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Emily the Emu.. Looking for suggestions...Update: Bad Bad News.. =(

post #1 of 49
4/13/11 at 6:01pm
Thread Starter 

Hello Everyone!.. I have been a reader of BYC for quite some time, and have learned much.  Our new addition has me now joining and asking for advice.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f18/midnightdarlin/emilyhead.jpg
I have never owned an Emu.  We were contacted to take a female who was part of a foreclosure.  The mom couldn't take Emily with her, and gave her to the people we contacted us.  In the move from mom to theses people, Emily was injured by a "cowboy" who thought he needed to jump on her.  She now has a limp.  She is very friendly, seems to love kids, and the move to our Ranch was made with great care.  She has settled in, is eating, drinking, and does her drumming sound when she sees me.  I believe who ever mom was, had much love for this girl.

My Questions:

Is there a way to tell how old she is?

What should I worm her with as I highly doubt the people we got her from did this.

What should I be feeding her?  I have read much about this, but had a hard time finding what kind of feed would be okay for her.  I have not changed food, the people were feeding her a Purina chicken feed.. blue bag.. will have to go out and check the name. 

Should she be alone?..  Should I get another?..  If she has always been alone, then would I be correct in thinking that she is okay?..

Any info would be great!..  I would love to meet other EMU lovers.. smile  all the pics and videos on here are amazing!!

Kindest Regards..   PS.. I can upload pictures and video if that will help in telling her age?..


Edited by birdygirl123 - 4/19/11 at 9:47pm
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post #2 of 49
4/13/11 at 6:03pm

Congratulations, you have begun your quest to crazytown.

welcome-byc


There are tons of emu lovers here who can help you out.  Soon, you'll have 2 or 3!!  YAY!!!

Laree 
Giving you the stink-eye.  Yeah, you.   

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Laree 
Giving you the stink-eye.  Yeah, you.   

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post #3 of 49
4/13/11 at 6:15pm
Thread Starter 

HAHAHA!  Thanks so much.. We all just adore her!!..

I actually answered my own question and got her a Emu Feed tonight.. called Mazuri Emu Maintenance.. Now.. should I get her alfalfa pellets as a snack too?...  I WANT HER SPOILED!!.. lol..

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post #4 of 49
4/14/11 at 3:43am

Hi, Birdygirl. I'm looking forward to the answers to your questions how do you tell an emu's age? They are adult at two years, at which time they are  plus-minus six feet. They live fifteen or twenty years in captivity, apparently.

Do I see a bald(-ish) strip right down the front of her neck? (A healthy emu should have feathers there.)

I'm intrigued about the issue of food. How much natural food do adult BYC emus get apart from the food provided to them? That is, from their grazing? My emus 'wild' emus, wa ha ha get a double-handful of wheat twice a day, and otherwise fend for themselves. (Total yearly feed bill is about a hundred and twenty bucks.)

Whatever, Birdygirl, if she's a pampered pet, you'll have no trouble feeding her in the interim: wheat and fruit and nuts they love; and otherwise, try 'Yummy for Emus?': put something potentially yummy on your hand, and if she scoffs it up . . . it's Yummy for Emus. Greedy the Emu ate the contents of a tamarillo today.

I look forward to hearing that her limp improves.

Supreme Emu


Edited by Supreme Emu - 4/14/11 at 3:46am
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post #5 of 49
4/14/11 at 5:25am

I feed mine a dairy pellet, all of my birds are eating it and it's very cost effective. I have fed Purina Flock Raiser in the past but it's over double the price of the dairy pellets. Of coarse my emus have about 2 acres and a pond so I'm sure they eat a lot of other stuff too. Also the bald neck is typical of a fence pacer who rubs along the fence. I would get another for companionship and are you sure it's a female? Most times the males are the friendly ones, females make a loud drumming noise. I worm mine with Ivermectin injectable given on the back on the neck like Frontline. Good luck!

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post #6 of 49
4/14/11 at 5:46am

Mine turned down the emu chow when they saw what my other animals were eating, so now they get a mix of sweet feed, chicken feed, dog food, wild bird seed, catfish chow, snacks of broccoli, greens, and what ever else they want a taste of... hehe.

Some emu will walk up against a fence line and wear off feathers from their neck, it will grow back.

If she was use to other emu, then you can get her a friend, but be aware that not all emus like each other, they all have their own personalities. So try one out if you can before buying.

I worm mine with liquid Safeguard. I put it in a syringe, amount for weight of animal (emu average about 125lbs) and when they bite the syringe I squirt it down.

If you are in an area with mosquito problems or EE &WEE is a problem, I would recommend vaccinating with a horse vaccine, same dose as a horse. Give in thigh muscle.

My Heart is Broken... I miss you my Sweet Sophie Puff Diva Chicken....
Living and working on a Zoo farm - 300 plus chickens, fancy pigeons, Sebbies geese, turkey, crested ducks, peafowl, ornamental pheasant and ducks, Black swans, Egyptian geese, African Crowned Cranes, Emu, fainting goats, mini zebu, mini horses,mini donkey, alpacas, llamas, horses, 5 Great Pyrenees and a cat.
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My Heart is Broken... I miss you my Sweet Sophie Puff Diva Chicken....
Living and working on a Zoo farm - 300 plus chickens, fancy pigeons, Sebbies geese, turkey, crested ducks, peafowl, ornamental pheasant and ducks, Black swans, Egyptian geese, African Crowned Cranes, Emu, fainting goats, mini zebu, mini horses,mini donkey, alpacas, llamas, horses, 5 Great Pyrenees and a cat.
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post #7 of 49
4/14/11 at 6:30am

Congrats on becoming an emu parent. I haven't had them myself, but one piece of advice I tucked away in my brain was about worming. Someone, somewhere (I don't remember) had the brilliant idea of injecting the wormer into a few grapes, and letting the emu eat them. I'd imagine you'd have to divide the administered amount into several grapes (not sure how much you'd have to give, and how much one grape could hold), but I thought that was a GENIUS way of getting an animal to eat its medicine. Good luck.

