What is wrong with my quail???

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

Here goes: I am not a good quail hatcher. Bad luck and barely get any to hatch, don't know why. Give me chicken eggs, I get 100%. Give me quail, I'm lucky to get 30%.

So, I incubated 42 coturnix eggs and ended up with 14 live chicks. Fast forward 4 weeks and I am down to 6 with two more about to die. They just slowly dropped off, one at a time, and now that they are nearing adulthood, they are still dropping off. I put them on pine shavings after hatch, with game-bird starter and fresh water. Heat light adjusted as they aged to get cooler until they are still using one but the wattage is very low and it is just supplemental as they are feathered now. Feed is 28% protein.

They symptoms: droopy wings, and act like they are partially paralyzed on one side with the head angled towards that side. Eyes somewhat droopy, ruffled appearance, rapid weight loss, some staggering/tripping, and eventually they die. Feed is free-choice as is water. Not panting, so not hot, unsure of stool as I am trying to not mess with them much because they stress out easy.

WHAT AM I DOING WRONG???

 

[Orange Ribbon]

BigDaddy'sGurl :

Here goes: I am not a good quail hatcher. Bad luck and barely get any to hatch, don't know why. Give me chicken eggs, I get 100%. Give me quail, I'm lucky to get 30%.

So, I incubated 42 coturnix eggs and ended up with 14 live chicks. Fast forward 4 weeks and I am down to 6 with two more about to die. They just slowly dropped off, one at a time, and now that they are nearing adulthood, they are still dropping off. I put them on pine shavings after hatch, with game-bird starter and fresh water. Heat light adjusted as they aged to get cooler until they are still using one but the wattage is very low and it is just supplemental as they are feathered now. Feed is 28% protein.

They symptoms: droopy wings, and act like they are partially paralyzed on one side with the head angled towards that side. Eyes somewhat droopy, ruffled appearance, rapid weight loss, some staggering/tripping, and eventually they die. Feed is free-choice as is water. Not panting, so not hot, unsure of stool as I am trying to not mess with them much because they stress out easy.

WHAT AM I DOING WRONG???

Well, it could be coccidiosis. I say that because I've had a terrible problem with that disease in my chickens. If so, you need to treat them IMMEDIATELY.

I usually have to treat my young birds two or three times before they get old enough to be immune from it. They become lethargic, feathers get ruffled, they lose weight, become weak (tripping/staggering) and then die if I don't get some medication to them in time. I use Sulmet in the water which usually starts to work pretty fast if the birds are not too far gone. You can get it at Southern States and other feed stores although Tractor Supply in my town doesn't have anything. Another symptom you may or may not have is blood in the stool. The first couple of times my chickens got it they had blood, but the third time they did not and I got fooled into thinking it was another problem, but it was still coccidiosis.

The cocci bacteria live in the chicken guts, and in young birds it eats up their intestines. It passes out in the poop and can live for a long time in the stool or the ground. If you have chickens you may have the bacteria but it they all just happen to be immune to it. When you do anything around the chickens you need to wash your hands, and if walking into the quail enclosure you need to change your shoes. If you don't take these precautions then your quail will surely get it. But they can be treated. So far, my quail are doing well. I have them away from my chickens and I do not touch them or anything in their box, nor give them food and water unless I have washed my hands.​

 

[mochicken]

Yeah I was waiting on someone else to say it first, sounds like the symptoms that my bantam chickens had when they had Cocci.

I ended up ordering Corid online, sounds like you have an emergency and need to get Corid or Sulmet as soon as you can but it may be too late for them to be saved.

 

[TwoCrows]

If you suspect cocci, the thing you can do until you get the meds is get them on wire. I had a big outbreak of cocci with my first hatch of quail many years ago and didn't have any corid either. I got them on wire and it slowed the issue down. Ever since then, I have raised every brood on wire and never had the trouble since. Good luck!

 

[TwoCrows]

Cocci chicks often become "starve outs". In other words, they won't eat. But I have found that many times they will eat hard boiled egg yolk. In their condition, you need to get them to eat what ever they will eat just to survive. And hard boiled yolks are loaded with protein and amino acids. Even if this is all they will eat for a few weeks till they heal, keep them eating.

 

[chickbird]

BigDaddy'sGurl :

Here goes: I am not a good quail hatcher. Bad luck and barely get any to hatch, don't know why. Give me chicken eggs, I get 100%. Give me quail, I'm lucky to get 30%.

So, I incubated 42 coturnix eggs and ended up with 14 live chicks. Fast forward 4 weeks and I am down to 6 with two more about to die. They just slowly dropped off, one at a time, and now that they are nearing adulthood, they are still dropping off. I put them on pine shavings after hatch, with game-bird starter and fresh water. Heat light adjusted as they aged to get cooler until they are still using one but the wattage is very low and it is just supplemental as they are feathered now. Feed is 28% protein.

They symptoms: droopy wings, and act like they are partially paralyzed on one side with the head angled towards that side. Eyes somewhat droopy, ruffled appearance, rapid weight loss, some staggering/tripping, and eventually they die. Feed is free-choice as is water. Not panting, so not hot, unsure of stool as I am trying to not mess with them much because they stress out easy.

WHAT AM I DOING WRONG???

what kind of incubator are you using? are you ordering eggs or setting your own?​

 

[JJMR794]

BigDaddy'sGurl :

Here goes: I am not a good quail hatcher. Bad luck and barely get any to hatch, don't know why. Give me chicken eggs, I get 100%. Give me quail, I'm lucky to get 30%.

So, I incubated 42 coturnix eggs and ended up with 14 live chicks. Fast forward 4 weeks and I am down to 6 with two more about to die. They just slowly dropped off, one at a time, and now that they are nearing adulthood, they are still dropping off. I put them on pine shavings after hatch, with game-bird starter and fresh water. Heat light adjusted as they aged to get cooler until they are still using one but the wattage is very low and it is just supplemental as they are feathered now. Feed is 28% protein.

They symptoms: droopy wings, and act like they are partially paralyzed on one side with the head angled towards that side. Eyes somewhat droopy, ruffled appearance, rapid weight loss, some staggering/tripping, and eventually they die. Feed is free-choice as is water. Not panting, so not hot, unsure of stool as I am trying to not mess with them much because they stress out easy.

WHAT AM I DOING WRONG???

ENCEPHALITIS... ITS HIGHLY CONTAGEOUS TO QUAIL. YOU NEED TO LOOK HEAVILY AT YOUR BIOLOGICAL ISSOLATION TECHNIQUES​

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

Thank you all: fortunately I DO have sulmet on hand and will go treat them today. What is the standard course of treatment for quail? How much per gallon of water, how long, etc?

JJMR794: I have researched that and hope my birds do not have that... will begin caring for quail FIRST before chickens.

chickbird: most people hate them, but I have had much success with my LGs. That is what I use and I bought these eggs from someone local.

Again, thank you all for your help!!!