Urgent... Please help...

[DeColores97]

I am new to raising quail and so far have not experienced any problems. For a few weeks I have noticed one of my blonde hens has been rather lazy. Laying around more than the others but still walking when she wanted to. This morning she was laying in the feed box and did not want to come out. I had to pick her up and move her. She just scooted along using only her left leg with her right leg straightened beneath her dragging behind. I inspected her leg for cuts or scales and didn't see anything. She does not seem to be in any pain. She is eating and drinking, just doesn't want to move. I have been feeding them game bird feed and ground peanuts, so I know they are getting plenty of protein. I have not noticed any of the other 19 birds acting this way, but quail seem to lay around frequently so it would be tough to notice. I am hoping for an isolated occurrence and not some sort of disease. My daughter would be devastated as she has really grown to love the quail. Please help me...

 

[TwoCrows]

There are so many reasons a bird can turn up lame. I don't think there is a way to really pin point it unless you took this bird to a "avian" vet for examination.

Lameness can stem from something as simple as a pulled or strained muscle, leg scale mites, nutritional deficiencies which can weaken bones and joints, predisposed genetic issues, bacterial infections that got into the blood stream and settled in the bone of the leg, and of course many diseases as well cause lameness.

Give the bird a really good over all physical looking for other signs of things that might be contributing to the lameness...watery eyes, dirty vent, leg scales lifting up, crusts on feet, heavy breathing, etc...

Next, I would stop with the peanuts. Yes, they are good protein, but they are very fatty and can contribute to fatty liver disease. If you want to up the protein, go with hard boiled eggs, meal worms or other animal proteins.

Get this bird on some really high potency vitamin/mineral mix to help boost the immune system.

Also, if this is some bacterial infection that got into the blood stream, many times these bacterias enter thru the intestinal tract. And probiotics don't play well with bacteria and can wipe them out in the intestinal tract before they hit the blood stream. So add some probiotics as well.

I don't know what else you can do. It is probably not contagious, however you might keep her some what isolated from the others but in the same pen so that you don't have to go thru any reintroductions later. Don't let any of the others drink from her water source.

Good luck. I hope you get it figured out.

 

[DeColores97]

This is awesome! Thank you for giving me a starting point. I will certainly follow your advice. I did notice she seemed to be breathing hard. I assumed it was because she was working harder to move. What else could it indicate?

 

[TwoCrows]

The reason I asked about other symptoms is that she could have a bacterial infection that has gotten into her leg. From what I understand, this is becoming a big problem in the poultry business...some sort of bacteria that enters the blood stream and seems to settle in the legs, causing lameness.

However other symptoms can crop up before hand or cause secondary infections. If you think she has an infection somewhere in her body, you might try some antibiotics. If she were only a chicken, LOL, and I say that because you can do injections or shove things down their throats...but quail are a bit harder to work on. You might try some Doxycycline. It is a good broad spectrum antibiotic to kill off gram negative and gram positive bacteria. It is powerful enough to wipe out most infections and is not too lethal to the birds system. I once kept a chicken on it with MS for a very long time and she had no ill effects from it.

Doxycycline can be put in her water.

You can get this on line here at vet supply houses or many pet stores that deal with parrots. This is a common antibiotic that is used on all avian species.

It can't hurt to give it a try. She will either respond or she won't. No harm done.

Keep me posted.