What's wrong? Not eating/ eye problem

[Urbanhomestead_ut]

One of my 2.5 week old coturnix chicks seems really off today. Very wobbly when it walks. One if it's eyes is sunken in. Does seem to want to eat/drink. It will put it's head in the feeder and just sit there without eating. It's sleeping standing up in the middle of the brooder.

Here are pics of it's eye. 1st is normal eye, 2nd is sunken eye. You might have to zoom to really see the sunken one.

 

[shrimpsilkies]

Maybe it flew up and hit something? I don’t see any peck wounds to the head, but that’s also possible.
I’ve seen my quails’ eyes and eyelids get strangely distorted from swelling related to head trauma and stretched skin from dried scabs. I’m not so sure abt the listlessness though. How long has it been since it last ate?
If you have nutra drench on hand maybe try to see if it will drink a few droplets.

 

[Urbanhomestead_ut]

Ok, after watching it today I'm almost positive it can't see out of that eye anymore. Also it never sits/lays down. It is always standing up and when other quail bump it it make a sad crying sound.
It will go stand in the corner and fall asleep standing up and then get bumped over constantly.
I gave it nutri drench and nothing seemed to change.

 

[Nabiki]

It doesn't sound good. It sounds like the poor thing is suffering and not thriving. I hate to say this, but you might want to consider culling it.

 

[Urbanhomestead_ut]

It doesn't sound good. It sounds like the poor thing is suffering and not thriving. I hate to say this, but you might want to consider culling it.

I know. I was hoping to give it one more day to hopefully have it improve.
Is it weird that it was totally fine a few days ago?

 

[Nabiki]

It isn't weird at all. Prey animals are very good at hiding illness until they're really feeling bad. It might have been feeling a bit off and you'd never have known.

You're doing everything you can.

 

[Urbanhomestead_ut]

It isn't weird at all. Prey animals are very good at hiding illness until they're really feeling bad. It might have been feeling a bit off and you'd never have known.

You're doing everything you can.

Thank you.

 

[Urbanhomestead_ut]

Update: I was able to get the quail to eat/drink some nutri drench last night but I thought for sure it wouldn't make it through the evening. It was in bad shape and could barely walk. It refused to eat, drink and acted like it couldn't see out of the hurt eye at all.

This morning it was walking around much better and I saw it try to eat some food before I left for work (yay!) I added some Save a Chick electrolytes and vitamins to their water before I left too.
When I got home from the chick walk walking around almost normal. It's eating and drinking and doing much better. Even it's eye doesn't look as hurt/ sunken in as yesterday. It still never lays down... even to sleep it stands up (not sure why) but I think it might pull through after all! I'm glad I decided to give it one more day before culling it.

 

[shrimpsilkies]

Good! Maybe avoid breeding from this one later. But I’m glad it’s doing better, with food in its system it’ll most likely recover quickly.