Emu animal. Characteristics of Emu

The emu is a large bird that looks very much like an ostrich. For this reason, the emu was previously called the Australian ostrich and belonged to the order Ostrichidae. However, it has now been proven that the emu is closer to the cassowaries, therefore in modern taxonomy it is the only species in the emu family in the order Cassowaries.

Emu, or Australian ostrich (Dromaius novaehollandiae).

Despite its large size, the emu is still much smaller than the African ostrich; it reaches a height of 150-180 cm and weighs 35-55 kg. It does not have such peculiar structural features as the African ostrich - a bladder and two-fingered paws, that is, the emu in to a greater extent looks like a typical bird.

The emu's paws are three-toed, not as powerful as those of a real ostrich, but nevertheless still strong.

The nature of the feather cover is also very different. Emu feathers are very highly expanded, so they have a hair-like structure. Another distant relative of the emu, the kiwi, has such fur-like plumage. At the same time, the emu has ostrich-like features: a flattened beak and clearly visible ears. On the body of the emu, the feathers are very long and its body resembles a living haystack; on the head and neck the feathers are short and curly. The plumage color is black-brown, the head and neck are black, the upper part of the neck is light gray, the iris of the eyes is orange-brown. Sexual dimorphism is weakly expressed - females are slightly larger than males.

Emus live exclusively in Australia and on the island of Tasmania off its coast. These birds inhabit open and dry biotopes - bush thickets and grass savannas (Australian bush); they can enter the outskirts of deserts, but do not penetrate into their depths. Emu being led sedentary image life, in the western part of the continent, some birds make seasonal movements: in the summer to the north, in the winter - to the south. Emus usually live alone, less often in pairs or small groups of 3-5 individuals. Adult birds have almost no enemies, so they walk calmly in open spaces and only in case of danger break into a fast run, and they reach speeds of up to 50 km/h. Emus have excellent vision, so they can see a moving object from several hundred meters away and do not allow them to get close to large animals and people. However, in a direct collision, the Australian ostrich is capable of striking strong legs break a dog's ribs or a person's arm. In normal situations, emus are practically silent, males mating season make sounds vaguely reminiscent of a quiet whistle.

An emu grazes in the zoo's enclosure.

They feed on rhizomes, seeds and fruits of plants, small animals (grasshoppers, caterpillars, ants, beetles, lizards, etc.). Food is pecked from the ground and plant stems. Emus tolerate drought well, but on occasion they willingly drink water from temporary puddles and also visit small bodies of water. These birds love to swim and even know how to swim. But they, on the contrary, do not like to take dust baths.

The breeding season is December-January. At this time, males become aggressive and drive rivals out of their areas. Unlike real ostriches, emus are limitedly monogamous: each male mates with only one female, extremely rarely with 2, while at the same time, after mating with a male, a female is free from all parental responsibilities and can mate again with another male. The male alone builds a nest from branches and grass, placing it in a depression in an open place with good review. The female lays 7-8 eggs weighing 700-900 g each, that is, one emu egg is equal to 10-12 chicken eggs. Emu eggs are strikingly different from African ostrich eggs. Their color varies from dark blue, almost black to greenish blue. This color is reminiscent of cassowary eggs. Some males can accumulate up to 20 eggs in the nest, some of which were undoubtedly conceived by the female from a previous partner.

Emu eggs.

All care for the offspring is borne exclusively by the male; the female is not only indifferent to the offspring, but according to observations in captivity, she can even show aggression towards the male after mating. The male incubates the clutch for 53-60 days. Again, the difference in behavior with the African ostrich is striking. While ostriches expose their eggs to the sun during the day and are considered careless hens, the emu literally does not leave the nest for a minute. He does not eat, does not defecate, drinks only dew from the grass, and does not leave the nest even when he approaches it closely. After two months of such incubation, the male loses a lot of weight and survives only due to the fat reserves accumulated earlier. After the chicks hatch, the male carefully guides and protects them. The down cover of the chicks is striped (spotted on the head), they grow quickly, but reach full development only by 2 years. In the wild, emus live 10-20 years, in captivity up to 28.

Emu chicks.

