Bobwhite Autopsy

[Andrew S.]

You be the doctor:
I went down to my pen today, and found a bobwhite hen sitting and looking strange.  There was a white liquid coming out of the vent area.  When I picked it up, its head rolled sideways and a clear liquid came out of its mouth.  At that moment it died.  Curious of what was wrong, I decided to do some operating.  I opened the quail up and found an egg with no shell.  There was also the same white liquid.  In addition, the quails crop/gizzard was completely full of liquid (I believe it was the same liquid/water that came from its mouth). 
This is the second quail to die in a span of 3 days.  They just turned a year old in July, and I haven't had any die since they were chicks.  What do you think was this hen's problem?

Andrew S.

[magnumhntr]

Are they on the ground or wire?

[aKirA]

the egg was stuck perhaps?

I had a Valley hen die on me this season as well. One day she was fine, the next day she was huffing and puffing then died. I never opened her up though and just assumed it was exhaustion. But it was similar to what you explained.

Currently have the last Valley Hen looking exhausted too. Always has her beak slightly open etc. But she has stopped laying so hopefully she recovers.

[Andrew S.]

These birds are on wire.  The other day I got an egg about the size of a banny egg - so I thought that maybe this was the one that laid it, and had trouble laying another one of the same size.  When I opened it though, the egg was normal size just no shell.

Andrew S.

[jk]

That big egg may have just caused internal bleeding, or most likely just plain exhaustion. I have had a bobwhite die after laying a double-yolker that was 3 times the size of any of their other eggs. I guess they just don't have anymore energy after doing something like that. Good luck with your other hen.

[Bloomingtongamebirds]

Ulcerative Enteritis is probably the problem, you need to get them on BMD (Solutracin) as soon as possible. I have had this happen before and that was the problem. Look at the birds intestines for little ulcers on them, if they are present this is the problem. I had a few birds die with the same symptoms awhile back and was able to stop it before it got out of hand, only lost about 20 out of 200.