[isobel]

Hi - I have about 25 hens and also a pair of quails that are kept in the same field but in a separate run on grass. I was getting a dozen eggs a day from my quite elderly flock (many of whom are retired ex batts) till the week before last when suddenly egg production virtually disappeared (2 eggs yesterday) and in that time two hens have died and one is looking very poorly. My lady quail was also dead this morning. Help! The others look fine and are alert with tails up and red combs, but I have no idea what is going on, and eggs just about non-existent. I am currently worming them with Flubenvet as I hadn't done it for a few months and till the deaths, had hoped it was just a bout of worms. I introduced 6 ex batts recently one of whom gasps a lot but strangely seems quite chipper apart from that (I thought maybe the gasping was worm related but maybe it is something vaguely fatal!).  I am at a loss. is there anything that both hens and quails can catch??

[splash101]

Are there any other symptoms or any signs of injury.

What are the droppings like?

Quails really dont live very long 18m - 3 yrs. One of my oldest quails died last week.
I find normally if they have stopped laying without any other reason to cause them to stop laying, they dont live much longer than that.

If you are keeping breeding quails,  its best to have 1 male to a minimum of 3-4 females as the poor ladies will receive far too much amorous attention from the male and it causes them a lot of stress.

[Sassy]

Agree re the quails do need more ladies. Hope you sort it out

[grinling]

were the news ones quarantined or added to the flock? BIL warrens lasted 4 years, but not alot of eggs in last 9 months.
They can gape if grass is stuck in their throat.