Pyxis' Emu Chat Thread

[Pyxis]

So if it is MG it’s impossible to sell eggs, sells poultry, etc.? This is so sad to hear. Are they functional long term as they won’t be miserable?

Yeah, basically if it's MG you can't sell chicks, adults, eggs, anything really without passing it on. They do fine though. Sometimes symptoms come back, but that's unusual in adult emus, and if they do, you just treat again.

 

[aart]

so you really want them in totally separate housing.

.....and watch the cross contamination from your clothes, boots, equipment, etc.
BYC Medical Quarantine Article

 

[matt swenson]

this is not a going to be a fun read, sorry.

My second emu chicks spayed leg hasnt gotten better. she keeps her foot up all the time now. like a flamingo, hops around on one foot which is so fricken cute. however it taking a toll on her. she is 25% smaller than the other chick. the joint had gotten infected but i've given her antibotics so that is getting better, but i dont think it will ever use that leg again. here comes the horriable part,
both chicks are in the basement because of the weather and thier size. I know that the lame leg means i going to have to put down that bird. however, eveything i've read seems to say a one legged emu can exist untill it get too heavy. the birds i've seen look like 4 mounths old. so at that time they will be outside and they will have the company of the other birds, different pens , but at least they will have visual "friends" and the company of the other fowl and human activities in the yard.
i ve read that a lone emus dont do well, anyone keeping a solo bird? i know that when the one legged emu gets too heavy it will need to be put down. So do i keep it alive to provide company for the other chick, or will being solo be a death sentence for that bird? just to clarify the one legged bird isnt in pain or suffering, but when it gets to big to hop, it's quality of life will require it being put down.
any thoughts ?? sorry for the bummer post.

 

[Redhead Rae]

this is not a going to be a fun read, sorry.

My second emu chicks spayed leg hasnt gotten better. she keeps her foot up all the time now. like a flamingo, hops around on one foot which is so fricken cute. however it taking a toll on her. she is 25% smaller than the other chick. the joint had gotten infected but i've given her antibotics so that is getting better, but i dont think it will ever use that leg again. here comes the horriable part,
both chicks are in the basement because of the weather and thier size. I know that the lame leg means i going to have to put down that bird. however, eveything i've read seems to say a one legged emu can exist untill it get too heavy. the birds i've seen look like 4 mounths old. so at that time they will be outside and they will have the company of the other birds, different pens , but at least they will have visual "friends" and the company of the other fowl and human activities in the yard.
i ve read that a lone emus dont do well, anyone keeping a solo bird? i know that when the one legged emu gets too heavy it will need to be put down. So do i keep it alive to provide company for the other chick, or will being solo be a death sentence for that bird? just to clarify the one legged bird isnt in pain or suffering, but when it gets to big to hop, it's quality of life will require it being put down.
any thoughts ?? sorry for the bummer post.

@Pyxis raised one of her emus with a gosling

 

[Pyxis]

this is not a going to be a fun read, sorry.

My second emu chicks spayed leg hasnt gotten better. she keeps her foot up all the time now. like a flamingo, hops around on one foot which is so fricken cute. however it taking a toll on her. she is 25% smaller than the other chick. the joint had gotten infected but i've given her antibotics so that is getting better, but i dont think it will ever use that leg again. here comes the horriable part,
both chicks are in the basement because of the weather and thier size. I know that the lame leg means i going to have to put down that bird. however, eveything i've read seems to say a one legged emu can exist untill it get too heavy. the birds i've seen look like 4 mounths old. so at that time they will be outside and they will have the company of the other birds, different pens , but at least they will have visual "friends" and the company of the other fowl and human activities in the yard.
i ve read that a lone emus dont do well, anyone keeping a solo bird? i know that when the one legged emu gets too heavy it will need to be put down. So do i keep it alive to provide company for the other chick, or will being solo be a death sentence for that bird? just to clarify the one legged bird isnt in pain or suffering, but when it gets to big to hop, it's quality of life will require it being put down.
any thoughts ?? sorry for the bummer post.

I was just going to say, if you can, get some young-ish goslings. They do really well with emus. Desi LOVED Caesar.

 

[Pyxis]

I decided to pluck some feathers to retest Ciara, because she's still only making boy sounds and she's gonna be two in nine days. I was worried it would be a circus, but she just stood still and let me pluck them, didn't even flinch. She's such a good girl - or maybe boy, we'll find out. Lol.

 

[briefvisit]

'both chicks are in the basement because of the weather and thier size.'

I don't quite understand: you have a four-month-old chick living without room to exercise, without natural light, because 'weather and size'?

Wild emu chicks are born into a world of rain and wind, and they thrive. They breast the wet cold grass from first light to last every day.

But I bow to the wisdom of captive-bird owners: am I off track here? Shouldn't a four-month-old chick be getting some time outdoors each day?

'which is so fricken cute' I wanna go on record here: just me, personally?

I don't find anything 'cute' at all in this.

Over years on this site, it has occured to me again and again that the welfare of captive birds gets caught up in the personalities of their owners.

A few days ago, if a vet had descended the steps into your basement, she'd have seen an underweight critter with one lame leg and an infection in the other. Do you think she'd have said:

A: 'Put this bird down' or

B: 'Well, let's let it hop around (here in the basement?) until it's obviously in pain , then put it down.'

Supreme Emu, Lake Muir, W.A.

 

[tribalacres]

Emus can get respiratory diseases like chickens, such as MG. Do you have chickens and if so, might they have been infected with this disease and passed it to the emus? It could also be some other bacterial disease, or even viral. The recommended treatment is to separate all the sick birds from the rest and put them on a broad spectrum antibiotic. Oxytetracycline or amoxicillin is what's generally recommended.

You will probably have a hard time finding it in feed stores since a law was passed preventing such water soluble antibiotics for livestock to be sold OTC. Tylosin, which you can find in a feed store as Tylan, will be easier to get. Administer it at a rate of 15-25 mg/kg twice a day. It is given as an injection intramuscularly, into the thigh muscle.

Hey, it's me again, I am not quite sure where to give the shot, is there a picture, video, or diagram? Thank you.

 

[Pyxis]

Hey, it's me again, I am not quite sure where to give the shot, is there a picture, video, or diagram? Thank you.

Into the thigh muscle. I can't for the life of me find a diagram or video or picture or anything of someone doing this. I might have to do one next time I do mine. which is soon.

Basically, at the top of the leg, near the hip, find the meaty part of the thigh. Inject there. Go straight in with the needle because this is intramuscular, not subcutaneous.

I can find a diagram to show that, at least:

 

[tribalacres]

Into the thigh muscle. I can't for the life of me find a diagram or video or picture or anything of someone doing this. I might have to do one next time I do mine. which is soon.

Basically, at the top of the leg, near the hip, find the meaty part of the thigh. Inject there. Go straight in with the needle because this is intramuscular, not subcutaneous.

I can find a diagram to show that, at least:

Thank you and do you recommend a certain size of needle?