Terrible looking moulting quail

[coffee_and_quail]

Is there anything I can do to help my poor quail? They look horrendous. I know upping their protein is good during moult, and I give them fresh dirt/sand to bathe in daily. They just look so miserable, especially this poor baby (first photo for comparison).

 

[Chicks in VA]

ok i think this is a normal look
it might look scary but i think it's just normal
haven't had quail molt yet but i have had other bird's mold

 

[vall]

Yeah it's normal, mine are on week three and nearly done with their molt.

 

[CountrifiedCoturnix]

Is that a celadon? That’s a beautiful bird. I’m learning more about colors and trying to learn. How long does the moutling process last and when does it typical occur?

I have labs - I was told they shed twice a year. Then I got a meme from my sister about how the twice a year is from January-June, then July-December. Is it the same with quail where they molt throughout the year?

 

[coffee_and_quail]

Is that a celadon? That’s a beautiful bird. I’m learning more about colors and trying to learn. How long does the moutling process last and when does it typical occur?

I have labs - I was told they shed twice a year. Then I got a meme from my sister about how the twice a year is from January-June, then July-December. Is it the same with quail where they molt throughout the year?

This is from our first hatch ever so this is the first time they're molting. I heard it lasts for a few weeks from Winter to Spring and then Summer to Autumn.

Yes, she came from a Celadon egg. She came from a batch of tuxedo eggs, but all the others that hatched were either white or dark brown (I think they're called Tibetan?).

For her, I'm guessing she's either a tibetan tuxedo or grau fee tuxedo. Picture below is labeled as a tibetan tuxedo and looks very similar.

Ugh, I've got a lab and a rescue and they both seem to shed year round so I feel your pain.

 

[CountrifiedCoturnix]

This is from our first hatch ever so this is the first time they're molting. I heard it lasts for a few weeks from Winter to Spring and then Summer to Autumn.

Yes, she came from a Celadon egg. She came from a batch of tuxedo eggs, but all the others that hatched were either white or dark brown (I think they're called Tibetan?).
View attachment 3014258
For her, I'm guessing she's either a tibetan tuxedo or grau fee tuxedo. Picture below is labeled as a tibetan tuxedo and looks very similar.
View attachment 3014268

Ugh, I've got a lab and a rescue and they both seem to shed year round so I feel your pain.

Well she’s gorgeous! Please keep us updated with the molt situation.

 

[FloorCandy]

This is from our first hatch ever so this is the first time they're molting. I heard it lasts for a few weeks from Winter to Spring and then Summer to Autumn.

Yes, she came from a Celadon egg. She came from a batch of tuxedo eggs, but all the others that hatched were either white or dark brown (I think they're called Tibetan?).
View attachment 3014258
For her, I'm guessing she's either a tibetan tuxedo or grau fee tuxedo. Picture below is labeled as a tibetan tuxedo and looks very similar.
View attachment 3014268

Ugh, I've got a lab and a rescue and they both seem to shed year round so I feel your pain.

That’s either a rosetta or Tibetan messy tuxedo. The Tibetan have 2 copies of the range pattern gene, and Rosetta has only 1. You’ll see a wide variety, but the Rosetta’s usually have a lot of barring and pencilling on their feathers, with a general lighter coloring, having a range of browns and reds mixed in, so I believe yours is rosetta, but it’s hard to say because lighting can make it look different in different conditions.

That bird is not fee tho, fee is a gene that dilutes the browns and reds. Grau fee is tibetan or rosetta with the fee dilution gene, and appear like black and gray birds with cream and light beige. One copy of fee let’s some browns and reds bleed thru, so you’ll have beige and light orangy colors bleeding thru particularly at the shoulders and upper back. Two copies of fee will create a more uniform black/gray/cream mix with almost no brown and red coming thru. Brown is diluted more than roux, so scarlet/red range, egyptian etc are affected differently, and never dilute to fully white or cream, at best they have a light Cremecicle look. Males that have fee and carry 1 copy of roux will usually show that roux on their necks and backs strongly as chicks and it will fade somewhat as they age.

 

[coffee_and_quail]

That’s either a rosetta or Tibetan messy tuxedo. The Tibetan have 2 copies of the range pattern gene, and Rosetta has only 1. You’ll see a wide variety, but the Rosetta’s usually have a lot of barring and pencilling on their feathers, with a general lighter coloring, having a range of browns and reds mixed in, so I believe yours is rosetta, but it’s hard to say because lighting can make it look different in different conditions.

That bird is not fee tho, fee is a gene that dilutes the browns and reds. Grau fee is tibetan or rosetta with the fee dilution gene, and appear like black and gray birds with cream and light beige. One copy of fee let’s some browns and reds bleed thru, so you’ll have beige and light orangy colors bleeding thru particularly at the shoulders and upper back. Two copies of fee will create a more uniform black/gray/cream mix with almost no brown and red coming thru. Brown is diluted more than roux, so scarlet/red range, egyptian etc are affected differently, and never dilute to fully white or cream, at best they have a light Cremecicle look. Males that have fee and carry 1 copy of roux will usually show that roux on their necks and backs strongly as chicks and it will fade somewhat as they age.

I am terrible with genetics. As much as I try to understand how the genes interact with each other, it's like my brain can't compute. Thanks for all the information

 

[little-beep]

I think the pic of the quail molting is actually cute!

 

[coffee_and_quail]

I think the pic of the quail molting is actually cute!

I know, she just looks so grumpy and frazzled all the time.