Button quail chicks violently dying

[Murphy_the_Hooligan]

WARNING!! THIS POST INCLUDES PHOTO AND VIDEOS OF ONE OF MY BUTTON QUAIL CHICKS DYING TRAGICALLY. NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART!

These babies were hatched on Friday June 26. They are 4 days old. When I went to check on them this afternoon, I found the mother sitting on all 4 of the babies, including this one, when I peeked in and they all stirred, this one looked like he was trying to move but couldn’t. This is how he acted when I pulled him from the cage:

He did not want to drink. This was how he acted when I set him on the heating pad:

below you will see the photo taken after the video I just referenced. He went potty, and turned his head up like this. Immediately, he started flailing almost like a seizure. I couldn’t start the camera quick enough. This next video catches the end of his episode and subsequently his final moments:

I’ve lost quite a few chicks like this and have no idea why. The other chicks are fine, for now. I also had an adult pass away that had one of these episodes but she died like a year later. I’m just so confused! What am I doing wrong? What is happening?!

 

[Kale the Quail]

oh no. I have no experience in this. @Nabiki , @danalovesdogs , @Fenrisulfr , @muddy75 @Kiki ?

 

[TheOddOneOut]

Anyone? @casportpony @Eggcessive?

 

[muddy75]

i have lost several like this.....usually the “runts” I believe it has to do with temp shock (it got too cold or drank water too cold) and or not eating/drinking enough during the first few days.
that is just my opinion based on experience and of course i’ve never had a broody hen.....mine have all been raised in artificial conditions. i currently have 4 healthy chicks in the brooder but concerned that i may end up losing some due to the 15 hour power outage overnight. it’s never easy to figure out what could have gone wrong

 

[Fenrisulfr]

I had these movement just once, with a fresh hatched japanese quail, from the beginning.
I concerned a nerve damage an culled it after watching it about one and an half hour.

I will ask the old breeders in my breeding club later, if they have any idea.

 

[MGG]

Looks kinda like wry neck. Maybe your adults have a vitamin deficiency of some type? I'm sorry you lost the poor little one.

 

[Nabiki]

What are you feeding them? If it was just one, I would think that the chick simply failed to thrive, but since you've had several, it is going to be something in the environment, feed, or genetic.

 

[007Sean]

I would check the feed your feeding...looks like Ergot poisoning, typical seizure and flailing about movements.
Ergot poisoning is caused by mold that forms on the grains of wheat, rye, barley and sometimes on corn. It typically is on the grains of unharvested crops, forms from too much moisture, rain before harvesting the crop....the farmer harvests the grain and is delivered to the mill...it is then used in the manufacturing of the feed. The grain is usually not tested for Ergot, so it goes unnoticed until it's too late.
I've had a few of my birds affected by it...they will recover if not fed anymore of the contaminated feed.
It appears that this is acute Ergot poisoning.

 

[Kale the Quail]

I would check the feed your feeding...looks like Ergot poisoning, typical seizure and flailing about movements.
Ergot poisoning is caused by mold that forms on the grains of wheat, rye, barley and sometimes on corn. It typically is on the grains of unharvested crops, forms from to much moisture, rain before harvesting the crop....the farmer harvests the grain and is delivered to the mill...it is then used in the manufacturing of the feed. The grain is usually not tested for Ergot, so it goes unnoticed until it's too late.
I've had a few of my birds affected by it...they will recover if not fed anymore of the contaminated feed.
It appears that this is acute Ergot poisoning.

this makes me scared that it will happen to my birds

 

[Murphy_the_Hooligan]

Hi all! I’ve attached a photo of what I am feeding them. Of course I crush this up almost to a powder so they can eat it. I lose a couple chicks like this every clutch I hatch from different pairs of birds. I’ve lost a few ENTIRE clutches (4-6 chicks) in this same manner. I always buy this feed from tractor supply. They only get spring water (bottled)

amazingly, I have purchased “4health“ brand dog treats from tractor supply that have been covered in mold before so I don’t doubt ergot poisoning.

I also think it could be wry neck. The adults get play sand for dirt baths and grit, dumor 16% layer feed mixed with a little cracked corn with purple corn, and various types of grass that I pick outside, as well as hard boiled eggs (Shell and all). I’ve tried to feed them vegetables in a treat dish like some carrots or strawberries but they don’t seem to care about it unless I give them red cabbage.