Nesting emu

[Prince and Pavo]

Following! I’d love to see how the hatch turns out. I tried to hatch some emus in my incubator last winter, but unfortunately didn’t have success .

Something I try to remember when my hens are hatching chicks is that nature’s got know-how. Animals have been given instincts and they often know what they’re doing better than any of us.

Keep us updated! I’m very excited for you and Fred

 

[FNF]

Following! I’d love to see how the hatch turns out. I tried to hatch some emus in my incubator last winter, but unfortunately didn’t have success .

Something I try to remember when my hens are hatching chicks is that nature’s got know-how. Animals have been given instincts and they often know what they’re doing better than any of us.

Keep us updated! I’m very excited for you and Fred

I’ll let you know! If it doesn’t happen at least he got to follow his instincts. I ordered some emu chick starter crumbles though…just in case.

 

[briefvisit]

Clutches in the wild vary in number from one to ten that I have seen. But it's hard to know how many hatched versus how many might have been killed by predators.

We are having some kind of disaster here at Planet Rothschildi. Toosh Toosh turned up with his second clutch. Had ten with him on the first visit. Just six chicks on the second visit just a few days later. And we haven't seen him since. He really really would have bought his second clutch here for the plums, as he did his first clutch, and as he was here with his Dad when he was a chick.

I'll bet that Fred hatches eight chicks.

SE

 

[FNF]

I hope Toosh Toosh and kids are okay!!

It's so tough not knowing what to expect - I have a large dog crate ready to go in the laundry room, brooding heat plate, ratite starter crumble, bowls, vitamins, etc. on hand for the first few days+, but it may be for nothing or it may be for, as you predict, eight chicks! Better to be prepared I suppose. I had a dream the other night that he hatched two.

 

[briefvisit]

Based on entirely insufficient data -- but in our understanding that a male emu is a wonderfully efficient incubator -- I don't see why a 75% hatch-rate would be an unreasonable estimate.

PS Chicks need exercise. This is the major error of nice folks. Emus are not a domestic critter. They are not chickens or ducks, bred to passivity. Conversations should focus on both food and exercise regimes.

Chicks need a non-slip floor at all times.

Chicks need to be outside as much as possible, almost literally regardless of weather.


Here's an anecdote:

Planet Rothschildi observed one clutch, 'Alpha and Omega,' for months. Also 'Uno Chick.'

Boy Emu led his chicks -- several out of the egg only a couple of hours -- across hundreds of metres of 'litter' -- sticks and leaves -- to water the afternoon they abandoned the nest. Some of the litter was as tall as the chicks.

I've watched Alpha and Omega through binos as they breasted soaking-wet dawn grass up to their chests. Day by day, they move distances -- Dad walks in slow motion; it's hilarious -- that would astound you.

By only four or five months, the thigh muscles of 'black head' chicks are as strong as spring steel.

Supreme Emu

 

[briefvisit]

Here's the genealogy: Eric the Emu was the original emu. Over ten years, he bought five clutches to the house-clearing.

One chick of his last clutch -- nine chicks -- was Toosh Toosh.

After Eric was killed, we held our breath. At that stage, we didn't even know the sexes of the seven of Eric's chicks that survived.

Luckily, Toosh Toosh was both male -- it can only be a male who continues the project because it's only males that bring their clutches to the house-clearing -- and identifiable (by his splendid toosh feathers).

Toosh Toosh brought his clutch here. Four of the five survived. Two -- now young adults -- were here at dawn this morning.

Then Toosh Toosh brought his second clutch here. Here they are:

https://imgur.com/4vIMHkK

But four were lost within days, and they didn't turn up for plum season, which is a very very very bad season.

And that's where we are at present. Toosh Toosh is a young male, known to be a capable breeder, and he's 'out there' somewhere. In a little under two years, we'll be watching for him to turn up with a third clutch.

Here below is Eric, standing at the back door. One of the chicks is Toosh Toosh.

 

[FNF]

Well big news - I whistled by Fred this morning (as I have since Friday) and he majorly moved and I got a reply peep. Turns out he hatched his first chick probably a couple of days ago (he kept it quite a secret). I’ve moved the little guy inside to the brooder and it looks like there may be another hatching. Fingers crossed they do well. I was unsure about moving him but it’s too dangerous where they nested and still chilly. So say a little prayer for Taz and his future (hopefully) siblings.

 

[briefvisit]

Go, Fred Emu!!

 

[dmidkiff66]

'Has anyone had their emus successfully hatch any eggs?'


Planet Rothschildi here in Western Australia -- Rothschildi territory -- has observed two hatches: Boy Emu and Noddy Big Ears.

They don't need food or water. They don't poop.

Emu species in Australia hatch in the wild in some very cold places -- right up to the foothills of the Alps. But we don't know what sub-species yours are. The desert sub-species, woodwardi, certainly don't encounter cold weather during incubation.

Here in South-West Western Australia, the males don't experience snow; but they do sit still for seven-and-a-half weeks through some pretty wet and wild winter weather. But if your male is healthy, he should have worked up a good layer of fat to 'power' his incubation.

The male's 'curtain' of feathers provides a fine 'seal' for the eggs under him. He will likely stand to turn those every few hours.

Apparently -- I have no first-hand understanding of this, but it turns up in discussions -- young emu males may botch their first incubation through indiscipline.

Folks are entitled to love and pamper their emus; but luckily, emu males are extremely efficient incubators. If you have fertile eggs, and the nest area is quiet, all you need to do is watch and wait. (You won't know, but Dad gets first wiggles about half way through, and peeps in the final weeks.)

I don't suppose a 'skirt' of straw would help. Certainly snow would be my main concern. Even the wet and wild winter weather here is much less severe than snow!

You could start a thread here, and report for us!!

Supreme Emu, Western Australia

I have 4, 2 male, 2 female. Mine are only 8 months old, so I am new at this. I wanted to tell you, and the others with more experience, just how much your input and time mean to me. You know as well as I, there is as much bad info as good on the web. Thank you so much for taking the time.

 

[briefvisit]

It goes both ways, dmid. It's delightful to be able to help folks.

And there is a variety of competencies here: what one person may not know, another may.

SE

You can tell the age of wild chicks by the season. This is an old photo -- this is the legendary Eric. The chicks are about 6 months?