Beginner emu tips please!

I am getting emus in late February, or march sometime.

I've done research on them, but I'd like some info from you guys as well.

I'm getting a male and female pair.

I live in East Texas and according to a site, here are the freeze dates.

Each winter, on average, your risk of frost is from November 20 through March 10.
Almost certainly, however, you will receive frost from December 7 through February 16.

You are almost guaranteed that you will not get frost from April 1 through November 4.

Your frost-free growing season is around 255 days.



Read more: http://davesgarden.com/guides/freeze-frost-dates/index.php?q=75964&submit=Go#ixzz3yaDq7i7y

I have a grow out pen suitable for older birds, but I'm not sure how old they should be before going outside permanently.

I will also fence off an additional 2 acres for them to be in. How tall must the fencing be?

What kind of temperatures can an adult emu take?

How old until they are ready to breed?

Aside from ratite adult food, what should they eat?

I heard emus like water. Can they swim if I dig a pond?

For the chicks, how long should they stay indoors?

Are they prone to certain injuries or diseases?

Anything else I should be aware of?


I'm also going on vacation for 3 days too in June. Will this not be a good idea?

Here are some pictures of the land. We have about 2 acres carved out of the woods that is fenced in. The rest is mostly wooded. We own the woods pictured here.

We have a small llama/chicken barn

A fenced garden, an unfenced garden.

A small pen for the quail I have. Sheet Metal roof.

A dog pen. No roof, but we could add one.

A 10'x12' grow out pen for chickens, shingled roof.

Bump

I have a grow out pen suitable for older birds, but I'm not sure how old they should be before going outside permanently. They're pretty hardy by five months -- 'black head'. Ask the pet-emu owners.

I will also fence off an additional 2 acres for them to be in. How tall must the fencing be? six feet

What kind of temperatures can an adult emu take? Snow, at worst. In summer, they live in mid 40's Celsius in Oz.

How old until they are ready to breed? Some commercial breeders say two years or even younger. Most texts say two -- they are adult at two. My birds -- tame-wild -- didn't mate til three and four!

Aside from ratite adult food, what should they eat? Any thing green, especially what you can grow/they can forage. Foraging -- the reaching and pulling -- is very good for their health. But try them: everything is either Yummy for Emus or Not Yummy for Emus. (Sultanas are a cheap treat.)

I heard emus like water. Can they swim if I dig a pond? Emus swim in hot weather.

For the chicks, how long should they stay indoors? Ask the U.S. breeders. In the wild, they sleep under dad 'til too big.

Are they prone to certain injuries or diseases? Ask the U.S. guys.

Anything else I should be aware of? Most people provide too little room. Give them absolutely as much room as possible. Beware of fighting if you have two or more. An environment in which the birds can get out of line-of-sight is very helpful: bushes, trees, etc.

Here is Eric the Emu with clutch Alpha and Omega, in the backyard here after a dip in the dam (They aren't fenced in. There are open gates. We've since taken out the back fence):



Same backyard two years later. Same male, Eric, but this time with 'Uno Chick.'

Thanks for the info! I was hoping to find some more info from others, but you're the only one that has commented.

Thanks for the info!

this forum was dynamic several years ago. I am too blind to carry on. But I will pop in occasionally.

Two places to look at to answer your questions 1 online Red Oak Emu Farm in TN 2. Emu Farming by Maria Minnaar

Hi there I moved to a farm and inherited 2 adult Emu apparently male and female age unknown.

I've got them to the point of them eating out my hand with a fence between us (I don't trust them with out it).

My problem is while I walk through the same camp as them, the one will run up behind me as if attacking, till I face it and raise my arms. Is this normal?

Pretty normal behaviour if you are new to the birds. Probably the female saying he's mine or the male coming up from the back and checking you out . I think SA is not in emu breeding season any longer is it? So just visit the pen often and if you want to carry some brightly coloured flag or something that you could flash as you exit of the pen. Emus are usually very gentle but cautious with strangers and you probably aren't sure how they were handled before you got them.

The last owner just left them to roam around amongst the cattle and sheep apparently they chase jackals away. I don't know when breeding season is we in late summer now. I guess they breed spring the female was brooding over a trucker cap one of the staff lost.