Gun Dog Forum

We have been doing this a long time but have never encountered this. 6-8 week old Quail that have bloody nostrils and the beak disingrates. They are on raised floor with mesh, eating a balanced diet (purina game bird for Growth), have plenty of fresh air, a heat lamp for nightime. They are NOT pecking each other....we have been diligent on that and they have plenty of room. This has got us stumped. They get vitamins with minerals and electrolytes one a week, fresh alfalfa I pick from the fields. Any help appreciated! BTW...medicated the water with Neox also............

Judy

I had the same problem, different symptoms, last year. My only advice to you would be to get rid of the birds you have and disinfect or replace everything. I believe that my problems had to do with where I was getting them from. It was a new source, due to my other taking a year off, and I had birds that couldn't/wouldn't fly, emaciated birds and birds dieing on me all the time. But they came to me that way, so I would also suggest going to the source and seeing what's up.

Tall Boy. Just a thought, but we really turned our birds around by getting feed with wormer mixed in it. It comes in special from Ky with Fenbendizole in it.

what is the protein number on the feed? also are they eating alot of the chips or bedding material and not the feed?

Are you mixing different age/breeds of birds?

Brenda
Is the feed you get crumbles or pellets? If it is crumbles, where do you get it?
Thanks
Dave

Also do you have your gamebirds close to chickens or ducks ? Chickens and ducks can carry and transmit disease to gamebirds.

Gamebirds will also draw blood from each other if water is not plentiful and adequately supplied..... but they usually seem to attack
the hind end of other birds. also red lights as opposed to white light is better to reduce pecking.

Switching feeds and reducing bedding may help, and I find putting down lots of feeders and waterers almost to the point of overkill
reduce problems associated with pecking and eating bedding instead of feed.

Not mixing ages or species at all. They are on a grid mesh...so no bedding. Red heat light......... UGH....protein 20% on the feed...labelled Growth and plumage. Purina is a good feed.

Crystal kennels wrote:Not mixing ages or species at all. They are on a grid mesh...so no bedding. Red heat light......... UGH....protein 20% on the feed...labelled Growth and plumage. Purina is a good feed.

I'm wondering if you got a bad batch or if the blood and broken "dissolved" beaks are from birds pecking each other.

birddog1968...they are not pecking each other...we are diligent about that. When Quail peck its other its usually around the legs and feet. We have watched them and none are pecking. I think we got a bad batch...........


Judy

Crystal kennels wrote:birddog1968...they are not pecking each other...we are diligent about that. When Quail peck its other its usually around the legs and feet. We have watched them and none are pecking. I think we got a bad batch...........


Judy

I have seen them peck faces....but 10-4 just tryin to think of everything. Good luck.

I always used to feed hubbard from the local bulk feed supplier. They would even bag it if I only wanted 10 or so bags at a time.
Generally I would buy 1000 lbs to a ton a time tho.


PS might try some terimyicin in the water too....Ive also used tylan in the water.

I think this feed is made in Ky.

Judy, I dont have an answer for your problem, but if you need more birds the dog club just bought 100 12 week old birds that are doing great and are super spooky from a fellow named Matt that is just west of Corning. 607-522-3474.

Larry Lawton

Thanks Larry that would be Matt Mentz in Prattsburg? I think I'll give him a call....... thanks!


Judy

beak disingrating is not grom pecking, it sounds chemical, i.e. a pesticide or weed killer? That is the only thing I can think of but it has been a long time sence I had Orgainc Chemistry . I remember hearing something about week beaks because if a chemical a long while back but It has been too long. Any strange thing going on like crop dusting or anything else that might be introducing chemicals? Also look for sulfer, Gases around, or just acidic water. Good luck and I will see if i can find the chemical that was mentioned for disolving beaks.

Thanks Richard! Nothing at all that I can identify as far as chemical, gases ect. Nothing.............. I have my veterinary nutritionist working on it also as I thought it could be a nutritional deficiency. I am going to lose most of these birds........$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Judy

As Brenda suggested. You may want to get them on some wormer. I have seen mites also cause problems, but is generally with their feet. If they are pecking you will definitly see them pecking .You need to open some of them up and see what is going on insde them. That is they only way to tell. If the blood is coming through the nostrils I would also be thinking along the lines of a respiratory illness. There are plenty of them that effect quail.
Just a thought.

you might want to check here

http://www.mynaga.org/

Lot's of good suggestions. The only thing I can add is, contact your supplier. Not to blame him, but to let him know what's going on. "If" the problem started at his end, he needs to know. He may have even seen it before and could offer suggestions/solutions. I had a nasty virus go through my pen a few years ago (different symptoms entirely) and my supplier was very helpful in getting it under control--even though we determined that the fault was mine (mixing birds) and not his. Whatever your problem, you'll need to figure it out before you get any more birds or they will likely die too. Good luck.

Aline
http://zzfarms.com