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Emu Feeding Portions?

post #1 of 13
11/3/11 at 1:33pm
Thread Starter 

I would like your advise... I have 4 Emus(adults) should I free feed them or should I control their portions? How much feed is appropriate? Thanks smile
smile

Mother of Silkies and Naked Neck Showgirls,French Black Copper Marans,EE,6 Emus ,2 Pot Belly pigs and some dogs

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Mother of Silkies and Naked Neck Showgirls,French Black Copper Marans,EE,6 Emus ,2 Pot Belly pigs and some dogs

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post #2 of 13
11/3/11 at 6:11pm

Free feeding is best. I fill up a horse feeder ( see your other post ) 1/2 way and let them eat what they want. I've not heard of an emu over eating....... wink

My Heart is Broken... I miss you my Sweet Sophie Puff Diva Chicken....
Living and working on a Zoo farm - 300 plus chickens, fancy pigeons, Sebbies geese, turkey, crested ducks, peafowl, ornamental pheasant and ducks, Black swans, Egyptian geese, African Crowned Cranes, Emu, fainting goats, mini zebu, mini horses,mini donkey, alpacas, llamas, horses, 5 Great Pyrenees and a cat.
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My Heart is Broken... I miss you my Sweet Sophie Puff Diva Chicken....
Living and working on a Zoo farm - 300 plus chickens, fancy pigeons, Sebbies geese, turkey, crested ducks, peafowl, ornamental pheasant and ducks, Black swans, Egyptian geese, African Crowned Cranes, Emu, fainting goats, mini zebu, mini horses,mini donkey, alpacas, llamas, horses, 5 Great Pyrenees and a cat.
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post #3 of 13
11/3/11 at 6:39pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by chickenzoo 

Free feeding is best. I fill up a horse feeder ( see your other post ) 1/2 way and let them eat what they want. I've not heard of an emu over eating....... wink


Thanks, I just have to find a way to block it from my goats and sheep, my Emus are very nice to them and let them eat their food

Mother of Silkies and Naked Neck Showgirls,French Black Copper Marans,EE,6 Emus ,2 Pot Belly pigs and some dogs

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Mother of Silkies and Naked Neck Showgirls,French Black Copper Marans,EE,6 Emus ,2 Pot Belly pigs and some dogs

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post #4 of 13
11/4/11 at 3:59am

I had to put mine high out of reach of the goats. Without anything that the goats could put their front hooves on. But I have nigerians/pygmys so they cannot reach as far as the bigger goats. I used a bucket w/lid and cut a hole out and hung it in the center of the emu house. I also hung one from a tree limb.smile

Mama to 31 Nigerians, Nigerian/PygmyX, 1 Nubian, 1 pot-bellied pig, Shetland pony, 2 mini horses, 3 Emus, Polish Top Hats, Silkies, Guineas, cats and dogs galore!
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Mama to 31 Nigerians, Nigerian/PygmyX, 1 Nubian, 1 pot-bellied pig, Shetland pony, 2 mini horses, 3 Emus, Polish Top Hats, Silkies, Guineas, cats and dogs galore!
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post #5 of 13
11/4/11 at 5:27am

i explained one type I use in your emu feeder post. Another one is that I can buy these big mineral tubs at my feed mill ( looks like a paint bucket but expanded to 2 ft across or so.) that have lockable lids. I cut holes in the sides for the emus head and mount them atopt sucken thick posts in the ground.  big_smile

My Heart is Broken... I miss you my Sweet Sophie Puff Diva Chicken....
Living and working on a Zoo farm - 300 plus chickens, fancy pigeons, Sebbies geese, turkey, crested ducks, peafowl, ornamental pheasant and ducks, Black swans, Egyptian geese, African Crowned Cranes, Emu, fainting goats, mini zebu, mini horses,mini donkey, alpacas, llamas, horses, 5 Great Pyrenees and a cat.
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My Heart is Broken... I miss you my Sweet Sophie Puff Diva Chicken....
Living and working on a Zoo farm - 300 plus chickens, fancy pigeons, Sebbies geese, turkey, crested ducks, peafowl, ornamental pheasant and ducks, Black swans, Egyptian geese, African Crowned Cranes, Emu, fainting goats, mini zebu, mini horses,mini donkey, alpacas, llamas, horses, 5 Great Pyrenees and a cat.
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post #6 of 13
11/4/11 at 3:56pm

I watched the 3 of mine eat a 50 lb bag in 3 hours. but the guy I got them from never fed them free choice. and I still cant.

