In 2020 we drove over 700 miles to meet a person we were in contact with that had a variety of bloodlines of emus. We chose 2 DNA tested, from different bloodlines, 6 week old chicks. Then we drove the hundreds of miles back to our farm. To build a relationship with them, we hand fed the everyday for the next 3 years. We played games with them, petted them, and just spent time with them. We carefully blend their food to help them stay the healthiest possible. After 2 long years, we found 3 eggs. These were not fertile we discovered after 70 days in the incubator. We waited another 9 months for another egg. In 2023 we found 20 eggs given to us by our emus. We hatched our first emus in January 2024. Thus began our emu farm oddessy.

Emus are a dynamic large bird. They do grow to about 6 feet tall. As such, a six-foot fence is required for adults. Emus need a variety of foods. Adults do well with a blend of ratite pellets, rabbit pellets, and layer pellets. The chicks require a blend of ratite starter, chopped kale, and a variety of berries and fruit for them to explore. Ours love grapes, blueberries, and raspberries. Emus are a protective bird. they will patrol their pasture and keep predators out. This same instinct make them more complicated to blend other animals with them. Goats tend to eat their feathers. Ours does well with our alpaca. They do appreciate another emu with them. Emus can fight against each other, especially during the breeding season, winter. With care and attention, they can be very sweet birds. with their own little personalities. Please do your research before adding them to your farm.

The vibrant dark green of an emu egg is very alluring. They weigh over a pound each. They are beautiful all on their own. Hatching one for yourself is a rewarding experience. They need a special incubator or a riser added to the Nurture Right 360, one of our favorite tabletop incubators. Etsy tends to have these available. It is best to hand turn an emu egg 3-5 times a day, odd numbers only, 180 degrees each time. They need the back and forth motion and not the constant one direction rolling. 97.5 temperature, 25-35% humidity. You can feel kicking after day 35. There is no lock down period for emu eggs. When you feel strong kicks and/or hear them whistle. Stop turning the egg and maintain temp and humidity. Ours have been hatching around day 50, but they can take 60 days or more. Please note the legs of the emu are fragile, the tendons can slip causing a lame bird. Extra caution must be taken to not allow them slip or slide on a smooth surface. Please take the time to do your research on emus before opting to try hatching. There is no guarantee on emu eggs if they are fertile or that they will hatch. This applies to about every egg. Follow us on social media, we love sharing our emus hatching.