Quail Missing Feathers Suddenly

[MDBird]

I look at my birds each day but when I got home I noticed this male Quail with feathers missing on his back and when I picked him up feathers were falling out. He also felt different then the other birds. I tried looking for bugs or parasites and didn't see any. He was in a pen with 10 hens and one other male for a few months with no problems. Any ideas right now I have him separated, could they have just turned on him. I haven't seen any chasing or anything like that. When he pooped after being put in the new cage it looked normal. He has always had access to a dust bath. Thank you for your help

 

[shrimpsilkies]

If it’s autumn right now for you it’s molting season, but that damage looks unusual since they usually leave enough feathers on to cover up any bald spots or pinfeathers. Entirely probable that they suddenly attacked him since they can be aggressive during molt, I had one male lose all his head feathers to his hens which caused him to molt out the rest of his feathers too. Isolation is good, their feathers grow back quickly so check up on him often and see if there’s fresh growth.

 

[MDBird]

If it’s autumn right now for you it’s molting season, but that damage looks unusual since they usually leave enough feathers on to cover up any bald spots or pinfeathers. Entirely probable that they suddenly attacked him since they can be aggressive during molt, I had one male lose all his head feathers to his hens which caused him to molt out the rest of his feathers too. Isolation is good, their feathers grow back quickly so check up on him often and see if there’s fresh growth.

It is autumn here so maybe the molting and then aggression is what is happening. I'll be keeping a close eye on him. Thank you for your help

 

[Nabiki]

I've noticed that my birds get irritated easily and more aggressive when they're moulting. I can't blame them, I probably would too.

 

[MDBird]

So seems like everyone is leaving towards molting and related, thank you for the help.

 

[FloorCandy]

I picked up one the other day, and like 8 feathers fell out. Some of mine are molting, but no one has bald patches except for the neck because everyone seems cranky and need to be “convinced to mate” by the males. I haven’t worried about it because no one has any injuries or cuts. I would just keep an eye on the rest in the pen.

 

[MDBird]

I picked up one the other day, and like 8 feathers fell out. Some of mine are molting, but no one has bald patches except for the neck because everyone seems cranky and need to be “convinced to mate” by the males. I haven’t worried about it because no one has any injuries or cuts. I would just keep an eye on the rest in the pen.

That's the plan so far with the advice from here. I've never had birds and might have over reacted lol I didn't notice until this morning there was another post on this. When I picked him up and a bunch of feathers fell out I got nervous.

 

[FloorCandy]

That's the plan so far with the advice from here. I've never had birds and might have over reacted lol I didn't notice until this morning there was another post on this. When I picked him up and a bunch of feathers fell out I got nervous.

I know right, the first time my old parrot molted I was like oh know bird cancer!