Despite the emu's large size troubled life. Main danger threatens the chicks; 50% of the young will not survive to adulthood. Emus are hunted by dingoes, monitor lizards, and foxes; their nests are destroyed by wild boars brought to Australia. Emu has a dual relationship with humans. On the one hand, the development of Australian lands and subsequent deforestation significantly expanded open spaces, suitable for emu habitat. They found inexhaustible supplies of food and water in farmers' fields and became pests. agriculture. On the other hand, emus were intensively hunted; they were hunted for their meat, feather fat and skin. Now the number of emus in Australia is high, and they are bred on farms in the USA, Canada, China and Peru. There are more than a million emus in captivity! These birds are unpretentious, breed well and are not aggressive compared to African ostriches. Emu meat is considered dietary due to its low fat content, subcutaneous fat(lying outside the muscles) is used in the production of cosmetics, the skin is used to make haberdashery products. Emu feathers, eyelashes, claws and unhatched eggs are also used. Rejected eggs turn white and are suitable for making souvenirs; polished claws are used to make jewelry.

Previously, the emu was classified as an ostrich, but in 1980 the classification was revised, and this bird was included in the cassowary order.

Emu classification

There are 3 subspecies of emu found in Australia:

• in the north there is Dromaius novaehollandiae woodwardi, pale and thin;
• in the southeast live Dromaius novaehollandiae novaehollandiae;
• in the southwest live Dromaius novaehollandiae rothschildi, the dark emu.

Characteristics of emu

In the photo on the left is a cassowary and on the right is an emu

Outwardly, the emu resembles a cassowary, but unlike it, it does not have leathery outgrowths on its head, which are called a “helmet”.

The weight of adult individuals ranges from 30–55 kg, height, on average, 150 cm. Emu has long legs. When the bird starts running, it can take almost three-meter steps. And the legs of these large birds are very strong. They can deliver a fatal blow to an attacking animal, which is facilitated by the sharp claws on their fingers. Excellent hearing and vision allow them to sense danger in time and quickly retreat or defend themselves.

In terms of physiology, emus are similar to ostriches. For example, they, like these giant birds, have no teeth. Therefore, in order to grind food, emus also swallow small pebbles and sand. But, in addition to this, they can swallow materials that are dangerous to them - pieces of metal, glass. Therefore, if you decide to buy an emu for breeding, pay special attention to this.

Like ostriches, emus can go without water for quite a long time, but if they find a source, they drink with pleasure. Moreover, emus swim well and enjoy spending time in the pond. In the latter, they also differ from ostriches, since they prefer to swim in sand rather than in water.

Male and female emus are visually similar, making them difficult to tell apart. This can be done when the bird gives a voice, since individuals make different sounds. Females are more vocal, while males scream more quietly.

This depends on the size of the pouch, which is located on the bird’s neck. The volume of the sound is determined by the size of the bag and, accordingly, the amount of air that passes through it.

Plumage

The emu's plumage is very interesting. It is designed in such a way that the birds do not overheat in the heat, but at the same time do not freeze on a cold windy night. Like ostriches, emus tolerate sudden changes in temperature and can feel comfortable in both heat and cold. When keeping these exotic animals in the Russian region, it is worth considering that they tolerate frosts down to -10°C. If the temperature drops below, the emu needs to create warmer conditions.

The feathers on the bird's neck are absorbed solar radiation. The neck itself is pale blue, and the sparse feathers on it are gray-brown to brown.

But, unlike ostriches, emus have 3 toes on each foot, whereas those have 2. In many ways, the structure of their legs helps them develop high speeds. These birds have no feathers, have few bones and well-developed muscles.

Emu nutrition

Emu birds feed on plant food, but will not refuse animal food. They love herbs, roots, fruits. In captivity, they are fed grain crops and grass mixtures, which consist of green food in the summer and hay in the winter. Mineral components are added to the feed. In the wild, emus sometimes feast on small animals; in captivity, these birds are included in their diet bone meal, chicken eggs, meat and other animal products.

These big birds quite unpretentious. They get used to new conditions better than other ostriches. In this case, the chick needs to be allocated at least 5 sq.m. area, and an adult bird is 10–15. When walking, 20–30 sq.m. are allocated per individual. area.

1 adult emu bird needs 1.5 kg of feed per day. Excessive nutrition is unacceptable, since overweight feeding an animal can lead to a large weight gain, which can negatively affect the bird’s limbs - they become bent.

