Looking for emu gender and enclosure info

[chickenzoo]

I think it may do better around the horses if he is not a baby, and you have a large area with field fence vs Hotwire or barbed and your horses are not terrified or aggressive towards him. My horses do fine with mine, but they are pretty good natured and have a lot of space to get away from the emu if they start pecking their halter etc...
Get him an all stock feed and add some chicken feed in if he is an adult. If he is a baby then he would need chick starter.
Mine would scoot under corral panels... Emu are not as dumb as people assume.... However keep him away from any nails, screws, foam etc etc that could fit down their throat as they are notorious for scarfing down metals and odd things. They also love to eat dirt.... And love to be sprayed with water.

 

[Tame Emu Guy]

I pay attention, E.H.!! Twice you noted the emu's ability to scoot under fences. The kangaroos do that. The emus seem to go over the top -- but I have been avidly watching to see if any wild birds do scoot under.

S.E.

 

[chickenzoo]

Hi S.E. I think my started the.scooting by accident. They would often lay by the fence and stick their head under. They soon learned they could scoot forward more....then more..till one day under They went. They don't do it every time..but if its something they really want on the other side....

 

[Tame Emu Guy]

Thanks for that, E.H.

Perhaps my foci seem odd to other readers, but each bit of info I get eventually fits in. Fences! It’s all about fences! I see kangaroos going under them. I see emus going through them. Greedy will stick her head through a fence to get to a plate of figs. It would be amazing to learn that wild birds have learned to ‘scoot.’ They are not, as you say, quite so slow as we think.

S.E.

 

[chickenzoo]

I would think that a wild Emu would be less inclined to scoot under things S it would put them in a compromising position to predators. Tame Emu have less worries about something eating them and lay about a lot with no care in the world..thinking up evil plans....Hehe....until their human comes to work on the fenceline. then its time for them to raid the golfcart and drive her nuts. : )

 

[Tame Emu Guy]

Morning, E.H.,

we actually have few predators. Historically, the dingo. Now, the fox. A fox is more likely to tackle a frog than an emu. Think ‘sneak attack’: an unguarded egg, a crippled chick. No fox would tackle a full-grown emu in broad daylight.

Our understanding of movement vis a vis nutrition has increased tremendously since last autumn. The ‘crossability’ of fences is, it seems, absolutely key to it all – and that’s what is with this stupid crawling around looking at blessings! The blessings are at the roost. The food is at the pasture. The fences lie between.

Now, it wouldn’t normally be so that a sound fence can be scooted under; but the swamp paddock gives us clues. (I am making a series of observations there.) It is Absolutely Grade ‘A’ Pasture . . . but it has good fences on three sides. The birds are prepared to, in effect, enter a trap to graze there.

So, we wouldn’t rule out the notion that wild birds might scoot in certain circumstances.

Supreme Emu

 

[mamaluvschick]

I have another question about our Elmo, that would be our Emu. I am not sure exactly what to feed him. The previous owners fed him cracked corn, but with me he doesn't seem to be very intrested. I have been giving him a lot of lettuce/arugala. He loves that, but I cant help but thinking that he really needs more nutrition then that. I could really use some advice. Thanks so much for everyones help with our new Emu.

 

[Tame Emu Guy]

Hi ya, mamaluvschick,

Others will give you details on commercial food for Elmo.

Just for this second, though, if Elmo is hungry, and scoffing down a range of things, he’ll be okay. Probably for months. Eventually, you need to strike a balance between an affordable ‘dry’ food, and greenery and treats. (Does he have dirt to eat? Gotta have dirt!)
Now, all the following are strictly interim things – you’ll end up in the poorhouse otherwise – but you can try him with any and all greenery, muesli, nuts, and fruit both fresh and dried. (Greedy likes pasta salad.) Have you offered him wheat or oats?

Google ‘Swarbrick emu husbandry guidelines,’ and there are some other texts available from BYC members. Lots of great dietary information in Swarbrick’s text.

Supreme Emu

 

[Raptor65]

Here's what I feed Gerry if you want to use it as a reference. The feed is really very cheap, currently $30 once every two months or so.

Feed​

Crude Protein​

Crude Fat​

Crude Fiber​

Calcium​

Phosphorus​

Salt​

Lysine​

Methionine​

Chicken Layer​

16.00%​

2.70%​

4.00%​

2.50%​

0.40%​

0.25%​

0.70%​

0.20%​

Rabbit Pellets​

17.00%​

1.90%​

20.00%​

0.90%​

0.25%​

0.48%​

​

Chick Starter​

23.00%​

2.00%​

4.00%​

0.50%​

0.50%​

0.15%​

1.00%​

0.30%​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Starter Mix​

18.67%​

2.20%​

9.33%​

1.30%​

0.38%​

0.29%​

0.85%​

0.25%​

Feed Mix​

16.50%​

2.30%​

12.00%​

1.70%​

0.33%​

0.36%​

0.70%​

0.20%​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Difference (Starter Mix)​

2.33%​

0.30%​

2.33%​

0.08%​

0.02%​

1.31%​

0.25%​

0.45%​

Difference (Feed Mix)​

0.50%​

0.30%​

1.00%​

0.55%​

0.33%​

0.29%​

0.14%​

0.16%​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Mazuri Ratite Starter​

21.00%​

2.50%​

7.00%​

1.22%​

0.40%​

1.60%​

1.10%​

0.70%​

Mazuri Emu Feed​

17.00%​

2.00%​

11.00%​

1.15%​

0.65%​

0.65%​

0.84%​

0.36%​

The 'Feed Mix' is what he's on now, no longer needing the Starter Mix. The first three lines are the basic store bought feeds, the Feed Mix is just 50/50 Rabbit Pellet and Chicken Layer Pellets.

 

[ES Emus]

I think it may do better around the horses if he is not a baby, and you have a large area with field fence vs Hotwire or barbed and your horses are not terrified or aggressive towards him. My horses do fine with mine, but they are pretty good natured and have a lot of space to get away from the emu if they start pecking their halter etc...
Get him an all stock feed and add some chicken feed in if he is an adult. If he is a baby then he would need chick starter.
Mine would scoot under corral panels... Emu are not as dumb as people assume.... However keep him away from any nails, screws, foam etc etc that could fit down their throat as they are notorious for scarfing down metals and odd things. They also love to eat dirt.... And love to be sprayed with water.

great feed recommendations, make sure that the feed is unmedicated