Keeping emus with other livestock?

[JK Farms & Sanctuary]

Hi there,
I am not an emu owner yet but would love to be, I have been doing lots of research for months now and havent found an answer to a few of my questions.

I have a small farm, all pets very spoiled! The pasture is 1acre (possibly a little larger) with 6 goats (all very sweet bottle babies, castrated males with NO horns) 3 female sheep (no horns) and one gelded male llama that is their guardian but is very easy going with newcomers. All are very sweet and there is no fighting or bullying. They have full access to the barn with has plenty of sleeping and lounging space, 2 water troughs and several feed areas. I am curious as to if a pair or 2 female emus can be kept in the pasture with them?
Does anyone keep emus in other livestock???

Second question is:
Are hand raised chicks prone to have aggressive or over dominant behavior once they mature? This is true with llamas, how do emus react? Are they more gentle and accepting of your presence or will they try to "mate" and over dominant you?
I spend several hours in the pasture daily, while I don't expect to have emu cuddling time, I do want to be sure that I am not greeted with big kicks and beak pecking thinking that I am "mommy" or "girlfriend"

I do a lot of rescue placement and often come across emus needing to be placed, I have yet to take one in because not being able to build a separate emu pen at this point in time and not having the proper knowledge of whether they can be kept in a herd of goats etc peacefully. Anyone that can shed some light on these questions I would greatly appreciate it!!!

 

[chickenzoo]

Hi, my adult emu are in with my livestock and do fine with them. They also act as livestock guardians. It is best to get them as babies or as adults that were raised up with animals and expose them to everything. I've only been kicked by an emu when trying to grab them and put them in a trailer etc.. etc... most times they don't kick, only when very irritated, cornered and scared. Biting.... well I've never been bitten out of meanness by one, but biting at things is part of emu communication in a way. Mine bite at anything shiny, hanging out, sticking out, bright colored, Dark colored... hehe more out of curiosity. i guess when you don't have hands you have to use your beak. I think of them as a cross between a chicken and a horse, they have the fight or flight instinct of a horse with claws behind the kick but they also are easy going curious creatures. Mine like to be petted and hugged and follow me around. you must be careful as they will try and eat anything... nails, screws, bits of metal etc..... they have very small brains.

You also have to watch out when introducing new animals as they get to know one "flock" and any new animals are intruders (not large animals, mostly dog size down) so a short introduction in a safe area is required....

As far as emu being over dominate, I guess it could happen but my males will follow me around with that love sick look in their eyes, or keep laying down beside me trying to get me to lay down, or they do it to my mini horses or mini cow, but honestly the only fear I have of them, is them trying to lay on me and accidentally pushing me down a hill..... or taking off an ear, they love ears for some reason.

 

[Supreme Emu]

J.K., although everything Chickenzoo says is true, the reason her advice is good is because she clearly invests a great deal of time with her birds and animals – in short, her emus are as tame as they could be. However, you asked about placing rescued birds with your other animals:

rescued birds are ipso facto an unknown quantity. Lots of Australians will tell you that emus are ornery creatures, but when you ask them specifics about the birds in question, they turn out to have been 'paddock emus' on some farm, or exhibits at some sad Tourist Zoo.

Conversely, my birds – which are tame, not even pets – have never exhibited the slightest aggression towards people, even though I have stood mere feet away while they have kicked the beejezees out of one another. A girl of two years and eleven months fed Greedy the other day.

So, bear in mind that you will know little or nothing about the background of a rescued bird.

Supreme Emu

 

[chickenzoo]

yes, perhaps I wasn't clear... to get an emu you can trust around people and livestock, get one that was either a baby or an adult that you know was handled and exposed. While most are fine with large livestock, some are not good with fences, people, dogs.. etc.. if not exposed and brought up knowing these things.... Sometimes I forget their are people that raise these and do not handle them at all....
but if it comes up and investigates you, will let you pet it, then more than likely it was handled some.

 

[Pidgey104]

I have a female emu that we raise from an egg I wouldnt say shes scared of us just not that friendly dosent like you to touch her but we eat right out of your hand or take a finger if she can LOL. Now I just got a male as a rescue hes around 15 years old. He is the last emu from an emu farm that a guy had. He gotten losse from the guy for around 4 months just running the neighborhood. We went and got him. He is very friendly he'll follow you around or let you pet all over him. or just sit down beside him while he laying around. He has no problems.
We had a little problems with putting a calf in with everyone the female wanted to chase him around don't know if it was for meaness or she just wanted to run after something she got bored of him though after he stopped running LOL.

 

[JK Farms & Sanctuary]

Thanks for the reply everyone, I found chicks in my area so I am hopefully picking up 2 next week, they are 10days old right now, father hatched them out and they are active little dudes!

 

[The Sheriff]

Please read my cautionary tale about putting them in with other livestock too soon. You can find it titled "Lost a baby emu today." Eventually I would like to have all the animals together but I am not even willing to try until they are much bigger.

 

[texascowboy1979]

what about Donkeys? Ive been thinking of putting my emus in Pasture pen... but there are 4 mini donkeys...

 

[The Sheriff]

Quote:
My donkey stomped my emu and it had to be put down.

 

[texascowboy1979]

UGh!!! that answers taht question.