Chicken takes on tough new role for adorable emu abandoned by its parents

A chicken has taken on a tough new role as a foster mother for an adorable emu after she was abandoned by her parents.

Emu Shrub, now aged 4, was rejected by her parents Forest and Mathilda at Birdworld, in Surrey, after neither wanted to take on the caregiver role. Keepers at the bird park later learned the helpless 500g emu chick was covered in mud and flies and had been pulled away from the safety of its nest by crows.

But Shrub would fortunately go on to form a loving bond with small Bantam hen Nugget at Birdworld. Nugget even taught the emu how to eat and walk.

Within a few short weeks, Shrub outgrew her new foster mother and the keepers took over to continue the emu's development. They did this by playing enrichment games and activities to help develop her coordination and build essential muscle.

While Shrub was developing, the reactive and defensive instincts of emus meant that it would be difficult to reunite her with Forest and Mathilda. Undaunted, keepers walked Shrub outside her parent's enclosure and let her interact with her birth parents from the safety of the other side of the fence.

Polly Bramham, living collections manager, said: “Having initially been raised in a dimly lit barn before coming to Birdworld, Shrub’s father, Forest, had developed limited eyesight and a unique way of walking, learning to navigate by leading with the back of his head instead of his feet.

“Unlike most birds, emu males incubate eggs, and they are typically winter breeders. However, Shrub’s mother, Mathilda, laid eggs in the summer, and Forest didn’t seem to be incubating them.

‘‘We didn’t expect the eggs to hatch and were surprised when they found Shrub cold, muddy, and neglected in the nest. She was rushed to an ICU, warmed up, and fortunately turned out to be a resilient survivor, much like her father.”

Following the rescue and recovery, Shrub needed training on how to be an emu. Polly continued: “The job fell to Nugget, a small Bantam hen who lived at Birdworld.

“Nugget took Shrub under her wing, teaching her essential life skills such as eating and walking. She was the best foster Shrub could hope for – busy, bossy, and showing her lots of fuss and care. Shrub quickly learnt how to pick up food, drink, and coordinate her gangly legs. The keepers loved watching the two of them together.

“It was particularly important to do this while Shrub was still a juvenile, so that Forest and Mathilda would not see her as a threat.

‘‘We found Shrub to be a very happy-go-lucky emu, frequently misjudging social etiquette and getting disciplined as a result.

‘‘Emus are extremely large and potentially dangerous birds with strong kicking legs, meaning that Shrub would continue to be separated from the adults at night for the next couple of months as she learnt the rules of emu life.”

She added: “Seeing Shrub with her parents as they race around their paddock, you would never guess their difficult beginnings. Shrub is an amazing lady, and the keepers are so proud that she has no confusion about who she is. She is 100 per cent emu, but with all the time in the for her keepers.”