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Author Topic: 16 Week Old Quail Dying  (Read 16169 times)
trout bum
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« on: September 06, 2005, 10:02:07 AM »

I bought 25 quail two weeks ago. In the first 5 days 17 were dead, dropping 2-3 every a.m. and afternoon. I have 1 bird left after two weeks. The guy I bought the quail from said it must be something in my pen.

I’m using an old chicken coop 3ft x 6ft inside with an 8ft x 10ft pen outside. Added wire to get the birds off the ground and cleaned up all droppings and hosed out entire coop prior to adding the quail. I am feeding Purina flight conditioner, the same feed the guy said he was feeding. Strangely though after I called and let him know they were dying. He said he was feeding Purina starter. Pretty frustrating since I ask him first and he said the flight conditioner. I added the wire on his recommendation and put off getting the quail a couple of weeks until it was added.

What are your thoughts, were these birds already sick when I got them? Could it be shock from new surrounding? Or is it indeed something in the pen?

I would like to try some more birds from a different breeder. Prior to getting additional birds is there something I can or should spray in the coop to disinfect? They’ve had clean water, using a poultry fount and also clean feed in a poultry feeder.

Thanks!
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ridgetop
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« Reply #1 on: September 06, 2005, 03:32:48 PM »

Sounds like something in your pen!! I always use clorox full strenght let stand about 20 min then house out..The feed can you see them eat it? Might be to big for them! I like the starter better..Are these Bobwhite Quail we are tlaking about? I raise all my birds on wire thats a plus! Put freash greens in with them for picking..Hope this helps!
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trout bum
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« Reply #2 on: September 06, 2005, 04:44:50 PM »

Thanks for the reply. Yes they are bobwhites and yes they are or should I say were eating.

Any idea on what could possibly be in the pen? I'll try the chlorox.
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aKirA
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« Reply #3 on: September 06, 2005, 04:49:20 PM »

how old were they when you got them? If they are chicks, you need to ground up the Feed to where they can eat them. Should use starter for chicks, but since you got the other, it should be ok as well. Just need to ground the feed in a blender so they can manage.
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trout bum
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« Reply #4 on: September 06, 2005, 05:20:45 PM »

My understanding was they were 16 weeks old. I bought 25 in less than a week was down to 7 birds. It has now been two weeks and have 1 bird left.

The frustrating part was the guy said to use flight conditioner...then said he used starter after I let him know they were dropping like flies.

The guy also suggested adding 1 drop of clorox to one gallon of water after I let him kow they were dying. Didn't seem to help. Anyone heard about adding clorox to the water?
« Last Edit: September 06, 2005, 05:43:26 PM by trout bum » Logged
stewaw
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« Reply #5 on: September 06, 2005, 07:00:40 PM »

Certainly sounds like a cross contamination issue in your pen.  Can you provide us with some description of any symptoms prior to the birds dying?  Could be ANY number of pathogens that have remained dormant until the introduction of new birds who have no immunity. Raising the floor does nothing if something (wind or you) stirs up the dust when entering the pen.  I personally have never used an old coop but I can give a perfect example of what can go wrong. When I originally got chickens, my starter flock came from a co-worker.  All my pens/coops were new and the birds thrived.  Rock along for three years and he wants to trade out some birds as his had a run in with a pack of coyotes during the night and lost all of his Old English games.  I rustle up a trio of my finest and send them over. He puts them into the old pen (where their parents were hatched and raised) and within two weeks the whole trio is dead. Tried it again with the same result.  In the final analysis it appears that his coop contained a pathogen that didn't affect his birds as they were exposed to it from the moment of hatching.  When we introduced my birds who had no imunity, bam.... My advice (in order) would be to make sure you thoroughly clean the pen to include 1. Removal of the top six inches of soil 2. Mix up a strong bleach solution (10%) and spray the place down including inside and out,top to bottom 3. Replace the soil with sterile soil from elsewhere on your property.  After a couple of days, introduce no more than one or two quail and see how they do.
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trout bum
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« Reply #6 on: September 07, 2005, 09:39:00 AM »

Thanks Stu,

The only symptoms I noticed were the birds all fluffed up with their feathers out. There have been no chickens or any birds in the pen for close to two years. All of the droppings were removed and new soil added prior to raising the floor with wire. There is no dust the soil added is very sandy. I’ll try spraring down with the Clorox adding more sand and then try a few birds to see how they do. The one remaining bird seems to be healthy and fine, but lonely…a lot of calling going on.

