How warm does it have to be for young emus to go outside?

[Sneakyturtle]

I have two 5 week old emus and I’m wondering when I can bring them outside. It’s 30 degrees here right now in Kentucky, and it’s going to warm up a little next week but it probably won’t regularly be warmer than 60 degrees until April. Do I need to wait until they are 3 months old before I let them go outside?

 

[The-White-Elephant]

I have two 5 week old emus and I’m wondering when I can bring them outside. It’s 30 degrees here right now in Kentucky, and it’s going to warm up a little next week but it probably won’t regularly be warmer than 60 degrees until April. Do I need to wait until they are 3 months old before I let them go outside?
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@Pyxis

 

[briefvisit]

Hey, dlogan. Wild emu chicks hatch on the first of Spring. Now, here at Planet Rothschildi, that's good and cold (and wet and windy), though way short of snow.

But in the eastern states of Australia, emu territory extends to the lower edges of snow country -- but I have no knowledge of those emus ('Novaehollandiae').

The best observations we've had of really young chicks were of 'Alpha and Omega' about ten years ago. Of course, they get to cuddle in under Dad at night, but at first light, they were out in all weathers, soaking wet from the neck down, shunting their way through the grass.

Meanwhile: can we turn this whole discussion back to front? Wild emu chicks -- literally from the day they hatch -- are moving about, browsing. I suspect that even chicks small enough to sit in a bucket cover a couple of miles a day, and make hundreds of 'snatch and grab' motions: strong legs, strong necks.

In short, I think chicks are much hardier than folks think, and they need all the exercise they can get.

Supreme Emu, Lake Muir, W.A.

 

[briefvisit]

Eric with Alpha and Omega

https://imgur.com/7twXZw5

[For some reason, Alpha and Omega luuuurved to dance at dawn. They'd face each other to do 'breast to ground jump up,' and then go entirely dolally, running hundreds of yards around the house-clearing.]

 

[briefvisit]

Eric with Uno Chick

https://imgur.com/uybMQTn

 

[The-White-Elephant]

Eric with Uno Chick

https://imgur.com/uybMQTn

Are those yours?

 

[briefvisit]

Apparently, I am unique: 'Planet Rothschildi' is a wild-emu-observation project, here in the South West of West Australia -- 'Rothschildi' territory. So, these chicks are tame-wild. And actually, the grandkids of Eric are here right now, grazing in the house-clearing.

Next month, I'm gonna do an AMA here, to celebrate 5,000 days of observation.

 

[NC_Quail]

Cute emu! @ShannonsChimkens

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

Look at that face! I felt comfortable taking them outside soon after we got them. They just need to be provided a heat source, kind of like having its dad around. So if they are outside in a pen, make sure there’s a warm spot.