Emu Acres
What do Emus Eat?
What do Emus Eat?
The Emu's diet in the wild consists mostly of fruit, seeds, broad leaved plants, shoots, flowers and insects such as grubs and beetles. Feeding the domesticated Emu can be a little more complicated depending on your surroundings, their living quarters and your weather. In the part of Florida we live in we will get the occasional frost in the winter months, which means our grass is sparse during those times. Grubs and beetles are hard to find during these months, so we supplement with commercial "bugs" such as dried mealworms, alfafa pellets, grapes, blueberries and watermelon. We have an adult who even likes old bananas! Multi grain bread with lots of seeds on the crust is another favorite. In October we slice up a pumpkin and the Emus like to pick through the pulp for the seeds. Every one of our Emus tend to have their favorite food so it's just common sense that we put out a bit of everything to make sure everyone is eating properly. The babies start off with fresh Kale that has been food processed into tiny morsels and NON MEDICATED Chick Starter crumbles. By week 2, we are adding Mazuri Ratite Starter pellets (available at Chewy.com). There is also another Ratite feed available from Chewy called Kalmbach. We top dress the feed bowls with Rooster Booster crumbles. Some of our adults prefer dry dog food mini chunks although some preferred to stay on the Ratite pellets. We have tried all kinds of dog kibble but they will only eat the Tractor Supply Brand "Retriever" - probably because the first ingredient is corn. I encourage you to check out your local feed provider to see if they are able to supply you with a ratite food especially formulated for Emus. It is easier to feed as the young Emu (3-6 months) is still too young to be able to eat the mini chunks whole. We use a food processor to grind up the dog food mini chunks. I won't even tell you how many food processors have made their way out to the barn, never to return to the house! We basically throw in everything we can think of into the paddocks to see what our kids like. Boiled eggs chopped up, bok choy, anything to supplement and give them variety. Once in a while we will hang a head of romaine lettuce from the fence for them to peck through. Basically, it's trial and error when it comes to figuring out what your Emus like to eat.
Emus love fruit, especially during the long hot summer months. A whole watermelon doesn't last long with our mob! Emus like all kinds of fruits: apples, kiwis, grapes, melons, berries of all kinds. Try them all to find our your Emu's favorite. The important thing to remember is the Emu needs a well balanced diet. Corn alone is not enough as it does not provide the protein and vitamins they need. Growing birds need good protein, forage and LOTS of vitamins, especially the B vitamins. Vitamin E and Selenium are also crucial. Commercial dogs foods and Ratite pellets will be supplemented with these vitamins but keep a close eye on your young Emus, they will show signs if they are under nourished. If you see a young Emu with neck problems, or pointing its head towards the sky, this is a sign of Polyneuritis or wry neck. If caught early, it can be corrected by increasing the Thiamine (B1) levels. We discovered a human baby vitamin booster made by Enfamil called Poly Vi Sol to be the best and easiest solution. Make sure you get the version sold without Iron. Found at Walgreens, CVS, and even Amazon, this is our go to solution if we see a chick or young Emu acting lethargic, dull, listless, not eating or just overly weak. A few dropper fulls a day and they usually respond within 4-5 days. The hardest part is getting it down their throats. It stinks and they really hate the taste. But take my word, it works.
You're probably wondering how much to feed an Emu. We started off way back when with a morning and night feeding, similar to the chickens. We soon realized there was fighting at the food bowls and some of the younger Emus were not getting enough food and were getting stressed. Stress is NOT good for the Emu. Nowadays we simply free feed their base food (ratite pellets or dog kibble). Their treats are the fruits and other foods mentioned above. The Emu will not gorge themselves. When they have had enough, they walk away, so free feeding has allowed our birds to remain stress free while at the same time, providing them with their required nutrients.
And it goes without saying, always ensure your Emu(s) have plenty of fresh water available. We keep several large troughs scattered throughout the paddocks. We also hook several small pails of water along the fence lines so that the birds never have to go far to drink. Emus love to bathe in the troughs so we renew them everyday as it does not take long for a large trough of water to become full of sand and feathers. Also, always remember water that stands for a period of time is a magnet to mosquitoes. PLEASE innoculate and be wary of aviary diseases such as Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEE) and west nile disease.
How Much Protein is Too Much?
How Much Protein is Too Much?
There has been a long standing controversy over the correct protein level when feeding the Emu ever since the Emu "boon" of the early 1990's in North America. When we first started out, we were taught that feeding a staple food with anywhere between 15% and 20% was sufficient. Over the years, we have come to disagree with this train of thought. Our young Emus up to six months remain on the Ratite pellets mixed with non medicated Chick Starter crumbles which average around 21% protein. The dog food mini chunks average around 28% which is a little too high for the young Emu of this age (we don't start youngsters on the dog food until they are over one year old). The best argument here is do what you feel is best. Do the research, talk to every breeder you can to find out how they feed, and go on your own instinct. The Emu is a very hearty bird, they have survived the harshest climates for centuries. They will show you very quickly if they are lacking something in their diet. They can heal very quickly, both internally and externally.
Housing the Emu
Housing the Emu
After receiving a phone call a short while back from a gentleman who wanted to buy a few Emu chicks to put in his backyard, I felt it necessary to include this section. Turns out his backyard was 10' X 10'! The Emu is a very large bird. They are strong. I have seen Emus playing, get excited and bounce off the back of another Emu and end up on the other side of a six foot high fence. It's a good thing they can't fly! They can run up to 30 miles an hour. They love to run, jump and play. They can get pretty rambuctious. Therefore, their living quarters need to be strong and high enough to safely contain them. Our wood fencing is 5.5' high and is reinforced by 2" x 4" heavy gauge steel fencing. Check with your local game warden in your county to determine if you have a minimum fencing height requirement. Here in FL it is 5' for my county but always check with your county. Always remember the Emu loves anything shiny. A nail sticking out - pieces of wire on the ground is a main attraction to them, unfortunately one that could severely hurt or kill them. Barbed wire fencing is a definite NO as the Emu may rub against the fencing as they preen themselves. In other words, they need a LOT of room to roam, investigate, forage, play and stretch their legs. Emus do NOT do well alone, they love the company of their fellow Emus. But if your Emus are well fed, happy, feel secure, not stressed and have room to roam, it is highly unlikely they will attempt to escape.
There are so many subjects to cover when considering getting Emus. Fortunately, there is some good literature out there. The Emu Farmer's Handbook by Phillip and Maria Minnaar is a good start, especially for those who are considering breeding Emus. You can usually find it on Amazon. But once in a while you can find it on Ebay as well at a good price. There are two editions, the latter obviously being the better one as it was updated in 1997.
Another great source of information comes from the Emu Today & Tomorrow magazine, published quarterly. Email info@emutoday.com for more info. The Amercian Emu Association is also a good source of information and they hold an annual convention with speakers well experienced in all aspects of Emu farming and breeding. Their website is aea-emu.org .
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