Quail can be attributed to the most unpretentious poultry, whose immunity is quite able to cope with many bird diseases. For this reason, they are popular with farmers and breeders. Most quail diseases appear primarily due to a violation of the conditions of detention and an improperly selected diet, but infectious diseases are also possible.
Contagious quail diseases and their treatment
Conjunctivitis
Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye and respiratory tract. It is one of the most common diseases in poultry. The cause of the disease is poisoning with ammonia gases or drugs.
The first symptoms can be seen with the naked eye - young birds slow down in growth, become more lethargic. White secretions stick together eyelids, dry on feathers and skin around the eyes, forming a dense crust.
First of all, you need to pay attention to sufficient space for birds and ventilation of the house. It is better to transplant sick birds for a while into open enclosures in the fresh air. In case of progression of the disease, a veterinarian should be called to prescribe medication.
Newcastle disease (or pseudo-plague)
It can be transmitted from birds to humans, causing eye diseases in the latter. The reasons for the appearance of pseudo-plague include: eating foods without heat treatment, droppings of another bird, sick pets and improper maintenance.
The disease proceeds in two forms: symptomatically and asymptomatically. In the first case, this is a general weakness and malaise of the bird, a litter of a greenish hue with bloody clots and veins, a rotten smell from the beak. In addition, symptoms and seizures, numbness of the legs, unnatural position of the head can be attributed to the symptoms. Asymptomatic, the disease does not manifest itself in any way, but the virus can be found in birds in the blood.
Newcastle disease: chick throws head back
If pseudo-plague symptoms are detected, it is strictly forbidden to cure the birds on their own, because in this case this virus can be transmitted to humans. It is necessary to consult a veterinarian, he will write out a detailed treatment plan, including antibiotics.
Prevention of pseudo-plague is to comply with maintenance standards: a sufficient size of pens to prevent quails from crowding, timely cleaning of the house in overalls, and avoidance of neighborhood with other poultry.
Orintoz, or bird flu
It is another infectious disease that affects both birds and humans. In people, the disease manifests itself in a complication of breathing, the development of pneumonia, an increase in the liver and spleen is observed.
Symptoms of quail disease include seizures, ruffled and contaminated feathers, and lack of appetite. A bird with such symptoms must be isolated away from its healthy counterparts, a veterinarian should be called in, and a sick individual should be given the complex of necessary vitamins and minerals.
Helminthiasis
A disease, a characteristic feature of which is the presence of parasites in the respiratory tract. The disease is transmitted from sick to healthy individuals through a common drinker.
Symptoms include: coughing in birds, shortness of breath, shortness of breath.
To avoid the massive spread of the disease in birds, the following measures should be taken:
- keep adult birds separate from young animals;
- keep the cells clean;
- each adult bird must be kept in a separate cage;
- when new birds appear, they must be isolated from the rest for a month.
Smallpox
It is a viral disease characterized by the appearance of a rash on the mucous membranes around the eyes, wart-like growths on the beak and eyelids, chills.
It is necessary to treat the disease with antibiotics, enrich the food with vitamins A and B, and also add potassium iodide to the water.
Salmonellosis
A disease that affects the gastrointestinal tract and leads to intoxication of the bird's body. Infectious to humans. The cause of the disease is a pathogenic Salmonella bacillus, which does not form spores.
The main symptom of this disease in quail is liquid feces. An effective treatment for the disease has not been developed, so the bird is destroyed, and the house is disinfected.
Aspergillosis
Mostly young animals are affected, while in adult birds the disease proceeds in a latent form. It is a form of fungal disease.
Symptoms of aspergillosis in quail: the bird becomes lethargic, drinks more than usual, panting, beak and legs become blue. Self-treatment is not recommended.
Colibacillosis
This disease is rare in quail, but if it occurs, it can affect the entire population of young birds. The causative agent of the disease is E. coli.
Symptoms of colibacteriosis can occur within four months. These include indigestion, clogging of the anus, bluish beak.
