Tragedy has struck Knuckle Bump Farms recently, losing the vast majority of its domesticated birds to avian influenza. Taylor Blake, the owner of the farm, has tweeted that 99% of her domesticated birds were lost. This included geese, ducks, chickens, and three emus namely Emily, Eliza, and Elliot.
If this is ringing a bell for you, it's probably because you have heard of the farm on TikTok. A certain emu named Emmanuel Todd Lopez has captured the hearts of many TikTok users because of his antics. The good news is, the famous bird may be on the road to recovery, according to Forbes.
How the Avian Flu Spread
According to Blake, the owner of the farm, they have been having problems with wild Egyptian geese. They would fly into the place and the people in Knuckle Bump Farm would chase them away. There was even an instance when around 50 of them flew in at the same time.
She has also stated that wild birds pose a threat to domesticated birds since the former carries and transmits various types of deadly viruses like avian influenza. No matter how vigilant the farm owner is, the wild geese would return under the cover of darkness.
The particular H5N1 type A avian influenza strain has been wreaking havoc among birds across the US. The highly pathogenic avian influenza or HPAI has been found across 42 different states, and has affected 47.45 million birds, according to the US Department of Agriculture.
It was also mentioned that once a bird is near or within a flock, it spreads rapidly, and there's not much you can do to cure it or even slow it down. Taylor Blake lost more than 50 birds in just three days, as mentioned in NBC News.
Emmanuel's Round-the-Clock Care
Taylor Blake considers Emmanuel as more than just a pet. The farm owner assumed that the worst was over and that the flu had left the farm, but after a while, Emmanuel showed signs that he had also contracted the avian flu.
Blake also said on Twitter that she would do anything to save the emu. Her updates via Twitter stated that Emmanuel is stable, and that his neurological symptoms have subsided. However, the emu is still unable to voluntarily eat. Taylor Blake has been hand-feeding and giving the emu fluid every two hours.
Aside from the respiratory tract infection, the beloved emu has also lost the function of his right foot and leg. They have crafted an improvised sling for Emmanuel to help support the leg and started a physical therapy program for him.
As for prevention, the farm owner claimed that it was relatively impossible to inoculate the birds for avian influenza since there are many mutated versions of the virus. All they could do was try and follow protocols to prevent the virus from spreading more. The state believes that standing waters caused by Hurricane Ian may have contributed to the rampant spread of the virus.