What do you think about the flight conditioner vs the starter?  Doesn’t starter include an antibiotic?
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aKirA
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« Reply #7 on: September 07, 2005, 11:19:16 AM »

The only symptoms I noticed were the birds all fluffed up with their feathers out.
What do you think about the flight conditioner vs the starter?  Doesn’t starter include an antibiotic?

Fluffed up feathers, sounds like they were cold. Maybe frooze to death?

I use Ace gamebird feed and the only difference between the starter and grower is the the starter has higher protein. And at 16 weeks, your bird should be on flight conditioner.
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stewaw
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« Reply #8 on: September 07, 2005, 09:26:48 PM »

Fluffed feathers is a classic sign of fever. The birds get too hot and fluff their feathers to allow cooler air to come in contact with their skin. Differs visibly from birds that are cold and fluffed up in that fever birds will have the feathers not only fluffed but spread apart.  Birds in the wintertime/cold will have their feathers "raised" but will still appear interlocked as they are trying to retain heat not lose it.
As to conditioner/starter- Can't help you there.  I use starter from birth til death since I'm raising butcher birds. Not all starters have an antibiotic....mine doesn't and I choose it this way.  I treat if and when I have a problem since my birds are destined for my tummy. Those birds that become sick (oddly enough) become the "lucky" ones if they survive as they often become my breeders. By "surviving" they will have a greater likelyhood of building up a resistance to whatever in my pen made them sick to begin with.  That resistance is likely to be passed on to their offspring.  I've not lost a single bird (over the age of one week) to illness in the last three years. Personal philosophy that works for me.

David
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trout bum
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« Reply #9 on: September 09, 2005, 04:26:15 PM »

I’m not so sure these birds were not already sick and or had no immunities when I bought them. I just talked to the guy I bought them from and he said several people have been calling him with birds dieing after a few days and or weeks. He is replacing 6 of the 25 I bought with courtix (sp?) quail. I know another breeder about 50 miles away that has strong birds that are good fliers. Will probably try them in a few weeks, provided the courtix don’t die right off.

He also said he had 700 birds die on him last year, so went to wire to get them off the ground and hasn’t had the problems this year. Kind of mixed messages coming from him.

I really didn’t think they froze to death. Temps in the 80-90’s at nights and lows in the 50’s with a few mid 40s.

Sprayed everything down with clorox a couple days ago and will add some new sand.

Thanks for the help guys!
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Tom
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« Reply #10 on: October 08, 2005, 02:48:25 PM »

sounds like your quail could have coccidiosis.
try a coccidiostat like Corid or Sulmet.If you ever had chickens
around the coccidiosis could be in the ground for years.
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onpoint
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« Reply #11 on: October 10, 2005, 10:14:42 PM »

Could also be enteritis, otherwise known as quail disease. The puffed up look is a symptom of that. You can open up a dead bird and see the "ulcers" on the intestines. The birds carry this with them then from some sort of stress (like being moved to your place, new pen, new feed, new water, anything), it flares up and before you know it they die. Always isolate new birds and medicate with something like terramycin when you first bring them home to help relieve the stress of the move. BMD (bacitracin), or penicillin in the water takes care of the enteritis.
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Chuck Rose
Sunset Acres Gamebirds & Dog Training Area
Centerburg, Ohio
740-625-7511
740-504-0033
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