Emu Chick Mortality

[Ellamumu]

She is still very weak - I have her back in the brooding area. I really don't think she is going to make it. We are doing all we can for her and only time will tell - I will keep you posted.

Good luck Grassman!

 

[birdeo]

Since losing my last chick I have been watching all the chicks nightly and I noticed the youngest not eating or drinking the same as the rest. She would run but not play and stand while others ate - she is half the size of the rest of them.

Today when I put them out in the run she looked weak and tired - I thought she may have an impaction so I went to the drug store and got an oral syringe and mineral oil then to the hardware store for tubing. I have never tried anything like this but I knew I had to do something or she would die.

My wife held the bird and I put the tube down her throat and gave her some mineral oil - I could see that the area where the tongue would be - looked like it had a wound on it. So I picked up a different bird opened its mouth and compared side by side - it was clear something was wrong looked like a growth around the opening.

With a pair of tweezers and pulled white material out little piece at a time until I got to something solid - pulled and to my surprise this is what I found:

This is a string from a feed bag - must have falling on the floor of the shed and I didn't see it.
It appears that this has been stuck in her throat for some time (poor girl).

I am just happy that I had read about impaction on this site and read up on it in the EFHB _ I never would have known what to do.

I'm almost afraid to ask but what is that on the end of the string and about 3 inches down from it or so it looks to be some " innards"?
Not sure I understand but did you pull that out of her trachea vs. her esophagus ? Don't see how she would be able to breathe if that were the case but not sure I'm understanding your description right about the " opening" you were viewing.

 

[Grassman 52]

The string had knots at the end with grass tangled around them - The string was caught on the little flap of skin (the tongue area) and down her throat - It had to be in her gizzard or even further down, the string was very wet in this picture.
I am afraid that she does have some kind of damage to her system - she is passing very liquid green bowel movements.

she seams to be drinking but not eating much at all - I was traveling all week and when I got home today I fed her with a small spoon holding her beak open and pored the mixture in her mouth - she swallowed it and then some water.

I took a small chicken egg (raw) - chick starter - sugar and warm water and mixed it in a blender - I am trying to give her something increase her energy.

I am open to suggestions?

I am looking at this situation like this:
If I did nothing she would be dead already and I wouldn't know why.
She is very weak and I am going to hand feed her and continue to keep her in the brooder away from the other birds - during the day she is in a small pen so she gets fresh air and sun shine. If she does not improve (or die) by next weekend - I will put her down - I don't want her to suffer.

 

[Tame Emu Guy]

Good luck. Keep us posted.


S.E.

 

[birdeo]

I sure hope she'll be allright, maybe some vit. and electroytes would help and I would def. try some probiotics...yogurt is full of them if you don't have any probios, etc. on hand.

 

[Grassman 52]

My wife and I were just talking about probiotics - we added yogurt into the mix - thank you

She looks a little better - so we will keep hand feeding her and see what happens.

I noticed today that the others are getting their "black heads" - They love running around the back pasture.

 

[birdeo]

curious as to how the bird is getting along now?

 

[Grassman 52]

As I said in my earlier post - I gave her to last Saturday to show signs of improvement - Although she started to eat and drink on her own, she was still not walking. On Saturday I was going to put her down, but I decided to give her one more week - good thing I waited - Last night she finally walked for the first time in two weeks - She stumbled across the field to be with her friend.

She still has a way to go on her recovery and she is so far behind her friend - less than 50% of his size, but as long as she shows signs of improvement, I am hopeful.


A special thank you to ES who suggested that I treat her as if she was in physical therapy - we massaged her legs and made her put weight on her feet 3-4 times a day - this is why she is strong enough to walk.

I will post some pictures later today.

 

[Tame Emu Guy]

Hey, Grassman!!

One of the good things about captivity is that a bird like this gets a fighting chance. We know it wouldn’t survive in the wild.
So, if it has begun to walk – and is thus exercising those weak legs – and eating . . . well, she has the chance to catch up. Go, little emu!!

That info of E.S.’s, about 'physical therapy' – could you please please repost it, with a big caption, in the ‘Photo Gallery’ thread?
Then it will be part of a growing resource to which future concerned people can refer.

S.E.

 

[Grassman 52]

OK - I will take some pics and re-post - She is not out of the "woods" yet, but looks a little better every day - My biggest concern is the amount of time she needs to make up - I need to get some shots with her and the male so you can see for your self.