In winter, green oats, sprouted grains, and cranberries are introduced into the bird’s diet. In summer and winter, alfalfa is included in the menu. Be sure to have clean water freely available.

Here are the foods that should be on this bird’s menu: carrots, rye bread, bran, oats, barley, cake, meat, peas, oatmeal, chicken eggs, beets, onions, potatoes, yeast, hay flour, shell, fish oil, salt, bone meal, etc.

Another difference between emus and ostriches is that they lay dark eggs, while ostriches have white eggs.

But the laying is preceded mating games. They are very interesting. The female and male stand opposite each other, lower their long necks and shake their heads near the ground. The male first makes a nest, and after such mating games he leads the lady of his heart to him. This happens in May - June.

Interestingly, unlike many other animals, female emus often fight with each other if they cannot share a gentleman. This is especially true for a free male without a mate - then in a fight the ladies decide which of them is worthy of starting a family with the male they like. Such fights can last up to five hours.

The female's clutch consists of several eggs. Every day or every two or three days she lays an egg. On average, a female carries 11–20 eggs, the weight of which is 700–900 g. Several females lay eggs in one nest made of leaves, grass, branches, and bark.

In the photo on the left (dark green) are emu eggs, on the right (white) are ostrich eggs

Only the male emu incubates the offspring. While this process lasts (about 2 months), he rarely eats and drinks little. If the eggs are dark green at the time of laying, then by the time the chicks hatch, the outer shell becomes black and purple.

The chicks hatch after 56 days and weigh 500–600 g at birth. They quickly become active and after a few days can leave the nest, and after 5–24 hours they can follow their father. The chicks are born sighted, covered with down, and have distinctive cream and brown stripes for camouflage, which disappear after 3 months.

The male takes care of his offspring for 7–8 months, and raises the brood alone, without a female.

The information below was taken from Wikipedia:

1. Emu was important source meat for Aboriginal Australians in the area in which it is endemic. Emu oil was used as a medicine and rubbed into the skin. It also served as a valuable lubricant. Traditional paints for ceremonial body decoration were made from tallow mixed with alder.
2. Emus are mainly bred for their meat, skin and oil. They have lean meat (less than 1.5% fat) and a cholesterol level of 85 mg per 100 g, so their meat can be compared to lean meat. Fat is used to make cosmetics, dietary supplements and medicinal substances. The oil consists of fatty acids such as oleic (42%), linoleic and palmitic (21% each).
3. Emu skin has a characteristic patterned surface due to raised follicles in the feather area, so it is used to make wallets and shoes (often in combination with other leathers). Feathers and eggs are used in arts and crafts.

Educational video about emu birds:

The Australian continent is famous for its many strange animals. Some of them live only in their ethnic homeland, while others are successfully bred all over the world. Such a creature is the Emu ostrich. For many, he is just a character from a picture in a children's book and a strange creature. In our review we will tell you how this bird lives and why it is interesting.

The emu is one of the largest (second largest in the world) flightless birds. The first place is occupied by its African brother. The emu is a large bird, but the myth that it is a beast has been common due to its inability to fly. However, ornithologists are unanimous in their decision - this is a bird, not an animal.

Breed overview

The size of an ostrich sometimes reaches 2 meters, and its weight – up to 60 kg. They run excellently and often run away at a speed of 50 km/h from the predators that hunt them in the Australian open spaces. Emu runners are excellent runners, but in a calm state, when the ostriches know that no one is threatening them, they cross the terrain at speeds of up to 7 km/h. The bird can walk up to 25 km per day. In the photo below, you can see the graceful posture and appearance of the bird.

They are good swimmers, but do not swim long distances, preferring to splash close to the shore. This method of bathing allows the ostrich to react more quickly to approaching danger. The uniqueness of the breed lies in the fact that the birds adapt perfectly to different temperatures. It is known that some breeders managed to breed the breed even in Siberia. However, this is rather an exception.

The breed is easy to get along with people. Emu ostriches are very friendly if they feel good attitude and quickly get used to their owners, behaving like tame birds. The bird's wing skeleton is underdeveloped, which is why its wings are small, weak, and unable to lift its heavy body above the ground. But the legs are very strong. They have three fingers; on the middle one there is a massive claw, with which the ostrich can, if desired, inflict injury.

