Emu's have I lost my mind?

[yardbird tx]

"Emu's have I lost my mind?" YES

 

[deerman]

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I know, I Do that many times on my long nights.

 

[Skyesrocket]

Oh, Yes! Emu hugs! I forgot about those. My male emu would walk up to me and put his head on my shoulder and just stand there.
It's much easier to handle them if you get them young and spend some time walking them from place to place. You never know when you might have to move an adult emu and it's easier if they trust you.
Something else that is interesting is that even as adults, if you push down on their backs they will lay down.
I fed mine the emu pellets. We hung their bucket chest high for them. A good diet is important, due to their size. Like chicken food, they have starter, grower and breeder feeds for them. A deficient diet will cause legs problems in the hatchlings, as will too much protein.
Ugh, now I miss mine.

 

[lovemychix]

I think they would be so cool. I really need to live on a farm. If my hubby gets his job and we have to relocate I'm really considering getting a little house with a couple acres so I can have some more stuff...

 

[chickenannie]

They sound really interesting to raise, but do they ever create havoc? I mean, if they escape do they attack people and dogs? Not trying to be alarmist here, but it seems like they could draw blood and do a lot of damage (to owners or others) if they got mad or peevish. Those beaks look like they could kill someone.

 

[ChanceRider]

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I've never worried about the beaks... it's the feet that I keep an eye on. They have very prehistoric looking feet, with a long "toenail" that can wreak havoc on a leg. Our neighbor used to raise them commercially and from time to time we'd help him round up and load them into the trailer. The young males, 18 months old or so, were the biggest challenges.

As with any "pet", good training and manners are important and they CAN learn. Our friends have a female that they take on a halter to our local farmer's market; they sell emu products, i.e., oil, gel caps, cat toys, etc. She's quite content to walk along nicely.

 

[chickenzoo]

Yep, training is the key. If mine got out I would not worry about them hurting someone, they don't bite out of anger or anything, just curiosity. Feet is what you worry about, and I've handled mine since poults. They would go after a dog or cat though, if not out of fear and thinking they were predators, just for the pure amusement of chasing something. They love to chase things. They are good with my dogs but will still playfully smack the dogs in the butt with their foot to try to get them to run. I keep their nails blunted on the tips. People also think their hissing sounds are out of meanness, but they use it to say Hi, whats that, I'm excited, what ya doing etc. If mine got out I'd just have someone turn on a water hose, and they'd be right there.

I also had mine halter trained as babies. Helps now they are bigger.

 

[kenny671]

they are very fun to have my old pair i have for about 8 yrs dont know how old they are they was wild when i got them now i can go up to them and do what needs to be done but skitish the other pair i hatched one baught one and they are a BIG babies they will be 4 yrs i love my

 

[GuineaFowlKepper]

It takes them about 10 months to reach adult size. You can let them outside whenever they get over 2ft. tall. Be sure no birds of prey can get to them. I've never raised them, but the zoo im at right now has a pair, and they used to breed. I think they are too old now.

 

[Whispering Winds]

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Where or what kind of halter do you use?