Scalped quail

[Mantisquailman]

We have a temp coop set up to hold our bachelors until butcher day. We don’t have a lot of predators but we still occasionally get stray cats. One decided last night to show up and the quail all hit their heads repeatedly on the wire roof part and wood roof part. I woke up to alive but literally down to the bone scalped quail. I considered just butchering them all today but they are only 5 weeks and we wanted a few more weeks of growth. So is there anything we can do so they aren’t suffering? I have not seen them pecking each other at all not even once (they hatched together and have all been mellow). I have vetericyn I sprayed On them and no peck paste. I’m just at a loss… not sure what to do and don’t want them to suffer.

 

[Patiocoturnix]

We have a temp coop set up to hold our bachelors until butcher day. We don’t have a lot of predators but we still occasionally get stray cats. One decided last night to show up and the quail all hit their heads repeatedly on the wire roof part and wood roof part. I woke up to alive but literally down to the bone scalped quail. I considered just butchering them all today but they are only 5 weeks and we wanted a few more weeks of growth. So is there anything we can do so they aren’t suffering? I have not seen them pecking each other at all not even once (they hatched together and have all been mellow). I have vetericyn I sprayed On them and no peck paste. I’m just at a loss… not sure what to do and don’t want them to suffer.

Id say to butcher them put them out of their misery they really would only grow for 1 more week as they reach full size around 6 weeks but if they don’t seem to be suffering you are the only one who can make the decision for you.

 

[le_bwah]

So is there anything we can do so they aren’t suffering?

You can kill them. If you'll be harvesting soon anyway, there's no point putting the birds through the pain of healing only to kill them later for a little more meat.