An adult male Australian ostrich is very similar to a female, and vice versa. External signs There are not so many reliably indicating the sex of the bird. Most often, only experienced breeders can tell whether the animal in front of them is male or female. It is possible to accurately determine the sex only during the mating season - males behave noisily and in every possible way attract the attention of females.

Ostriches become sexually mature at 2 years of age. Having laid eggs, they drop them and the ostrich takes care of the offspring until hatching. Emus are not a family bird, but they are kept in groups. During the egg-laying season, a female can lay about 50 eggs. In the photo you can see the dimensions and unusual color of the ostrich egg.

Habitat

The emu lives throughout Australia, and especially loves open areas of land where it can run. The bird does not like dense forests or areas that are too dry. It is known that the Emu ostrich harms farmers' crops, so they mercilessly exterminate birds of this breed. Ideally in natural environment An emu can live up to 20 years, but in practice its age is usually up to 10.

IN natural habitat emus are quite friendly, but ornithologists still recommend refraining from hand-feeding these birds. For such entertainment, it is recommended to visit special reserves or farms where the ostrich also feels good. Currently, there are Emu farms not only in Australia, but also in China, Peru, North America and Canada.

The Emu's worst enemy is the Dingo dog.

Favorite place"walks" of Emu ostriches - agricultural land. Australian farmers even specially install scarecrows in their fields, and also use herding dogs as guards. However, there is more modern methods scaring birds away from fields, for example, electric alarms. In addition, population screening is also carried out worst enemies Emus are eagles, hawks and Dingo dogs, one of which is shown in the picture.

Video “Emu in the nursery”

This video allows you to evaluate the size of the bird, its behavior and appearance.

The Australian emu is very similar to the African ostrich. It is precisely because of their striking similarity that emus have long been classified as an ostrich-like species.

However, this opinion is erroneous, since it has already been proven that this bird is closer to the cassowary and is one of the species of the emu family in the cassowary order.

Thus to the African ostrich, except for a small external resemblance, the Australian emu has nothing to do with it. This is a completely different bird.

The bird reminds...

The emu is not an ordinary bird. Although it is a bird from the cassowary order and reproduces by eggs, its lifestyle and habits are like those of any other animal. Emus live in semi-desert and forested areas of Australia, feed on plant foods and cannot fly at all. The emu moves only with the help of its legs, walking or running. Actually, it has wings, but like many non-flying birds, the emu’s wings are underdeveloped. The wings are about 25 centimeters long and have a small claw at the end of each wing.

But the emu has very developed legs, which are devoid of feathers, and have three clawed toes on each. Sharp claws allow him to fight with rivals during the mating season, as well as fight off enemies. But since there are no land predators other than the Dingo dog, this walking bird is not threatened by anything except humans. But it is almost impossible for a person to catch up with an emu. While running, an emu can take giant steps - more than 2.5 meters long and reach speeds of up to 50 km/h. Although emus usually walk slowly at a speed of about 5 km/h, covering up to 25 km per day

The nomadic lifestyle that emus lead allows them to travel very long distances in a day in search of food. The feeding method is quite curious: for grinding food, emu, as well as African ostrich, swallows pebbles, glass and even small pieces of metal. Birds drink quite rarely, but if possible, they do not deny themselves the pleasure of getting drunk and sitting in the water.

The emu has excellent eyesight and excellent hearing. They can notice approaching danger from several hundred meters away and prevent them from approaching dangerous predators and also with people. If a collision cannot be avoided, very strong paws are used as a means of defense.

Emus always live in small groups of 5-6 individuals. But there are also birds that prefer a solitary lifestyle. Females and males are quite difficult to distinguish. They have the same plumage, which tends to change depending on the range of air temperatures. The special structure of the feathers protects them from overheating, so emus easily tolerate even the most intense heat.

The main duties of the female are only to lay eggs. After which the male independently landscapes the nest, making it cozy for future chicks. Emu nests are located in a depression in a clearly visible area. At one time, the female lays 7-9 fairly large eggs, weighing from 800 to 1000 grams. The male emu incubates and protects the eggs for 65 days, without leaving them for literally a minute.

