Writing an Emu article - Want to Help?

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

Greetings Ratite Wranglers!

I'm getting ready to write an Emu article for Backyard Poultry Magazine http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/ , focusing on Emus but with a little on other ratites as well. I've found plenty of general information on the birds, but a lot is geared toward commercial size operations. I'd love to include y'all's perspective and experience raising a single bird, a pair, or very small flock. Incubation, availability of eggs, interaction with other poultry species, feeding program, behavior, housing, any nuisances w/neighbors.

So, what wisdom or stories could you share about Emus and/or other ratites with a person or family already raising a few smaller birds? What works well for you, and what would you have done differently? Any magazine-quality photos I could use?

(Disclaimers: I don't get online regularly, and I may nicely bug you for additional information if your contact information is available on BYC.)

Thanks!

Bryan Smith

Smiles-N-Sunshine Farm - "Future Home of an Emu"
Hereford, Arizona

[email protected]

 

[chickenzoo]

I'll help. I have 3 emu (2 males and 1 female) and 2 eggs in the bator. I have all types of critters and use mine as pets/guardians. look at www.chickenzoo.com and you can see some of the critters they get along with. Let me know what info you'd like and I'll do my best. My hubby is a photo bug too.

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

Great! Thanks chickenzoo!

Hey Newbies, y'all can jump in too. What questions do/did you have on raising a few emus? What's keeping you from getting one?

 

[chickenzoo]

I don't think there are a lot of us.....

 

[Smiles-N-Sunshine]

Hug a chicken, and the world hugs with you. Hug an emu, and you hug alone.

 

[cpbirds407]

Those are absolutely amazing pics!! Love them all!!

Charlie

 

[frankenchick]

Bryan,
I have some Q that I'm hoping to find answers for here . . .

Q: Do emu chicks have to be kept in a brooder like chicken chicks? When are they ready for the great outdoors?

Q: What are they fed to start?

Q: I want to get feed from the Farm Bureau co-op, but I've read all sorts of recipes online. What's the best feed for chicks/grown emus?

Q: We're planning to sell our emus at Fair (they'll be about 2 mo old). Since we won't have full-grown emus, can we make the run a little smaller?

Q: What sort of protection will the young emus need? My understanding is that the adults have little to fear from anything smaller than a fox or coyote (which can't get into our pasture, anyway).

I'm sure I'll think of more!

 

[chickenzoo]

Quote:
You treat an emu chick just like a chicken chick. You feed them chick starter also. They do make a special emu diet for adults, but mine turned their noses at it and eat a mix of wild bird seed, dog food, chicken feed etc. They also eat eggs, broccoli , grasses etc. They have the same threats as chickens, hawks, raccoons etc.. until they get about goose size, then fox, dogs, etc... We also give our adults EE/WEE/tentnus shots and West Nile here in FL. I know of a breeder who lost most of his flock to West Nile one year.... very sad.

 

[Supreme Emu]

It seems that I'm the only emu owner on this forum who's in Australia. I have three pet emus – tame, really. They are Rothschildi, and have a 1200 acre property to run around in, but they know the way out the front gate because I have shown them. Their names are Number One, Greedy, and Felicity. Their parents (Eric the Emu and Mrs. Eric) still sometimes turn up at the farmhouse. I've had eleven emus at the fig tree at one time. My three came, as chicks, with their dad, to eat the fallen fruit under the fruit trees. Now – 18 months later – Greedy is so tame that he will pluck a fig held between my teeth.

Emus make a range of noises. They burp, fart, whistle, hiss, grunt; and the females drum.

Their poo doesn't smell in the least when they eat 'ordinary' food. I collect it for the compost. (Does anyone feed their emus just wheat?)

They are entirely waterproof, and will comfortably sit in the open in pouring Winter rain.
Mark Blair