orphaned emu chicks

[megs0330]

Hello- Our sad story is that our male was killed by a coyote while at the very tail end of his sitting time. The eggs were exposed for at least 8 hours, but remarkeably one has hatched and another will any time now. We just happened to have a neighbor with a warmed up and empty incubator!

But now we will have 2 orphans, the one is doing very well after just hatching yesterday morning. He is strong, loves to look in the mirror, whistles and is up all the way on his legs. What about 'imprinting' ? we don't want to put them with our other adults for fear the females will kill them, but they will eventually have their own covered run along side the adults big pasture. Will they learn what they need to at that time? the one is picking at food, is pooping okay and drinking water. What else should we be doing for these orphans besides keeping them warm and fed?

thanks, we are new at this!

Megan

 

[yinepu]

Hello- Our sad story is that our male was killed by a coyote while at the very tail end of his sitting time. The eggs were exposed for at least 8 hours, but remarkeably one has hatched and another will any time now. We just happened to have a neighbor with a warmed up and empty incubator!

But now we will have 2 orphans, the one is doing very well after just hatching yesterday morning. He is strong, loves to look in the mirror, whistles and is up all the way on his legs. What about 'imprinting' ? we don't want to put them with our other adults for fear the females will kill them, but they will eventually have their own covered run along side the adults big pasture. Will they learn what they need to at that time? the one is picking at food, is pooping okay and drinking water. What else should we be doing for these orphans besides keeping them warm and fed?

thanks, we are new at this!

Megan

warmth, food, water and exercise for those legs!

your other adults would kill them at this point.. so you will have to tend to them as if you were their dad.. and provide them with a separate enclosure once they do move outside until they are accepted into the "flock"

i'm not sure where you are located.. but for now just keep them in a brooder and take them out several times a day for a good stretch of the legs once they are up and moving about well..
be cautious of slippery floors or slick brooder flooring .. And depending on your weather they can spend a good bit of time away from the heat of the brooder.. let them tell you when they have had enough and are starting to get chilled, then move them back inside for some warmth and a rest

 

[Raptor65]

Ditto on that, once they are able to get around well enough and the weather is reasonable you should take them outside and let them follow you around. Show em things like gravel so they can pick up some stones, show em dandelion leaves too, they're very under-appreciated plants and are packed full of stuff that's good for Emus. May need to wait a bit before the dandelions start tasting good if they're just coming up though.

 

[yinepu]

Ditto on that, once they are able to get around well enough and the weather is reasonable you should take them outside and let them follow you around. Show em things like gravel so they can pick up some stones, show em dandelion leaves too, they're very under-appreciated plants and are packed full of stuff that's good for Emus. May need to wait a bit before the dandelions start tasting good if they're just coming up though.

last year mine LOVED dandelions... and clover.....


and those shiny lil gold looking bugs.............. (then spit the bugs back out.. but they loved to chase them through the grass.... )

 

[Raptor65]

Just out of curiosity I looked up the nutritional value of dandelion leaves and apparently they're extremely nutritious and beneficial, lotta stuff in em to give young Emus a great kick start. So by all means, let your Emus weed your lawn for you.

 

[yinepu]

Just out of curiosity I looked up the nutritional value of dandelion leaves and apparently they're extremely nutritious and beneficial, lotta stuff in em to give young Emus a great kick start. So by all means, let your Emus weed your lawn for you.

would you believe I have intentionally planted dandelions???


I never have enough of them or plantain in my yard (they just aren't fond of this texas soil)

 

[Tame Emu Guy]

I like the idea that we look to 'environment enrichment' as a topic, and it's economical too.

Supreme Emu

 

[ES Emus]

we raise orphaned and abandoned emus all the time. Everything that has been posted so far has been good advice. If you don't have dandelions, we chop up fresh collard greens a couple of times a day to go with their non-medicated chick starter diet. Unforunately you will not be able to introduce them to adults until they are almost full grown themselves. In the mean time, once they are old enough to be outside, put them in sight (but out of reach) of the adults so they can get used to the sight of each other...

 

[megs0330]

that answers my next question, about blending them with our two adults. Thank you for the advice! The second egg hatched this morning, chick looks healthy, and we have him separated from the first born because there are several days in between them in age. Do you think they can be housed together in a day or so or will they fight? hoping they can be put together to keep each other company.

thanks

 

[megs0330]

thanks so much for the info, this has helped. He is doing really well, up on his feet, although a bit clumsy still! Is eating a bit, drinking water and pooping, so we are confident he will be okay!