During the entire incubation period, it practically does not feed and survives thanks to the fat reserves set aside in advance. After the long-awaited hatching of the chicks, the male emu carefully leads them along and protects them in every possible way. The down that covers the chicks is striped. Full development The chicks reach almost two years of age. At this time, the males are quite aggressive, and if a person or animal appears nearby, they can easily attack the “enemy” with a blow from a strong leg.

Video: Emu: interesting...

Real dignity and business card In Australia, after kangaroos are ostriches. This family has 15 species. They sometimes mistakenly include the emu ostrich (or, as it is also called, the Australian ostrich). In this article you will find out what kind of bird this is, what it looks like, and what are the features of its breeding.

Origin

This bird was first encountered by European travelers in the 16th century on the Australian continent. It amazed everyone with its long and powerful legs, which allow it to reach speeds of up to 50 km/h and take a step of 275 cm. The first documentary description of this bird dates back to 1789. For a long time, many scientists wondered: “Who is Emu? Ostriches or cassowaries?

Based on their external similarity, they were classified as staus-like, but in the 1980s the classification was revised. It has been scientifically proven that the emu is a relative of the cassowary. They got their name from large sizes(“emu” translated from Arabic or Portuguese means “big bird”). But there is another hypothesis, which claims that the bird owes its name to its shrill cry during the mating season.

Description and characteristics of emu

By appearance this bird is a cross between a cassowary and an ostrich, but they have their own distinctive properties that make them stand out from their relatives.

Appearance

The Australian ostrich is one of the largest birds in the world, only the ostrich is larger than it. In addition, the emu does not fly. In appearance it is similar to both an ostrich and a cassowary. However, unlike the latter, which is a closer relative than the ostrich, the emu does not have a growth on the top of its head.

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Many farmers are interested in the question of how much these long-legged birds weigh. The weight of an adult varies from 30 to 50 kg, sometimes it can reach 55 kg. But the chicks are not born so large (500 g), but by the age of one year they can reach the weight of an adult.

There are 3 subspecies of these birds, which differ in their color:

Emu eyes are protected by a membrane and have long eyelashes. These birds boast excellent eyesight. They are able to see a moving object at a distance of a hundred meters. And since these animals lead an isolated lifestyle, they try not to let either large animals or people get close to them.

The skin of the neck has a bluish tint and is decorated with sparse plumage. The length of the wings of this bird does not exceed 25 cm. At their tips there are underdeveloped claws. When emus work, they make flapping sounds with their wings.

On the neck there is a 30 cm long pouch in which the trachea is located. It is clearly visible during the mating season. Depending on how much air passes through it, the range of sounds produced by this bird may change.

Important!Emus do not have teeth, so to better digest rough food they swallow pebbles and glass.

That is why their speech is predominantly loud booms, grunts and drumming, which can spread over a distance of 2 km. The sounds that males and females make can differ significantly. The greatest peak of animal talkativeness occurs during the mating season, when females announce their readiness to mate.

The legs are the main defense weapon for these birds. They allow you to reach a speed of 50 km/h, and sometimes up to 60. If you encounter such a bird, it can break the bones of not only a dog, but also a person.

Differences from ostrich

Not so long ago, the emu was classified as a member of the ostrich family, but in the second half of the twentieth century the classification was revised. The basis for this was the scientific substantiation of the genetic proximity of this bird to cassowaries. However, due to their external similarity, many still call them ostriches.
How are emus different from ostriches? Ostriches have more long neck what makes them the most tall birds. Thus, the height of the African representative of this family reaches 2.5 m, while that of the emu is only 2.

Long legs allow you to develop colossal speeds. Ostriches reach speeds 20 km/h more than emus. However, the paws of the latter have three fingers with three phalanges, unlike ostriches, which have only 2. Emu eggs are smaller in size than ostrich eggs, have a dark blue color, they are more similar to cassowary eggs.

Habitat and lifestyle

So where does the emu live? From the second name of this bird it becomes clear that it lives on the Australian continent. They can be found in sparsely populated places where there is no drought and large thickets; close to roads, where you can rarely find large bushes that carry potential danger for these birds.

Did you know?Emus tolerate temperatures as high as +45°C, and at +20°C . They are able to calmly tolerate temperature drops down to -5°C at night.

