Are emu good pets?

[awesomefowl]

I think it would be fun to have an emu. I have some questions:

1. Can you raise an emu chick (it should be called an echick!) with baby chicks so they will get along?
2. What sort of fencing do you need/How much room per emu? I only want one.
3. Can you train them to go into a stall at night?
4. Do they get along with other animals? Hypothetically, we want a horse goat or cow in a pasture.
5. Are they a pain to take care of?
6. What do they eat?
7. I think I need "Storey's Guide to Raising Ratites!" I wish there was one.

Thank you ! I liked Chickenzoo's emu on her great website.

 

[awesomefowl]

One last Q: Good emu websites? Thank you!!!!

 

[chickenzoo]

You can go to my site chickenzoo.com, then to Pet Emu. I started writing in information about emu as pets.

 

[awesomefowl]

I saw that, but have more questions. Great site.

 

[awesomefowl]

this is what I want to know:
1. Can you raise an emu chick (it should be called an echick!) with baby chicks so they will get along? Will an emu chick bond with baby chickens is raised together?

 

[TigerLilly]

I believe your question was answered on that website; I just finished reading about pet emu & thought it was very clear.

 

[chickenzoo]

I would not raise them in the same brooder with baby chicks as emu tend to be much bigger than the babies, and their sheer weight alone might crush the chicks. Also Emu love to peck at things, and going back to their size, a emu beak is very big. I would however raise along side the chicks so they get use to seeing them and bonding with them. When the chicks are big enough to go outside, then allow the emu chick some supervised play time with them. Hope that helps....

 

[awesomefowl]

It helps. One emu chick could be raised to live in a stall next to chicken coop though? Would a lone emu get lonely?
Lastly, are they hard to raise? I think it would be a neat exotic pet.

 

[chickenzoo]

Yes you can raise them beside each other, as emu chicks do need company. I find that male emu are often more friendly as adults. It would be nice to have more than one, 2 males, 2 females,male & female etc... but if you have other large livestock, dogs etc.. they will have company in them.

 

[awesomefowl]