11 Healthy Foods / Treats for Baby Emu
- Chick Starter Feed. Chick starter and grower feeds typically contain around 18 to 20% protein. They may also have about...
- Cracked Corn. You can offer cracked corn as a treat to your baby emus. Corn provides protein, fat, carbohydrate, and...
- Cottonseed Meal. Cottonseed meal is a rich source of protein, with each 100g containing...
What is the best food for baby EMUs?
The ideal diet for baby emus should be species-specific. In other words, the best food for emu chicks is emu feed. Ideally, you should offer your emu chick an emu starter feed in the first 8 weeks of its life. Then from 2 months to 14 months, let your emu chicks live on emu grower feed.
What do you feed an emu that outgrew a chicken?
Quinn and Debbie outgrew a bantam chicken very fast! We feed them a ratite starter until they are of breeder age, and then they get a ratite breeder. Diet is very important for emus so that they do not have incubation problems or growth issues later on. Emus love water and love to bath, therefore a kiddie pool can be provided for their use.
How much protein do Baby EMUs need?
The diet of your baby emus should offer no more than 20% protein. Give them more than 20%, and they may suffer splayed or spraddle leg as stated above. Besides the overall protein of your baby emus’ diet, you should pay attention to the type of amino acids the protein sources offer. Proteins are a combination of 20 amino acids.
What does EMU starter feed contain?
Emu starter feed usually contains the following: In cases where you cannot get an emu-specific feed for your baby emus, you may try out the following alternatives: Chick starter and grower feeds typically contain around 18 to 20% protein.
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What can you feed to your Emu chicks?
Emus chicks tend to consume a variety of insects and plants. In fact, you can call them omnivorous animals. Due to the same reason, you will have numerous options to feed the emu chicks. However, it is still important to pick the most appropriate and nutritious foods out there. That’s where you can take a look at the following options.
What variations to diet are possible?
It is also important to understand how you can change the diet of emus chicks. As mentioned earlier, emus chicks are notorious peckers and omnivorous. Therefore, you can expect them to consume numerous odd objects and food items.
Final words
Now you know how to feed emus chicks. Make sure that you pick the healthiest foods available to emus chicks and start feeding them. Then you can raise your emu chicks healthily.
How long do precocial chicks stay in the brooder?
Newly hatched, precocial chicks can be removed from the hatchery once or twice a day, and placed in a brooder at 85?90 degrees. Iodine is routinely placed on their navel after hatching. It is normal for a chick to maybe not eat for up to 2-5 days, and loose weight during this period. Older chicks help show the newborn birds how to eat the starter food. Weigh the birds periodically and record this information. Small 1/8″ screen makes a fair flooring for a brooder. Rubber type mats (non?slick) can also be used. Use a good, firm surface for the chicks; not too soft or too slick. After 2 weeks of age, the chicks can be placed in runs during the day and in the brooder at night. At this age we like to see the ability for a chick to get into an area heated to 80 degrees at all times. If the air is too stuffy or hard to breathe for you, it definitely is bad for them. Adequate ventilation is needed 24 hours a day, but not drafty either (our ratite/poultry facility handout has more specific information). A 3′ by 3′ shelter per 10 chicks is adequate. When using a heat lamp or brooder, be aware that if the birds shy away from the heat, it is too hot; should the birds be piling up, it is too cold and/or not enough heated brooder space. After a month of age the birds can be left in the runs, providing the weather is fine and they have access out of wind, rain and cold. To avoid impactions, try to get the birds onto flooring that is similar to the surface they will be on as adults. We prefer a firm packed dirt floor. A pen of 10 birds is a normal grouping size for this age, and can be kept in a 40′ x 40′ pen. After 2?3 months of age, the chicks will start to loose their stripes. By 4 months of age an adult ratite food can be fed. Until the birds are adults, feeding can be ad-lib (left out all the time). Adults require about 1# of food daily and a pen space of 200-400 square feet per bird. Identity of the birds can be used with leg bands or microchips. Microchips can be placed in the left pipping muscle, if possible, or the left side in the upper neck. If your chicks develop splayed legs, we advise prompt treatment. Crooked legs can be a result of the flooring, genetics or imbalances of protein and minerals (either too much or too little of these various nutrients).
How much food do ratites need?
