second female breeder died

[drwink]

The other day I lost a second female breeder. I lost one back around Christmas also possibly from the same thing.
I check my pens twice a day, morning & evening. In both cases everything was fine in the am. In the evening I see a female, sluggish, feathers ruffled a bit, just sitting there. Usually I can't hardly touch my birds, but I touch these females and they don't move or at least not much, I can pick them up, they are breathing, eyes look partially shut, both died shortly their after.
The first one I thought because it was a sub-zero night, but this last one was in the thirty degree range.
All other birds seem fine, but if this keeps up, I'm going to have to take out some males.
Anybody got any ideas on the cause ? birds are 9-10 months old.

Thanks
Wally

[magnumhntr]

I'm assuming these are the ones you have laying. Could be egg bound? I had a ringneck hen do the same thing last spring. Only thing I can think of, especially if they're healthy.

[quailer370]

after a long winter of no laying one of my quail succumbed to eggbinding-her symptoms were similar to those of your quail, drwink.  some young quail get eggbound on their first laying season.  best way to prevent it: calcium and exercise. yes, exercise-after my female died of eggbinding i started taking mine out into the yard more and making sure they all ran around.  then again it sounds like yours arent that tame...

-quailer370

[drwink]

could have been eggbound I suppose. Sure didn't think so when the first one died as it was a few weeks before they started laying. But then again this one could have been the first to be ready.
My birds can get plenty of exercise in their pen & the breeders are fairly tame, some will let me touch them but don't like being handled.
The release birds I like as wild as possible with as little human contact as possible.

Wally