Feeding emus

[cowman910]

I just recently bought 2 emu eggs off ebay. they should arrive next week. I think I got enough information to get them incubated. I was just wondering what to feed them when they hatch. NO store near me sells ratite food and It will cost me a fortune to have it shipped. I was wondering if I can feed them the same stuff my goats eat. It has 14% protein, 3% fat, 13% fiber, .70% calcium, .55% phosphorus, .50% salt, 0.3 ppm of selenium, and 10,000 IU/Lb of vitamin A. (Lol i Just read that off the tag, I don't even know what half that stuff is) Is there any other food i can feed them like Gamebird or something?

Thank You,
Mike

 

[chickenzoo]

I used chick starter when they hatched, then switched to a turkey grower as they got older.... Mine did not like the ratite food, I tried and tried..... finally gave up. They prefer eating a mix of chicken feed, turkey chow, wildbird seed, dog food and the horses sweet feed...... go fiquire.... they really like the sweet feed but need more protein then just that.

 

[cowman910]

Thank You! Now that I can deal with! Do you know how much protein they need?

 

[chickenzoo]

I don't remember exactly.... it's been awhile since they were little, but you don't want them to have too much as chicks because it can cause leg problems. Mine did fine with the chicken starter until they were big enough to reach stuff off the counter....... then they went outside and in a few more months I started the turkey chow..... then as they got older I tried the recommended feed that they decided to make faces at... and they decided to start eating the sweet feed from the horses dishes.. LOL Pretty much once their leg bones are stable you can give more protein. I also tried giving them greens, roman lettuce etc.... A word of caution............. Baby Emu Poo STINKS to high heaven.... and looks like hersey kisses in the grass... LOL

 

[DaKid]

So how much does a pair of enu's eat as chicks , and how much would they eat daily as adults , have other questions but will stop here



Thanks Alan

 

[chickenzoo]

I don't really measure the amount they eat as I have feeders I made from paint buckets to give them free choice...I guess I fill it up every day to every other day for 2 emu.... and it is about 1/2 a 5 gallon bucket by the time you add the holes and most times there is still food left. They also steal what they want from the horses feed buckets as well as the dogs bowls. I offer them a wide variety of foods, and they pick and choose what they'd like as each ones taste is different. LOL

 

[DaKid]

Do you think that they would be able to live up here in Mass. with the weather we have in the winter





Alan

 

[nop169]

We have an adult breeding pair that we let raise their own young.... they live in a 2 acre pasture with lots of grass & a creek & graze a good bit. When we have chicks we also use gamebird starter grower mixed with crushed alfalfa pellets & all grain feed mix. The adults get a 10% all grain with alfalfa pellets mixed in and a occaisional scoop of dog food mixed in.. My 2 adults eat about 6 quarts of feed per day (3 scoops) this time of year. In Spring & Summer they only get 2 scoops (4qts) but do not clean it all up daily. Our youngsters we free feed by keeping the mix in a ground feeder bowl until they are about 6 mos old. Hope this helps...