Sexing Emu Experiment......

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chickenzoo

chickenzoo

Emu Hugger
14 Years
Mar 10, 2008
9,364
228
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a bumpy dirt road in Florida
I wanted to start an emu sexing experiment. If everyone who hatches out their emu chicks or gets a young chick, take good pictures of the tops of their head... the patterns, and check in now and then with new pics as they develop and see who ends up being boys or girls, especially if you have them DNA sexed ( speed the process along) LOL. Note anything different about the boys or girls as they develop... like theblue skin color goes down 3/4 of their neck in one vs 1/2 on another... etc. etc..
 
I know there are a few places online. I use one near Tallahassee FL. They are quick and post your results online for you. But you may get a vet to do it, but I cut out the middleman as most of the time they send to the same place... hehe. You just need a spot of blood or feather shaft, I use blood.
 
I have been thinking about having my hatch DNA sexed. I found a couple places online that send you a collection kit. They can use the egg shell, feathers, or blood. The cost is about $25.

How do you guys keep track of which bird is which. Do they make Emu leg bands?

How accurate is the pattern of on the head method?
 
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Avianbiotech.com is the best place for DNA sexing, i've always sent my egg shells to them as soon as they hatch. I've found sexing them by the markings on their head is usually only 60-70% accurate. Females are usually the bosses, and seem to boss the males around even at early ages, has anyone else noticed this?
 
My avian vet recommended Zoogen in Davis, CA which happens to just be 45 minutes or so from my home. I have used them a lot. They get results back to you in 24 hours if the sample is sufficient enough. Here is the link to their website. http://zoogendna.com/ I have only done feather sexing and they charge $25 and ask for at least four feathers with the shaft intact. Emus need to be at least four months old. If my emu chick hatches I am going to take the shell in for testing instead of using the US postal service. I am that anxious to find out!
 
Just curious, but do you all know the difference in adults? I was always told it's impossible to tell who is who, but I found that wasn't the case. I get really into my animals and tend to find the subtle differences.

My theory is:

Hens have a larger chest cavity, their "boom sack" (we called it that because the thumping they do sounds like nothing but bass from the boom box) is larger and they prance with it filled out. They make the booming noises. They are VERY aggressive and tend to fight more.

Cocks are smaller. They make a sound that sounds almost like a pig grunting. Their chest is usually flat and does not fluff up with air.

I have not seen a difference in the feathers or facial features, though and never attempted to vent sex - this istoo intrusive and, well, rude, lol.

I always got mine as adults and never had the long wait. The only time I had chicks they were for meat production so they never got old enough for me to wonder what they were.

Anyway, that's how I learned on adult birds.
 

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