This disease can be cured with special antibiotics prescribed by the veterinarian. The addition of acidophilic yogurt to feed is also recommended. In order to completely destroy the infection, it is advisable to completely disinfect all rooms, feeding troughs, as well as equipment
Down-eaters
Parasites that feed on keratinized skin particles, down and bird feathers. They are characterized by rapid reproduction. Parasites bring the bird inconvenience and severe itching, which can result in weight loss for the bird, the number of eggs laid, and deaths among young animals are not uncommon.
One of the ways to combat parasites is to install an ash bath, in which dry sand and wood resin are poured, and sulfur powder is also added. During cleaning in such a bath the quail is freed from parasites.
Cholera (pasteurellosis)
It is caused by the penetration of the pathogenic bacteria Pastcurella multocida into the body of a bird. The disease is characterized by bluish beak, bloody diarrhea, but an asymptomatic form is also possible. The lethal season is inevitable.
Outbreaks of the disease are seasonal, their cause is a sharp cooling and temperature stress. To continue breeding quail, you must contact your veterinarian to disinfect the premises.
Pullorosis
It manifests itself in the form of drowsiness, inactivity, the appearance of a whitish or greenish-brownish droppings with mucus, clogging of the anus. Birds affected by this disease tremble, cannot balance, peep and clog into the corner of the cage.
In the event of the appearance of such symptoms, it is necessary to perform a blood test for the entire livestock, the sick individual is eliminated, and birds that were in close contact with her should be quarantined. To completely eliminate the traces of the disease, it is necessary to carry out a complete disinfection of the premises and equipment.
Many bird diseases are dangerous not only for quail, but also for people. Therefore, if you suspect an infectious disease in birds, you need to contact not only the veterinarian, but also the therapist.
Diseases of quail caused by violation of diet and maintenance
Despite the many infectious diseases, quail often have immunity against them, which can not be said about diseases caused by an unbalanced diet and improper conditions of detention.
Deficiency of a certain group of vitamins, hypovitaminosis
The most common problem. Her symptoms are: loss of appetite, ruffled feathers, lowered wings, tilting of the head.
Hypovitaminosis develops with a prolonged lack of vitamins or their improper use, which leads to metabolic disorders in quail. Over time, a more severe form may develop - vitamin deficiency. For the treatment and prevention of the disease, the use of vitamins and vitamin supplements, emphasis on varieties of feed rich in vitamins, is recommended.
An overabundance of vitamins and minerals can also lead to illness. Everything should be in moderation.
Oviduct prolapse with egg
A fairly common phenomenon, the fault of which is malnutrition and violation of the conditions of detention. Early oviposition with prolapse of the oviduct is characteristic of young birds that switched to adult nutrition before reproductive age.
To avoid the occurrence and development of this problem among quail, it is recommended to add more green fodder to daily feeding, to add yeast, meat and bone meal or fish meal to small amounts.
Egg shell deformation
Possible damage to the structure of the eggshell due to insufficient amounts of calcium, vitamin D and other mineral components in the feed. In this case, the shell becomes more like a soft shell.
Calcium can be added to birds using chalk, crushed shells, or nutritional supplements.
Cannibalism and clutches of clutches
Widely distributed among quail. This pathology appears with a high density of birds per square meter of premises, too bright light and unbalanced nutrition.
You can fight cannibalism by expanding quail enclosures, fencing the most aggressive individuals, and observing nutritional standards.
Rickets (vitamin D deficiency)
It affects more young individuals, leads to anemia and stunted growth, improper development of the skeletal system. Symptoms include softening of the beak and claws, deformation of the extremities and chest, and lack of mobility.
In adults, a decrease in egg production is characteristic, and eggs can be with a thin shell or even with its complete absence. If such eggs are placed in an incubator, then the brood will be ill with rickets from the very first days.
Baldness (alopecia), or feather loss
It is observed with drafts and excessive dryness in the room. The most affected area is baldness on the head, neck and back. Feathers lose their strength, often break and fall out. Repairing the barn and adding yeast to the quail food will help in this situation.
