Rip Van Emu

Yesterday was day 50 for the emu eggs (gestation is 48 - 52 OR 50 - 55 days, depending on which authority you go with). We are quite certain that at least one of the eggs he is sitting on has gone "bad", but the others are unknown. They are the Schrodinger's cats of emu eggs, if you will. Except that I am not planning on gassing them.

The day he sat on the eggs he stopped drinking. He ate pieces of apple for a day or two after that, but I can safely say he has had no water or food for 40+ days. We never see him stand, but he is often in a different position (facing a different direction) when we check on him.

We have also seen signs of scuffling around him, but we are fairly certain that is Antonelle patrolling & keeping him safe. Certainly, whenever we check on him, even if the emu yard gate is open (she loves to sit in the driveway & watch the road), she comes hurrying to check what is up. This is especially telling as we stopped giving him food the day after he started ignoring it so as not to attract any predators. She walks by a bin full of food to come watch us watch him.

Then today when we checked him around 11am he was alert. This is new. He ate every bit of apple put in front of him. He took several drinks of water & moved the grain around with his beak. Mother Nature is prepping him to wake up again. When the eggs hatch, if the eggs hatch, it will be him that keeps the babies safe & teaches them how to find food (in that little black tub right there).