Should I Take An Emu With A Messed Up Leg ???

[mrszlopez]

So i own lots of chickens & have always wanted an emu. Just was too scared to do it.
I was contacted by a friend that said a friend of hers has a baby emu that is pretty
tiny & has a deformed leg. Havent seen it yet, but I plan to take it if i know it will have
a good quality of life. Is this a bad idea ?? Im just worried because i heard they are
kind of dangerous. Also, if its not a pair of emus, how big should its pen be ??

 

[chickenzoo]

Well, I know unlike chickens my emus get along well crawling on their "elbows". They often graze that way. It depends on how much time you are willing to put into it, and how deformed the leg. If it can not run, then obviously it can make do with a smaller pen. I would give them the same size pen as you would any large animal like a horse or pony. My Jazzy injured her leg and now walks with a limp, but still can run like the wind....

 

[ModernGames]

I would be hesitant with a bad leg, considering how large they grow good legs are pretty crucial for them to have a good quality of life. I've seen some pretty mangled chickens kept alive but with them its really easy to pick them up for bedding changes, move them to food/water or even bathe them, but that might be pretty difficult with a bird thats over 100 lbs. and can't walk.

I bought a baby out of pity at an auction with a leg fused out at a 90 degree angle, the poor thing could kinda flop around on the ground and move but it just wasn't a good way for him to live long term....

 

[gordensark]

i have raised emus for years, i have had several that were crippled, some spade legged,and some just plain deformed.
the only problem i have had was i had to seperate cripples from healthy. the healthy birds can be hard on a cripple. all my birds are pets and love human contact, the only time i've seen aggression is in mating season {generally dec. to march]
Gorden
[email protected]

 

[GuineaFowlKepper]

I would say treat it the sam as any other large bird. Give it as much space as you can. make sure feed is in a bucket, so it doesnt have to wonde rth epen, searching for food.