The idea of an emu being raised by a chicken might sound like the plot of Disney’s latest cartoon.
But it has become a reality in Surrey, where an abandoned emu is thriving after being raised by a chicken called Nugget.
Four-year-old Shrub was unfortunately rejected by her parents, Forest and Mathilda, who also had a difficult start in life.
Keepers at Birdworld discovered that Mathilda had successfully hatched an egg, but neither parent was willing to take on the role of caregiver.
The lifeless 500-gram body of an emu chick, covered in mud and flies, and pulled from the nest by crows, turned out to be a bush.
The task of raising her then fell to Nugget – a small bantam chicken who lived at Birdworld in Surrey.
Polly Bramham, Living Collections Manager said: ‘Having initially grown up in a dimly lit shed before coming to Birdworld, Shrub’s father, Forest, had developed limited vision and a unique gait, learning to navigate by using leading the back of his head instead of his feet.
The idea of an emu being raised by a chicken might sound like the plot of Disney’s latest cartoon. But it has become a reality in Surrey, where an abandoned emu is thriving after being raised by a chicken called Nugget.
“Unlike most birds, male emu incubate eggs, and they are typically winter breeders.
“But Shrub’s mother, Mathilda, laid eggs in the summer, and Forest didn’t seem to hatch them.
‘We didn’t expect the eggs to hatch and were surprised to find Struik cold, muddy and neglected in the nest.
‘She was rushed to intensive care, warmed up and thankfully turned out to be a resilient survivor, just like her father.’
After her rescue and recovery, Shrub required expert training on how to become an emu.
Polly continued, “The task fell to Nugget, a small bantam chicken who lived at Birdworld.
‘Nugget took Struik under her wing and taught her essential life skills such as eating and walking.
‘She was the best foster plant Struik could hope for: busy, bossy and with a lot of fuss and caring.
After her rescue and recovery, Shrub needed expert training on how to become an emu, and the task fell to Nugget.
‘Struik quickly learned how to pick up food and drinks and coordinate her lanky legs.
“The caregivers loved seeing them together.”
After just a few weeks, Shrub quickly outgrew her new foster mother, so caregivers took over Shrub’s development by playing enrichment games and activities to help develop her coordination and build essential muscles.
“Over time, we knew the time had come to reconnect Shrub with her parents,” Polly said.
‘However, emus can be very reactive and defensive, and allowing Shrub in with Forest and Mathilda would have been fatal.’
To combat this obstacle, Birdworld caretakers walked Struik outside Forest and Mathilda’s enclosure, allowing the now 3-foot-tall Struik to communicate with her birth parents from outside the safety of the fence.
Polly said: ‘It was especially important to do this while Shrub was still a juvenile so that Forest and Mathilda wouldn’t see her as a threat.
‘We found Shrub to be a very cheerful emu who often misjudged social etiquette and became disciplined as a result.
After just a few weeks, Shrub quickly outgrew her new foster mother, so caregivers took over Shrub’s development by playing enrichment games and activities to help develop her coordination and build essential muscles.
‘Emus are extremely large and potentially dangerous birds with strong legs, meaning Struik would remain separated from the adults at night for the next few months while she learned the rules of emu life.’
Struik now lives full-time with her parents.
“To see Struik with her parents as they race through their pasture, you would never guess their troubled beginnings,” Polly added.
‘Shrub is a wonderful lady and the carers are so proud there is no confusion about who she is.
‘She is 100% emu, but with all the time in the world for her caregivers.’