Our emu chick started limping

[birdeo]

It's fairly obvious that he has had trauma to those hocks , prob. from being confined to that crate. ( those scrape marks are obvious wounds , btw. )
Emus can be very prone to leg problems, esp. early on, and keeping them confined in crates like that is only a set up for disaster .
It is very important that you make better arrangements for those birds when you're not comfortable leaving them outside running around.

I don't know how cold it is there but as long as you can run around outside barefoot they should be fine outside also .
At six weeks of age they should be fine with temps. in the upper 60's-70's. Rain won't hurt them at this age , emus LOVE rain & water in general .

In the meantime, you can supplement with a good vitamin mix ; one that is high in the B vitamins, can only help.
B vitamins ( various ) are the ones most directly related to proper growth related issues and tend to be the ones most lacking in their diets, for several reasons.
Of course a balanced diet is ideal but B vitamins are water soluable ( excreted through the system fairly quickly ) and that's one reason they can be lacking in them.
Keep the protein as low as you can in the feed and ALWAYS give them room to run and exercise, not to mention fresh air and sunshine and keep them on NON SLIP SURFACES !
These birds were not meant to be kept confined in a crate for an extended period of time, that's only good for short term transportation !

 

[madime39]

Thank you for the advice. The problem on the day that we had to keep them confined is that, when I said it was "chilly and rainy", I meant it was stormy, windy, and hovering just a little over 50 degrees. Even in June, where we're at in Michigan the overnight temps can still dip into the 40s; we had frost advisories a week ago. The good news is their outdoor pen is finally complete As I said in an earlier post, we are learning as we go. There are much conflicting information on the internet about how old they should be before the can tolerate our chilly over-nights, and we decided to err on the side of caution.

More good news: The vet that we spoke to that owns emus (but doesn't treat birds that don't belong to him) suggested, because we couldn't see an avian vet until Monday, that we attempt to push the misplaced tendon back into position. We did this on Wednesday evening, and again on Thursday morning, massaging at and just above the hock. After being outside all day yesterday (Thursday), his limp was barely noticeable when we brought him back in last night. Today, it's gone, and he's walking perfectly normal. We will still keep his scheduled appointment on Monday with the avian vet, just to get a clean bill of health.

I appreciate everyone's concern and advice, and the many kind private messages that I've received offering thoughts and suggestions. We are thrilled with these hysterical little (for now) birds, and look forward to many, many years of enjoyment with them

 

[Calla]

So pleased to hear your Baby is sorted...he will always be your friend, Emus have a wonderful memory, give him lots of hugs.
Calla

 

[madime39]

UPDATE: On Sunday morning Bilbo Baggins was limping a little bit again. We took him to the avian vet yesterday; she said the tendon is exactly where it should be, and that he has a mild muscle strain. She gave us suspension Metacam for pain and said that he'll be fine (and she was so very kind, even though he poo'd on her!).

The babies are very happy in their new pen! They love to show-off and do their spazzy dance when they see us, and have adjusted very well to the overnights in their stall in the barn as well. Overnight lows have been in the mid-upper 60s and they're very content. Heartfelt thanks for everyone's well-wishes

 

[Calla]

What a lovely story and this Video is just fantastic...It takes me back to many of my Babies, such a pleasure to watch....no wonder I spend most of my time with my 8 ys olds, and many babies left home to a new home.
Thank you for showing and a very happy ending.
Calla

 

[KarinaF]

Hello I am really interested in this topic I have an emu almost 2 months of age he started limping and now sits to walk on his hocks he can't stand and his legs tremble if I stand him he'll sit right back down after scrambling unbalanced I'm sure he's slipped a lot on my kitchen floor should I get him seen by a vet for medication or let him recuperate on his own please help!

 

[madime39]

Good morning Karina, absolutely get him checked out by a vet. I was nervous having to wait so long to get our chick in to an avian vet, and we were incredibly lucky that it wasn't a serious injury. If he's having trouble getting around at 4-5 lbs., imagine how difficult it will be when he's 100+ lbs Also, as others have pointed out, avoid slippery surfaces at all costs (linoleum, tile, concrete, etc). I'm in no way an expert on these adorable little creatures, and I'm learning as I go, but their legs are incredibly important at this stage. Please keep us posted