1. Common Diseases of Farmed Quail
Dr. Keith Bailey
Lab Director & Pathologist, OADDL

2. Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory
Opened in 1976 to assist animal owners & producers
OADDL is accredited by the AAVLD & a member of the NAHLN

3. Background Information About Quail
Type of Quail
Body Size at Maturity
Age of Sexually Maturity (weeks)
Incubation Period of Eggs (days)
Weight (gm)
Age (weeks)
Bobwhite
162 12 16
22-23
Coturnix (Japanese) 6
16-18
Domesticated quail are not usually broody (must incubate eggs or use broody hen)

4. Diseases of Farmed Quail
As with most avian diseases, the age of the bird strongly influences the issue or disease involved:
Incubation/Hatchability
Brooding
Growers
Adults

5. Incubation/Hatchability
Reasons for poor hatch
Improper temperature
Improper humidity
Suboptimal turning
Poor ventilation
Infertile eggs
Cracked eggs
Old eggs
Contaminated shells

6. Terminology
Pipping = the process of the chick cracking the egg during hatch
Egg tooth = projection on end of a chick’s beak used for cracking the egg during hatching

7. Terminology
Glottis = opening to the trachea; located at base of tongue
Choana = opening in roof of mouth that leads to the nasal passages

8. Brooding – Common Issues
Improper temperature (95°F for 1st week, then decreased by 5°F each week)
Poor ventilation
Pens with corners (piling)
Lack of fresh water
Diseases (next slide)

9. Brooding – Diseases Omphalitis Aspergillosis
Brooding – Diseases
Omphalitis
Most commonly due to infection with E. coli = colibacillosis
High mortality in first week
Aspergillosis
Granulomas in the lungs & air sacs of chicks
Mortality in 2nd week
May cause gasping (gaping) or neurologic signs
Due to contaminated incubator

10. Brooder/Grower Quail – Diseases
Quail Bronchitis = acute respiratory infection caused by an adenovirus; affecting birds show gasping (gaping)

11. Grower Quail – Diseases
Coccidiosis = most important disease of growing game birds & poultry
serosa (outside)
mucosa (inside)
pancreas

12. Grower Quail – Diseases
Coccidiosis = most important disease of growing game birds & poultry
pinpoint hemorrhages characteristic of coccidiosis

13. Grower Quail – Diseases
Ulcerative enteritis (Quail Disease) = acute mortality in growing quail raised on dirt
Cause = Clostridium colinum

14. Grower Quail – Diseases
Ulcerative enteritis (Quail Disease) = acute mortality in growing quail raised on dirt
Necrosis in the intestine may be discrete, circular lesions or involve entire segments (usually see deep ulcers)

15. https://bobwhites.wordpress.com/works-cited/
Adult Quail Diseases

16. Adult Quail – Diseases
Ulcerative enteritis (Quail Disease) = acute mortality in quail raised on dirt

17. Adult Quail Diseases
Cropworms (Capillaria sp.) = chronic wasting; emaciation
thickened
(leathery)
appearance
of crop

18. Adult Quail Diseases
Quail poxvirus = crusty proliferations on face (around beak)
Fowl pox in a chicken

19. Adult Quail Diseases
Quail poxvirus = crusty proliferations on face (around beak)
Fowl pox in a turkey

20. Fowl pox in a wild turkey
Adult Quail Diseases
Quail poxvirus = crusty proliferations on face (around beak)
Fowl pox in a wild turkey

21. Adult Quail Diseases
Quail poxvirus = crusty proliferations on face (around beak)
Fowl pox in a pigeon

22. https://www. purelypoultry. com/northern-bobwhite-quail-chicks-p-769
Questions?