Sick Quail!

[Kiki]

I've cleaned up his pasty butt and separated him from the rest of the flock. He is staying in a 10 gallon aquarium with a heat lamp on him in my home. I am giving him miracle water (garlic, apple cider vinegar, and honey). He has access to food and has already pooped twice since being cleaned. He is part of my first flock of birds ever, I have not added new birds (yet). I did not hatch him or his brothers and sisters, I got them from a breeder at two weeks old. I do not own any other birds, however, my neighbor has chickens. Why do you think his wings look so bad? Oh, I also sprayed his wings and the irritated skin on his bottom with Banixx for Chixx wound spray.

It is too hot in that fish tank.
You don't need to cook him.
If he is inside your house I am sure it isn't too cold for him.


Stop the miracle nonsense.
Plain fresh water is better.

What feed are you using?

 

[Kiki]

I'm feeding him and my whole flock Purina startena (it's the only feed in my area that's got a good amount of protein). They have access to a sand bath that also serves as grit.

Can you take a picture of the tag on the feed bag?

Sand is not grit. Sand may be the reason his butt was pasted up.
I would remove the sand.

How many males and females do you have together?
Are you positive this one is not being bullied away from the feed?

 

[Kiki]

Is pasty butt caused in part by his food? I can try giving him some other type of food for a bit. I can give him some mealworms, dubia, and quail egg (do I have to cook it?) if that will help him.

No..it's not caused by the feed but it could be caused by the sand.

 

[Lilyofsalen]

Ok, I removed the miracle water and replaced with fresh water. I turned off the lamp after he stopped shivering and looked dry (I was watching the temperature) but I do have several thermometers and a thermostat if running the heat will help him recover. I also have experience keeping reptiles at a certain temperature even in a 10-gallon aquarium. I remember reading somewhere on this forum that heat can speed the recovery of sick or injured quail.

As for my setup, it is a 12'x8'x6' aviary with a small house inside for them to take shelter in should something scare them or it rain (a rare occurence in SoCal). There are 12 of them, I know I have at least 5 males and I understand that they will soon start bullying each other (I'm fine with processing them when the time comes). I have not seen any bullying yet and I've watched them eat. Also, what can I use as grit? i've read off this same forum and other sources (slightly rednecked) that play sand is good for a sand bath and doubles as grit.
Also, the last two nights, coyotes have visited. Maybe the injuries were caused in part by him getting scared or grabbed (although I used 1/4 inch mesh)? Pictures below:

 

[Fenrisulfr]

The "ellbow" joints of the wings look like being hit or rubbed, by flushing up, on the hardware mesh or some of the stabilisation bars inside the aviary.

Being stunned/shocked by the incidend, he may sat in his own poop, caused the pasty butt.
This needn't to be a disease.
(But I am no vet, so please do not take this as a perfect diagnostic)
Is the poop normal now?

Pain does make quails lethargic.
I had a quail with a broken wing some time ago.
She had no pasty butt, but also were lethargic, fluffy featherd and dropped the wing.

Keep him isolated and watch him closely.

How is the predator situation in your area?

 

[Quailobsessed]

If he is sick, he will lose the ability to regulate his body temperature, and he would need a heat source.

 

[Lilyofsalen]

He's doing so much better today. In fact, he started looking better after I cleaned him up. He's pooping, eating, drinking well, and he is more alert and active. His poop also looks normal now. His wings are still a little droopy but I suspect that will go away with some more time.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of predators in my area. Possums, raccoons, coyotes, feral cats and dogs, snakes, hawks, rats. I know for a fact these guys are a problem because my neighbors have lost a number of chickens to different predators and I've seen/heard them in my area. I have done my best to build the quail pen really securely with 1/4 inch mesh. On the bottom, about 3 inches beneath the soil is some half inch that secures the whole bottom of the pen. The mesh seams are tamped down by wood boards screwed on top, the area is planted and the house provides a retreat. The pen uses long pallets as the base of the whole thing so there are wood slats that provide a little more privacy.

 

[Fenrisulfr]

This sounds good

Maybe there was a predator at the aviary at night, caused him flushing and himself injured.
You cann't avoid that 100%.