That Quail Place Forum
Our Member's Section => That Quail Place ChatRoom => Topic started by: jenok on January 21, 2014, 04:27:01 PM
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s144
Last summer I purchased about 170 quail most of them 1-3 day old chicks with about 60 being 7-10 day old. I managed to get about 95 raised to adult and butchered all but 30 (15 pair) to keep. I didn't get eggs til about Dec. 20th and decided to incubate 15 eggs of which 9 hatched. All was going good until Sunday I realize that my birds have several bloody spots in the pen. I start looking and soon see that several have bad sores on their feet, it was late so I couldn't do anything until Monday. So Monday I buy some scaly leg protector and I already have some betadine (antibiotic wash) and some powder antibiotic for water (teramycin I think). I wash everyone with the betadine and then spray and rub in the scaly leg stuff also getting rid of any buildup (mud/feces) on their feet.
Is this the best way to treat or should I do something different ? ??? All of them had sores from small sand size to pea size busting open.
I have all 30 birds together in a 10'x15'x7'tall pen on the ground. It is under a wide open shed adjoining our barn so it has a roof over the entire pen, but when it rains or has melting snow it gets muddy from runoff. There is a 3'x10' cement slab that is against the wall that their house is on but even though I clean it once a week they still step in poop all the time. I think between that and the mud getting caked on their feet they got some kinda infection. I want to fix it where this wont happen again but not sure how. I am wanting to extend the pen making it larger but do not have the extra funds to make a raised pen. Should/can I use hay, straw, shavings, saw dust, or what? Also thought about sand or pea gravel?
I'm at a loss as to the best way to fix this problem and hopefully not lose any birds. At this time I do not sell chicks, birds, or eggs but I'm considering it. These are my first birds so any help is very appreciated. Thanks.
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Give them something to peck on in their cage like Styrofoam or hang bright red cloth strips in their cage. This should stop the leg pecking..
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I could be off base here, but it sounds like you are describing something more than just wounds from pecking. The terms "sores" and "sores bursting open" make me think of something more ulcerative. If that is the case, and is not just simple wounding from pecking, you might want to read this article about Quail Pox from Mississippi State Poultry Science Dept. http://msucares.com/poultry/game/poultry_pox.html
I'm probably wrong, because it's early season, and your birds are raised on the ground - but it's worth a look.
Godspeed,
BB