Questions about Emus?

[addisonphill]

I’ve been considering getting emus and I was wondering a few things.

How much will they coast?
In NZ what licence do I need?
How much space per bird do they need?
Could I only get one, or will it be lonely?
Can I keep them with my chickens or will they hurt them?
Can chickens keep emus company?
Do they mind if it’s a little cold compared to the middle of Australia?
At the bottom of our property, where I’d most likely keep them, it can get very wet and mushy, will they mind?
Would rheas, ostriches or something different be better, why?

 

[yinepu]

I’ve been considering getting emus and I was wondering a few things.

How much will they coast?
In NZ what licence do I need?
How much space per bird do they need?
Could I only get one, or will it be lonely?
Can I keep them with my chickens or will they hurt them?
Can chickens keep emus company?
Do they mind if it’s a little cold compared to the middle of Australia?
At the bottom of our property, where I’d most likely keep them, it can get very wet and mushy, will they mind?
Would rheas, ostriches or something different be better, why?

How much will they coast? price varies depending on season (availability) and location. You would need to check with local auction houses, adverts and so on
In NZ what licence do I need? check with your local agricultural office or fish and game office for legality of ownership
How much space per bird do they need? usually if you have enough room to keep a horse with room to graze and roam, you would have enough for an emu
Could I only get one, or will it be lonely? they do best with a buddy.. though some people have kept them with another animal (such as a goat or goose) to keep them company
Can I keep them with my chickens or will they hurt them? they wouldn't do well in a coop situation and have been known to kill new additions. So it would depend on the individual bird and the situation in which you kept them
Can chickens keep emus company? Almost any animal can.. however you would have to keep in mind housing, life spans and so on to determine which type of animal would work best in your situation.
Do they mind if it’s a little cold compared to the middle of Australia? People in the Northern US as well as Canada have kept emu with no issues so long as a simple shelter was provided to keep them out of the weather when it storms or is bitterly cold.
At the bottom of our property, where I’d most likely keep them, it can get very wet and mushy, will they mind? So long as the entire lot isn't wet and mushy they would be fine. Emus can swim quite well and love "mud wallows" for cooling off in. However they need an area which is dry so they do not develop issues with sore feet from the mud. They are not waterfowl.. so drier is better with a smaller "damp area" would be preferred.
Would rheas, ostriches or something different be better, why? Emu are the more "docile" of the ratites. When you get into birds like Ostrich you run the risk of more aggressive animals. Though even emu are not the best choice for most people since they do get large and occasionally can develop attitudes. Most people are better off with a good breed of goose (Embden, Sebastopol or Toulouse) or should just stick with chickens since many are not willing or able to supply emu with the proper food, housing and fencing to keep them properly in captivity. They also have much longer lifespans than "poultry" and that has to be taken into consideration since people often have a lifestyle change which mandates that they need to rehome their birds. It's much easier to find a home (or stew pot) for an unwanted chicken than for a full grown emu.

 

[addisonphill]

thanks so much. There is enough dry space down the bottom but I only have room for 1 emu although we might be getting goats, so they could keep it company. Again, thanks for all the help.