Until the birds are adults, feeding can be ad-lib (left out all the time). Adults require about 1# of food daily and a pen space of 200-400 square feet per bird. Identity of the birds can be used with leg bands or microchips.
How old do birds have to be to sex?
Visually sexing the birds can sometimes be done as early as 6 months of age. Once the sex of a bird has been identified, males can be leg banded on the right leg, and females on the left. The male makes a low grunting sound, while the female sounds like a bass drum (a drumming type sound).
What do birds peck at?
These birds will peck at extension cords, objects that shine (even your eyes and jewelry), and any item that may catch their attention. You need to out-think ratites and prevent any problems. The eating of objects and metal is probably one of the most common problems that we see, sometimes referred to as “hardware”.
How big is an emu?
They are a member of the ratite family (flightless birds such as Ostriches, Rhea, Cassowary and Kiwi) and can be around 5′ tall , weighing between 100?150 pounds when an adult.
When can chicks be in runs?
Use a good, firm surface for the chicks; not too soft or too slick. After 2 weeks of age, the chicks can be placed in runs during the day and in the brooder at night. At this age we like to see the ability for a chick to get into an area heated to 80 degrees at all times.
How tall should a bird cage be?
A 6′ tall fence, which is buried below ground at least 6″ is advised. 30′ by 30′ is a minimum pen size for a mated pair during season. An 80′ x 80′ pen may be needed for some birds. The posts should be placed outside the fence fabric. We prefer a strong welded wire fabric (2″ x 4″) that will not allow the birds to stick their head through, nor allow predators inside. The posts should be outside the fabric. These birds can withstand our winters, but you must provide a dry shelter that keeps the birds out of the wind and moisture. Most birds are penned up inside, to help prevent predator problems. At least a 3-sided shed is required for any bird, which does not have to be heated for adult birds (although infrared heating may be advised for very cold weather). We advise a packed sand or dirt flooring. Do not use concrete floors, unless a rubber type mat is used. Fresh, clean water should be provided at all times. Automatic waters are convenient, but still should be checked daily. Be aware that if you use an electric water heater, properly ground the water tank and have the heater inaccessible to their pecking. These birds will peck at extension cords, objects that shine (even your eyes and jewelry), and any item that may catch their attention. You need to out-think ratites and prevent any problems. The eating of objects and metal is probably one of the most common problems that we see, sometimes referred to as “hardware”. Pick up all trash and daily observe for metal items, etc. that they can eat. Keeping up the maintenance of the buildings and fence is very important. Never approach an adult bird from the front, their kick can be very dangerous. Catching and handling these birds require certain techniques. We have a book showing these handling procedures at the clinic and/or see our ratite-handling handout.
How to raise emus?
I added Marco and Polo a couple of months later to my emu flock and they were raised by their daddy emu. Emus are like penguins, the male goes broody and incubates the egg and raises their young. Marco and Polo, both females, learned more wild instinctual behavior, therefore they are not as tame as my others.
How many emus do you need to raise?
When raising emus, you must have at least two. They are very sociable creatures and need a buddy. Mine are always calling for each other. They are the dinosaur version of a duck in my opinion. You cannot just have one.
What are the names of the monsters in EMU?
After Marco and Polo , we added Stormy and Sparks were added to our mix. Soon after Monster Hesh joined the emu family. The last three are very friendly and inquisitive. The only two that are a bit wild are Marco and Polo but when they are together, they are more comfortable around people. One way to get them used to you is to constantly have them eat out of your hands.
Why do I want an emu?
They are the second largest extant bird to that of their relative, the Ostrich. One of the main reasons I wanted an emu was because they are large and cool, yes, but also that they are a lean meat source. What I did not know is that they do make good pets as well. I have seven emus now.
Is an emu a penguin?
Emus are like penguins, the male goes broody and incubates the egg and raises their young. Marco and Polo, both females, learned more wild instinctual behavior, therefore they are not as tame as my others. Another note: Male emu are tamer than females.
Do Quinn and Debbie outgrow bantam chickens?
Quinn and Debbie outgrew a bantam chicken very fast! We feed them a ratite starter until they are of breed er age, and then they get a ratite breeder. Diet is very important for emus so that they do not have incubation problems or growth issues later on.
Is an emu male or female?
Another note: Male emu are tamer than females. They have the brooding instinct, therefore they tend to be friendlier. When breeding season comes along, however, you will need to be more careful with both genders. This is with all animals though.