:-)

~Chris

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post #8 of 49
4/14/11 at 9:15am
Thread Starter 

Supreme Emu!,  Thanks for your reply.  I did read that they are mature from two to three years of age.  I would have to say that she is a Mature Emu. 

Yes, there is a baldish strip down the front of her neck.  The people had her in a small cage like mesh they kept their chickens in.  They said she was throwing herself at it.. also rubbing her neck up and down.  The lady said at one point, it was all blood and open.  They moved her to another run, about 4 foot by 24.  She has a small place that was scabbed over now, but all the rest has healed.  They also let her out in their yard in the evening,and that seemed to help a lot. 

She has a big yard now, and her own shelter, so hopefully her feathers will grow back.  She also has a mini mule and a pony that are right next to her.  Both of them adore her and she adores them...

Feed: .. Yes I would understand that the more they can graze the better.  As we get things going here, We will fence in maybe the acre where our fruit trees are.  Right now, she really doesnt have the option to roam free outside of the paddock she is in.  We have mountain lions and Coyotes so I want to make sure she is safe. 

She will eat out of my hand.  Comes when I talk to her, and does the drumming sound.  She will also smack her mouth together.  What does this mean?.. 

Kindest Regards:D








Quote:
Originally Posted by Supreme Emu 

Hi, Birdygirl. I'm looking forward to the answers to your questions how do you tell an emu's age? They are adult at two years, at which time they are  plus-minus six feet. They live fifteen or twenty years in captivity, apparently.

Do I see a bald(-ish) strip right down the front of her neck? (A healthy emu should have feathers there.)

I'm intrigued about the issue of food. How much natural food do adult BYC emus get apart from the food provided to them? That is, from their grazing? My emus 'wild' emus, wa ha ha get a double-handful of wheat twice a day, and otherwise fend for themselves. (Total yearly feed bill is about a hundred and twenty bucks.)

Whatever, Birdygirl, if she's a pampered pet, you'll have no trouble feeding her in the interim: wheat and fruit and nuts they love; and otherwise, try 'Yummy for Emus?': put something potentially yummy on your hand, and if she scoffs it up . . . it's Yummy for Emus. Greedy the Emu ate the contents of a tamarillo today.

I look forward to hearing that her limp improves.

Supreme Emu

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post #9 of 49
4/14/11 at 9:22am
Thread Starter 

A Dairy Pellet?  How interesting.  I will have to look into that. 

Yes, you are correct about the fence. 

And NOOO.. hahhaa, I guess i really dont know if Emily is a she or he.. hahaha..   How would I tell?  OH BOY.. ..

So the Ivermectin, you actually just place it on the skin?..  I read that you can give it as an injection, or in food, or by mouth.. ?..

She does make a loud drumming type sound when she see's me.. like she is greeting?.. She also smacks her mouth sometimes.. She's done that twice.. She also makes the drumming sound when she sees our kids.. I have noticed that.. Very interested.  The people had grandchildren who would sit next to her when she was laying and pet her they said.  Thanks so much again for responding !!!..  smile


Quote:
Originally Posted by farmchick897 

I feed mine a dairy pellet, all of my birds are eating it and it's very cost effective. I have fed Purina Flock Raiser in the past but it's over double the price of the dairy pellets. Of coarse my emus have about 2 acres and a pond so I'm sure they eat a lot of other stuff too. Also the bald neck is typical of a fence pacer who rubs along the fence. I would get another for companionship and are you sure it's a female? Most times the males are the friendly ones, females make a loud drumming noise. I worm mine with Ivermectin injectable given on the back on the neck like Frontline. Good luck!

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post #10 of 49
4/14/11 at 9:30am
Thread Starter 

Yea, see I dont know if she has ever been with another Emu.  I do know that she is very friendly with the pony and mini mule she is with.  I have not turned her in with them, but they will smell her and all that, and she doesn't mind at all. 

I dont know where I would find an adult emu.  I have to say, I was very nervous about a bird that could look me in the eye.  I am almost 6 foot myself.  Thankfully, she is very friendly, but I am still cautious.  Much different then a Horse I'm afraid.. or my Chickens.. hahhaaa..

I have to ask, how do you vaccinate without getting kicked?  smile 

Quote:
Originally Posted by chickenzoo 

Mine turned down the emu chow when they saw what my other animals were eating, so now they get a mix of sweet feed, chicken feed, dog food, wild bird seed, catfish chow, snacks of broccoli, greens, and what ever else they want a taste of... hehe.

Some emu will walk up against a fence line and wear off feathers from their neck, it will grow back.

If she was use to other emu, then you can get her a friend, but be aware that not all emus like each other, they all have their own personalities. So try one out if you can before buying.

I worm mine with liquid Safeguard. I put it in a syringe, amount for weight of animal (emu average about 125lbs) and when they bite the syringe I squirt it down.

If you are in an area with mosquito problems or EE &WEE is a problem, I would recommend vaccinating with a horse vaccine, same dose as a horse. Give in thigh muscle.

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BackYard Chickens › BYC Forum › Other BackYard Poultry › Ostriches, Emu, Rheas › Emily the Emu.. Looking for suggestions...Update: Bad Bad News.. =(