Proud to announce we are now 100% goat free
12 bunnies 7 pekin ducks 1 goose 3 adult emus 4 fast growing poop machine emus
2 alpacas 5 chickens 5 laying hens 1 8 yo sulcata tortoise & 1 malard duck that thinks he is a chicken.
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Proud to announce we are now 100% goat free
12 bunnies 7 pekin ducks 1 goose 3 adult emus 4 fast growing poop machine emus
2 alpacas 5 chickens 5 laying hens 1 8 yo sulcata tortoise & 1 malard duck that thinks he is a chicken.
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post #7 of 13
11/4/11 at 7:21pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by foulman007 

I watched the 3 of mine eat a 50 lb bag in 3 hours. but the guy I got them from never fed them free choice. and I still cant.


OMG smile I feed them twice a day, the people that had them before me feed them one time a day. BUt I always feel that they are still hungry, so I try to bring out some fruits ( apples, grapes even carrots)

Mother of Silkies and Naked Neck Showgirls,French Black Copper Marans,EE,6 Emus ,2 Pot Belly pigs and some dogs

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Mother of Silkies and Naked Neck Showgirls,French Black Copper Marans,EE,6 Emus ,2 Pot Belly pigs and some dogs

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post #8 of 13
11/5/11 at 5:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by foulman007 

I watched the 3 of mine eat a 50 lb bag in 3 hours. but the guy I got them from never fed them free choice. and I still cant.


DANG !   You have PIGS instead of EMU !    Mine go to their feeder, eat some then wander off, come back later... eat some, wander off. Everyone I know with them feeds free choice ( I'm talking about filling up a horse feeding bucket for the day ) lol

My Heart is Broken... I miss you my Sweet Sophie Puff Diva Chicken....
Living and working on a Zoo farm - 300 plus chickens, fancy pigeons, Sebbies geese, turkey, crested ducks, peafowl, ornamental pheasant and ducks, Black swans, Egyptian geese, African Crowned Cranes, Emu, fainting goats, mini zebu, mini horses,mini donkey, alpacas, llamas, horses, 5 Great Pyrenees and a cat.
Reply
My Heart is Broken... I miss you my Sweet Sophie Puff Diva Chicken....
Living and working on a Zoo farm - 300 plus chickens, fancy pigeons, Sebbies geese, turkey, crested ducks, peafowl, ornamental pheasant and ducks, Black swans, Egyptian geese, African Crowned Cranes, Emu, fainting goats, mini zebu, mini horses,mini donkey, alpacas, llamas, horses, 5 Great Pyrenees and a cat.
Reply
post #9 of 13
11/5/11 at 5:42am

The lady I bought my rheas from didn't recommend free choice feeding to me either so I don't, but they do always seem hungry.  But they seem happy and healthy so whatever works!  Love the fence post feeder idea though!

Count the campfires by glowing flames, never by the ashes that fall. Count your days by the golden hours, don't remember clouds at all. Count the nights by stars, not by shadows. Count your life by smiles, not by tears. And with joy on every birthday, count your age by friends-not years.
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Count the campfires by glowing flames, never by the ashes that fall. Count your days by the golden hours, don't remember clouds at all. Count the nights by stars, not by shadows. Count your life by smiles, not by tears. And with joy on every birthday, count your age by friends-not years.
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post #10 of 13
11/5/11 at 8:36am

What I'm doing with my two is, they spend from late morning to late afternoon in their pen with enough feed for them to go through in that time, about half to 1/3rd of a horse bucket.  Then they spend from sundown to mid morning on a acre to forage on.  Seems to work out, half the time when I let them out of their pen in the late afternoon there is still feed in their bucket.

I did have a question about Emu "on pasture" does anyone free range theirs on pasture?  For example, most of the year my goats get zero supplemental feeding, can Emus do this?

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BackYard Chickens › BYC Forum › Other BackYard Poultry › Ostriches, Emu, Rheas › Emu Feeding Portions?