you may need to separate those females from the 2 that paired off, as females can kill each other over the defense of "their" mate. Cot's on the other hand, are kept one male to 5 or 6 females. Different type of birds.

And yes, Cots are more docile than the Bobs. You shouldn't have any fighting issues this year with your Bobs, but keep an eye on them next spring. They may not get along come breeding season. (usually late March to early April, thru September). After breeding season is over, they will gladly winter up together and again enjoy each others company. During breeding season, they VERY much desire their own territory and can and will kill each other over breeding territory.

 

[quailchick]

Bobs will start laying at about 6 months. But don't expect any fertility in the eggs until next year. Bobs mate for life with one female only. So come next spring, you may need to separate those females from the 2 that paired off, as females can kill each other over the defense of "their" mate. Cot's on the other hand, are kept one male to 5 or 6 females. Different type of birds.

And yes, Cots are more docile than the Bobs. You shouldn't have any fighting issues this year with your Bobs, but keep an eye on them next spring. They may not get along come breeding season. (usually late March to early April, thru September). After breeding season is over, they will gladly winter up together and again enjoy each others company. During breeding season, they VERY much desire their own territory and can and will kill each other over breeding territory.

Thank you, some very good information, you seem to know a lot! We have been looking at pictures of the snowflake bobs and the other colors, We are thinking about having some of them too, what do you think about those with my bobwhites, will they interbreed?

 

[quailchick]

Bobs will start laying at about 6 months. But don't expect any fertility in the eggs until next year. Bobs mate for life with one female only. So come next spring, you may need to separate those females from the 2 that paired off, as females can kill each other over the defense of "their" mate. Cot's on the other hand, are kept one male to 5 or 6 females. Different type of birds.

And yes, Cots are more docile than the Bobs. You shouldn't have any fighting issues this year with your Bobs, but keep an eye on them next spring. They may not get along come breeding season. (usually late March to early April, thru September). After breeding season is over, they will gladly winter up together and again enjoy each others company. During breeding season, they VERY much desire their own territory and can and will kill each other over breeding territory.

Just wondering, I have seen him hop on top of all three of the females and go to town...I see the female raise her tail feathers up, but I can't see anything else. Are they actually doing it or are they just practicing, and why is he on all of them if they mate for life with only one, is this the courtship faze to see which one he will pick for life?