Qatar goiter
Appears when using low-quality feed. Symptoms are: swelling of the goiter, gray fluid begins to be released from the beak and nostrils, the appetite disappears in the bird, and with a chronic form, the development of hanging goiter is possible.
You can cure this disease yourself, for which you need to empty the goiter. To do this, the bird needs to be turned upside down and stroked with light massage movements from goiter to beak. Such manipulations must be done several times, and then give the bird only water a day, to which a solution of hydrochloric acid was added. The next day, you can feed the quail with soft milk feed.
Diarrhea
A fairly common phenomenon, the cause of which is poor food. Adult quails do not lay eggs, gain weight, litter has a bluish-green color.
You can fight diarrhea using Furazalidone tablets in a glass of water. It is also recommended to change the feed to better ones.
Quail Poisoning
It is characterized by an upset gastrointestinal tract. In birds, there is a depressed state, increased thirst. In case of poisoning, you can give a decoction of flax seeds with the addition of vegetable oil. For prevention, it is recommended to solder the quail with a decoction of chamomile or antibiotics.
Quail diseases due to injuries and bruises
Quail - very fearful and mobile birds, so often in cases of fright or stress, they can suddenly fly up. Fragile bones of the chest and limbs break on the walls of the cell or upon unsuccessful landing. Head injuries are dangerous due to the appearance of internal bleeding and bruising of the brain.
In this case, the feathers around the damaged area are sheared, and the wound is treated with iodine, manganese solution or furatsilinom. A sterile bandage is applied. It is better to isolate the wounded bird from relatives, so that it does not get injured even more and does not bring the infection into the wound.
If you have not witnessed a bird’s wound, then the problem can be noticed as follows: the quail moves little and unnaturally, it has no appetite, and traces of hematomas and inflammations are noticeable.
Quail eye injury
To reduce the risk of injury to birds, the following actions are recommended:
- to place pens for walking and quail cages at a distance from playgrounds and the location of other pets;
- when performing construction work, it is better to transfer the quail to a calm, remote place or cover it with an impenetrable cloth;
- use caution when feeding and cleaning cells;
- the lateral and posterior walls of the cell should not be transparent;
- the ceiling will be protected by a nylon fishing net, which will help to soften the head hits.
- the height of the cage should not be more than 25 cm.
Disease Prevention Methods
Many quail diseases can be prevented only by observing the conditions of detention and timely preventive methods:
- Compliance with a suitable temperature regime so that the birds do not languish from the heat and do not freeze.
- Proper maintenance of the light regime, which will help prevent the appearance of aggressive behavior.
- The rooms in which the birds are kept should be spacious, with a good ventilation system and the absence of drafts, regularly cleaned. The air should not be stale and dry.
- In the daily diet of birds, all the necessary vitamins, minerals and green food should be present in a suitable dosage.
- Monitor the cleanliness of the water in the drinkers, regularly change fresh water, and disinfect the drinker.
- Feeding troughs and drinking bowls should be kept clean, the remains of food, litter must be removed.
- Exclude any interactions with other pets and birds.
- Keeping adults and young animals is necessary in different pens and cages.
- When buying new birds, they should be sent to monthly quarantine.
- Only one quail can be in one cage.
- Disinfect formalin steam with incubators and eggs before laying.
- Clean up bird droppings daily.
- Monitor the health status of quail, notice all changes in appearance and behavior. In case of the slightest suspicion, isolate sick individuals in a separate room.
- If a dead individual is found, put the body in a bag and send it for examination to a veterinary clinic. This procedure will help to understand if the bird died of infection and whether there is a risk for the rest of the brood.
- At least once a week, handle inventory, feeders and drinkers with a 0.5% formalin solution.
Watch a video about common symptoms of quail disease and measures to prevent bird diseases:
If you follow all the recommendations, the number of quail diseases will be reduced to a minimum or they can be completely avoided. The basic rule of keeping is adequate space for birds, cleanliness, quality food and the monitoring of the health of quail. These rules will help to protect not only the brood of birds, but also guarantee safety for you and your family.