my first emu egg is starting to hatch!!!!

[milliefleur]

it is really a relief after my last mistake which i got great help and advice from some of you. know i finally have a emu that is almost out of its egg, it is pretty exciting. i have a lot more to figure but i hope that the other two will hatch as well. they are do this coming sunday. the other two were this past saturday which the one didn't make it and the other is know almost out of it shell. what is the best thing to feed the baby emu?

 

[yinepu]

congrats!
I usually keep mine in the bator for about a day.. when they get moved to the brooder on day 2 is when I give them the goodies

he won't eat for the first day or two.. the yolk they absorb is really large... however I do offer water to them on day 2 along with some chopped greens (collards, spinach or kale).. they may or may not be interested in it.. by day 3 they should be eating and drinking some

for their water I add something like Save-a-chick or other vitamin diluted down a bit since I give it to them every day and they do drink alot
also sprinkle a little of the chopped greens on the surface of their water (until you see them drinking every day on their own) to entice them to peck at it (you can also tap with your finger.. but the greens on water trick works great)

for their greens.. I use the mix of spinach, collards and kale (collards seems to be a favorite) after a day or two I add in some grated carrots and chopped apple.. but it's still mostly greens
you can also mix layer crumbles into the greens on day 2 or 3... (make sure it's mostly greens though). I have added a sprinkling of game bird starter (for the extra nutrients) plus some chick starter.. but the main crumble is layer crumbles for the calcium and because it's lower in protein

after week one (of greens, layer crumbles and their vitamin water) I switch mine over to a 50/50 mix of layer pellets and rabbit pellets.. their greens & veggie mix becomes more of a treat then

 

[milliefleur]

hey thanks that hwlps out alot. i have a nother question. do i need to be care with what tip of waterer i use? i know with chickens you have to be care cause they tend to drowned in it. are emus chicks the same way?

 

[yinepu]

I use the regular chick waterers for the new chicks.. if you have them in a wire dog type crate you can use the water dishes that hook to the side... when mine got bigger I switched over to a big ol dog dish.. and then outside they have one of those rubber "hog pans"