Emu predators and shelter flooring

[MontserratChick]

Hello all! New emu owner here. We hatched 4 in May and we live in France. They are currently sheltered in a barn at night and have free range in our 150acre property during the day. They’re very, very tame and want to be with us at all times. We’re planning to fence the core of our property soon, with 6ft double fencing (required by law for keeping emus in France). The thing that I’m having difficulty designing is the shelter. Again the law says we must be able to enclose them if required, so we need doors, but I’m wondering how necessary it will be to close the doors at night, and whether they should be half doors like a horse stable, or full doors. The only potential animals that could damage an adult emu here, I think, are stray dogs (big ones sometimes) and wolves, which are moving into the area. Both of these have been known to kill large amounts of sheep, but I’m wondering how much of a risk they’d be to adult emus at night if the shelter was left open sided, or even half-doored.
The other thing I’m wondering about is how to construct the base of the shelter. Is it better to have a concrete base covered in straw, a raised wooden floor like a chicken coop, or just left natural at ground level (I’m concerned that could get very muddy in winter)? Any advice on flooring would be very gratefully received!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

@Pyxis

 

[briefvisit]

'Again the law says we must be able to enclose them if required, so we need doors, but I’m wondering how necessary it will be to close the doors at night'

Hey, Montserrat Chick!

It is sort of a standing joke that folks worry about building Nice Little Shelters for their emus . . . but the emus couldn't care less. (I've seen wild emus sit quietly and happily for hours in the open in pouring mid-winter rain.)

But attacks from predators? In the wild, in the old days, dingoes were the only predator likely to take on an adult emu. (Lots of things predate on the chicks.) But wolves known to attack sheep?! Gee, that's serious.

You see, in the open, with moonlight or starlight, emus can run like mad. Running away is a primary emu tactic. So if they are enclosed -- and I imagine that a determined dog could scale a door of at least a metre -- then they had best be fully enclosed.

In the wild, they roost under trees.

And the floor? I think so long as it is dry, dirt is fine. A dry earth floor with warm dry straw would be heaven for an emu.

Can we see some photos?

Supreme Emu

 

[PatriciafromCO]

I don't have emus.. There may be times that your emus get sick/injured, or you need them out of the way, Have new animals coming in that need to get use to a new home, or there a weather situation For my animals I have a 6ft industrial chain link fence off the back of my barn. 120' x 200' it has an open area with double gates, with (7) 30' x 30' individual pens that open towards the open area so an animal may get past you from the pen but they still contained in the open area. It would be a nice area off your barn building to let the emus go in and out but still be contained at night.

 

[Panamom]

'Again the law says we must be able to enclose them if required, so we need doors, but I’m wondering how necessary it will be to close the doors at night'

Hey, Montserrat Chick!

It is sort of a standing joke that folks worry about building Nice Little Shelters for their emus . . . but the emus couldn't care less. (I've seen wild emus sit quietly and happily for hours in the open in pouring mid-winter rain.)

But attacks from predators? In the wild, in the old days, dingoes were the only predator likely to take on an adult emu. (Lots of things predate on the chicks.) But wolves known to attack sheep?! Gee, that's serious.

You see, in the open, with moonlight or starlight, emus can run like mad. Running away is a primary emu tactic. So if they are enclosed -- and I imagine that a determined dog could scale a door of at least a metre -- then they had best be fully enclosed.

In the wild, they roost under trees.

And the floor? I think so long as it is dry, dirt is fine. A dry earth floor with warm dry straw would be heaven for an emu.

Can we see some photos?

Supreme Emu

I like this response, as a new Emu guardian I need all information. I get that they are not that fussed about being inside. I am working on getting my Girl some weight. she is boney and having the loose poopies. She has had a change, in food and all else. we are like 2 sdays in. She has her own corner of a generous yard with plenty of shade (Florida, north florida). These trees even keep the ground dry. Have some worm medication coming.

 

[briefvisit]

My emus are pretty much on auto-pilot: a teacup of wheat twice a day.

[Fourteen here at this second: Limpy Chick and his clutch, and Bush and Haystack, followed by some random emu.]

But a primary concern of those with pet emus is cost. Hence discussions of 'ratite starter' and other things that are mysterious to me.

So, how would you fatten up an emu? Well, they are notoriously greedy people, so you'd just give them a lot to eat.

You will learn a lot from observing them: what do they not eat? What do they eat first and last? [L.C.'s chicks already love sultanas.)

I have long suspected that many pet-emu owners don't do as much observing as you'd think.

Two final Notes: One, standard emu poop is often 'squirty.'

Two: there's a lot less emu under all those feathers than you might think. (I've never weighed mine. I have enough trouble checking their height.)

[I can hear the chicks outside]

Liveliness is a good metric. Healthy emus should be active and generally curious. Can you teach yours some sort of game with a ball?

Supreme Emu, Lake Muir, Western Australia

 

[briefvisit]

 

[Panamom]

My emus are pretty much on auto-pilot: a teacup of wheat twice a day.

[Fourteen here at this second: Limpy Chick and his clutch, and Bush and Haystack, followed by some random emu.]

But a primary concern of those with pet emus is cost. Hence discussions of 'ratite starter' and other things that are mysterious to me.

So, how would you fatten up an emu? Well, they are notoriously greedy people, so you'd just give them a lot to eat.

You will learn a lot from observing them: what do they not eat? What do they eat first and last? [L.C.'s chicks already love sultanas.)

I have long suspected that many pet-emu owners don't do as much observing as you'd think.

Two final Notes: One, standard emu poop is often 'squirty.'

Two: there's a lot less emu under all those feathers than you might think. (I've never weighed mine. I have enough trouble checking their height.)

[I can hear the chicks outside]

Liveliness is a good metric. Healthy emus should be active and generally curious. Can you teach yours some sort of game with a ball?

Supreme Emu, Lake Muir, Western Australia

Is it cooked wheat.

 

[briefvisit]

No. I get bags of 'seconds' wheat from the feed store.

The wheat sometimes goes through without getting digested. You find wheat-laden emu poops about the place.

But farmers assure me that it's fine protein for them, particularly in winter, when grass is almost the only food.

SE

 

[briefvisit]

I am intrigued to know: how do you know your emus are 'boney'?

I am not critical. Just interested in getting data. You certainly are entitled to be vigilant with emus both recently moved and new to you.

Their age? Their weight?

Their 'level of energy'? (For example, a healthy emu will usually only sit down when it is full of food. For a chick to just sit down during the day is a bad sign.)