# Button Quail unable to walk



## freeflying.kmf (Jun 17, 2009)

I have a 1-month old button quail that I've had from an egg. Recently, I've noticed that the poor baby is hardly able to walk. He (?) seems to slide around on his side, pushing himself along with his legs. I'm not sure if it's always the same side, but this problem has been getting worse as he gets older! I've got him on pine chips, so it's not spraddled legs, but I'm not sure what it is! I've raised 100's (literally!) of chickens, ducks, and guinea fowl from eggs before and never seen this... what's up?! And can I fix it? If not, how do I prevent it-- I've got 25 more quail in the incubator, since this lil guy was the only one of the 5 eggs I had last time to come to term. I don't want this to happen again. He gets around ok, but it's pathetic to watch.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

It could be nutritional. What are you feeding him?
Where do you keep him?


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## altgirl35 (Sep 5, 2008)

could also be a spinal cord injury


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## Snowy_pied_chic (Feb 19, 2009)

Could it be a genetic defect? Did you raise his parents from eggs, and if so- are they inbred?


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## freeflying.kmf (Jun 17, 2009)

He's been fed unmedicated chick grower (ground up for him), but I'm transferring him over to gamebird crumble. Also, he's housed in a 2x2 cage with a wood bottom under thick pine chips/shavings. I don't think it's genetic, unless it just started to appear later in life, because he was fine for the first 2 weeks or so of his life. I ordered his egg (and 5 others, but he's the only one that hatched, not unusual with these little quail) online from a certified gamefarm.


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## darkfur (May 11, 2007)

do his hock joints look swollen? I've noticed with our japanese quail at least that they can dislocate that joint really easily and there's not much you can do by way of treatment that I am aware of


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