Is this an Emu Mating Dance ?

[chickenzoo]

I have what are suppose to be a pair of Emu. They are going on 2 years old soon. I started noticing Merlin "the male" starting to make a laying spot by my gate, collecting stuff and putting it their etc for the last few months. It didn't stay long as the chickens and turkeys picked it apart. Then he started sitting on the ground in a corner and making sounds and acting like he was going to barf...he he. Jazzy the female came over to investigate. He's done that a couple times, she might have too. Now they are chasing each other. At first Jazzy would walk up to Merlin and start pecking and biting him. Now he is doing it to her and chasing her all over the pasture, then they'll confront each other and bite each other then go back to running......is this normal??????????????

 

[MidnightChickenLover]

I don't know much about Emus, but here is some information...

Emu reach sexual maturity at 18 months to 3 years of age. Males and females usually are paired in a 1:1 ratio although polygamous mating (more than one female per male) has been
successful in some cases. Emu courtship consists of strutting and displaying the neck feathers by both the male and female. The female makes a drumming sound ("booming") and the male makes a grunting sound ("growling"). Allow emu to pair naturally from a communal pen or across a fence, and then move them to a breeder pen together. Non-compatible birds will fight. Many emu begin producing in their second year. Emu lay eggs in the winter months, usually between November and March. Eggs are laid every 3 or 4 days, with an average of 30 eggs laid per season. Some may produce up to 50 eggs per season.