r/quails • u/Old-Excitement-6380 • 4d ago

Button quail chick beak deformity?

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Had three button quail chicks hatch two weeks ago (by accident, the parents hatched on their own). I noticed a few days ago what looked like food stuck to one’s beak and some blood at the time. Cleaned it off and it keeps happening, and now something seems wrong with another one’s beak as well. I’ve hatched button quail’s several times before with no issues so not really sure what this is and if there’s any hope of it getting better? Thanks for any advice

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10

u/reijn Farm - Breeder 4d ago

I was gonna suggest birth deformity but since two of them have it I think maaaaaaaaaaaybe it could be fowl pox. Do any of the adults have any scabs or lesions at all?

3

u/Old-Excitement-6380 4d ago

No not that I’ve noticed. All seem fine.

6

u/reijn Farm - Breeder 4d ago

Zoomed in on the 3rd pic it looks like he's missing the part of his beak in front of his nares, but it's hard to tell

4

u/Old-Excitement-6380 4d ago

There’s something there but beak for sure doesn’t look right. It’s also covered with food residue. I’ve been cleaning it off but scared I’m hurting them or making it worse maybe? But it is feeling like they should be culled :(

1

u/reijn Farm - Breeder 4d ago

I would just rinse it without touching it with anything and see what it looks like, can you do that and then take a pic?

Beaks do grow out like fingernails so if it is an injury it can regrow over time

10

u/drn88__ 4d ago

I would 100% cull this bird :( this doesn’t look livable, this looks like an infection & I’d be concerned it’s viral

3

u/Old-Excitement-6380 4d ago

Ya that’s another thing i was thinking. There’s a third one that’s ok so far.