Twisted Neck in Male Emu, Anyone Experienced This?

[Emu Island]

The male was noticeably quite smaller than the female when they arrived but I didn't know much about emus at that time.
Their diet consists of an all breed sweet pellet (protein 14%), rabbit pellets, dog food (20%) and cracked corn. Then throughout the day they get lots of treats, watermelon, bananas, green grapes (their fave), white bread, pineapple, kiwis, meal worms, cracked eggs now and then, basically anything they want.

Hi all. I see these posts are 10 months old but I wanted to find out how Eunich is doing? Also to provide some thoughts for any new Emu owners that be looking for similar information.

It sounds like Eunich’s twisted neck may have been the result of injury. While his diet wasn’t ideal, it certainly doesn’t sound like he was lacking anything. Emus are wild birds and in the wild are sustained on a diet of insects, grasses and berries found while foraging. There are a number of emu breeders who feed a mix of dog food (18% protein range) along with poultry layer pellets or crumbles (16% range) and they have healthy well maintained mobs. In any case you treated Eunich exactly as recommended by a study done in Germany on this condition in ratites. Job well done!

SIZE OF EMUS
Males are typically smaller than females: as adults the female can reach 150 pounds; most males about 120 pounds.

DIET
Highly debatable!!!! Ratite food is not made specifically for emus so even that is questioned by owners.

Emu hatchlings to 2 months old:
Manna Pro Gamebird Showbird
(*** Not all protein is made the same and this feed certainly proves that. This is a quality feed with great results for raising healthy emu chicks)
Uncomfortable with the protein content? Mix it with a poultry starter/Grower formula (non medicated) that has a lower protein.
Supplement with kale and spinach but only supplement!!! Not intended as main diet

2 months to 6 months
Poultry Grower (non medicated) with 16 to 18% protein

6 months and up
Layer pellets or crumbles (non medicated) with 16% protein range

ALWAYS supplement with greens, especially kale and spinach. Other fruits and veggies too. Grub worms are a yummy treat and are very good for them too!

GUIDANCE
There is a great forum on Facebook called Emu Owners Club. The moderator is in Dunnellon Florida not far from the Gainesville area. He has a mob of 19 emus and is very knowledgeable and helpful.

Hope this found all well with Eunich and provided a few answers.

Joanne
Quacks R Us Farm
Homosssa Springs, Florida

 

[drumstick diva]

I just stumbled across this thread and have to admit I am already a fan of Eunich. I feel so much better than he is improving quickly. Now I don't have to worry when I go to bed now. Stayed up longer just to see how he is.. What a sweet heart

 

[StaffordshireLady]

Can I ask how Emu is these days? I just joined so I have followed this thread with interest.
Emus at home are quite unusual in UK.

 

[Waza]

Thank you all for your quick responses. I have contacted every emu person within 200 miles of here and there is no bird doc except for one guy who used to breed emus and he wont return any of my over 20 calls! Very disappointed in a vet that is not even professional enough to return a phone call! My sheep vet refuses to do "feathers" so you can imagine my frustration. I am living in horse capital and it is so hard to find a vet to treat other farm animals. We did notice a very small change in the male today after dosing him with the Poly vi Sol all week, the neck is still very crocked of course but he is having less problems eating. I hand feed him for the most part anyways. I think I will try the cracked egg idea as well. I smash a few on the ground about once a week. Don't see any harm on doing this more often just for the protein content. Overall, I estimate between all the different feeds they get, their protein levels out around 20%. I will cut back on the fruit and concentrate on the protein. He is getting all the vitamins, b's c and e, through the poly vi sol. He was wormed four weeks ago and I hesitated again as he is weak and the sheep vet really didn't have a clue if it would hurt him or help. She agreed to come Monday to at least do a fecal for me. And that's about all she will get involved. Thank you all again for your valuable help, I really appreciate it. If I see any improvement I will post here again, just in case someone else goes through this. Very confident this is not from an injury, I have a feeling he has had this in him for a very long time and showed its ugly face as he was becoming an adolescent. I do remember the original owner telling me do NOT feed anything over 14% protein and I knew in my heart that was too low so upped it right away gradually. I'm going to pin this on some deficiency in protein or vitamin. Just hope I can turn this little guy around, he really is a sweetie to be around. Thanks again all!

Hi did you find out the cause/remedy? I have 3 young emus that I hatched out on my camel farm in Australia. The smallest one has the same looking proble as yours.
I've tried b12 shots but not improving. She seems to have always had a bit of a crooked spine from the egg but definitely getting worse.

 

[Waza]

Hi, did you workout the cause/remedy?
One of my young emus looks to be suffering from the same affliction.