Quail randomly dying without signs of injury or disease

[hotdish hobby farm]

I have Coturnix quail, and the last 4 days 3 have died. They looked fine and they were acting fine the day before. They live outside in a raised pen that is 2/3 a wire run and 1/3 an inclosed house. I live in Minnesota so it can be pretty cold but they have done perfectly fine all winter and the last few days were warm. They have food and I give them water twice a day. All the ones that have died had food in their crops. I thought it might be mites because they can be pretty sneaky but I looked them over and didn't see any signs of mites. Does anyone have any idea what the issue might be?

 

[IvysAnimals]

What are they being fed? Have you noticed any other/abnormal behavior with them?
Quails that have mites will have very dry, scaly skin. The skin might look red and swollen, and the feathers are usually falling out. Another problem might be that they have a sour crop or an impacted crop... I hope that helped!

Sour Crop:

1. Causes - Long grasses and plant fibers, excessive amounts of bread or pasta, moldy feed, inadequate amounts of grit, inadvertently swallowing pieces of plastic, rubber bands, or other indigestible substances that can't be easily broken down and allowed to pass from the crop.

2. Signs/Symptoms - The crop is extended and feels squishy, a ‘sour’ smell coming from the beak and in some cases, a foul-smelling liquid may also leak out of the mouth, the quail acting lethargic, self-isolating, and vomiting.

3. Treatment - Isolate them in a warm, quiet area, limit their feed intake, hold them upside down and gently massage the crop in the direction of the head, and carefully try to induce vomiting, encouraging them to eat some yogurt or olive oil, make sure they drink plenty of water with apple cider vinegar. Sprinkling a bit of cinnamon over some plain yogurt and adding a drop of oil or oregano I heard can also help.
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Impacted Crop:

1. Causes - Large Items in the digestive system that can't pass through

2. Signs/Symptoms - The crop will feel firm. The quail(s) will show reduced appetite, weight loss, and depression.

3. Treatment - lubricate the crop/digestive tract with vegetable oil in an eyedropper through the mouth and massage the crop to try and break up the blockage, or in extreme cases actually slit the crop open with a scalpel and remove the blockage.
An impacted crop can actually press against the windpipe of the quail and suffocate them.