Due to the increased interest in these animals, in different corners Around the world, special farms have appeared that are engaged in industrial breeding of emus. Such farms have appeared in China, the USA, Canada and Peru. For our compatriots who decide to breed this bird, there is logical question about what natural area Emu can be bred.

For breeding, it is best to choose areas with subequatorial, tropical or subtropical climate. However, even in temperate latitudes they feel good too. With the onset of cold weather, they need an additional source of heat.

Birds prefer to live alone, but sometimes they periodically gather in groups of 7 to 10 individuals and migrate together in search of food. During the nesting period, emus stop in a place where there is a lot of food and a body of water.
They often enter agricultural lands, causing significant damage. For example, in the 30s of the last century, the confrontation between humans and emus reached its maximum, as a result of which a large number of these birds were destroyed. At that time, the so-called emu war brought up to 57 thousand carcasses per year. Their meat was used for food, and their fat was used as a flammable substance for lamps.

Now the war against emus continues, but not on such a scale, since they are subject to the Australian protection law environment and preserving biodiversity (although there are often cases of large birds entering farms and destroying entire crops with their powerful legs).

Did you know? The size of the brain in these birds is comparable to the size of the eyes and does not exceed 40 g.

You can often find an Australian ostrich near a pond, swimming or simply relaxing with great pleasure. At the same time, these birds drink water only once every 24 hours. Actual duration The day of these giants is approximately 7 hours, during which time they constantly move in search of food.

IN natural nature these powerful birds have no enemies. But there are some animals that emus avoid. Foxes are capable of causing irreparable damage to future offspring, but eagles, hawks and dingoes hunt adult individuals. As a defense, the bird tries to jump high and flaps its legs and wings vigorously.

Character

Despite their large size, these birds have a friendly disposition. They get along easily with humans. However, with all this, the animal always lives in some tension. During sleep, they wake up up to 8 times, and never lower their heads to the ground. However, during the mating season, these animals become unpredictable and even aggressive.

Productive qualities

For industrial purposes, emus are grown for valuable meat and eggs, as well as for reproduction. An adult bird weighing about 50 kg can produce up to 30 kg of dietary meat. Young offspring can be slaughtered as early as one year, but the most optimal age for slaughtering emus is 15 months. It is at this age that the net meat yield will average about 26.5 kg. The taste of the meat is very similar to veal, but it remains as lean as chicken.

Prepared for cooking based on it dietary dishes, as well as sausages. In addition to meat, up to 7 kg of fat is obtained from the carcass of a young emu, which is used in medicine and cosmetology. That is why keeping ostriches for up to 15 months is a profitable production.

By-products after slaughter include feathers and leather. From one killed individual you can get from 1.8 to 2.5 kg of ostrich feathers, up to 2 sq.m. skin. Feathers are highly prized in the fashion industry and are used for decoration. Feathers can be trimmed periodically throughout the bird's life. For example, during the first 2 years of life, feathers are trimmed at 6, 16 and 24 months.

Emu skin is used to make shoes, bags, belts and even as trim for yachts, cars or airplanes. Approximately 4.5 kg of other offal comes out, which includes claws and even eyelashes.

The population of these birds is increasing very quickly, since one female can lay from 20 to 50 eggs in one season. When hatching, the survival rate is up to 85%.

The high productivity of females continues throughout their lives, and they live for 10-15 years. The first egg laying begins at 2 years of age; under natural conditions, this period doubles. After the first laying, egg production increases by 15%.

An emu egg weighs on average 700-900 g, which is comparable to a dozen or a dozen chicken eggs. Its color can vary from dark blue, which is sometimes mistaken for black, to greenish blue. In their color, they resemble the eggs of their relatives - cassowaries. They are used as a decorative material (and even damaged ones are not disposed of, but are used to produce unusual souvenirs).

There is another additional by-product in emu farming, which is also used in various industries. We're talking about eggshells. It is in demand in jewelry, and designers use its fragments for interior decoration.

Important! The eggs are incubated for 56-66 days, while the air temperature should remain within + 37 - 38 degrees Celsius, and humidity - 40 - 70%.

Reproduction

Puberty begins at the age of 2 years, and breeding peaks in December and January. The male is in charge of arranging the nest. He also raises future offspring. A male of this breed of bird can have more than one female. That is why during the mating season, unlike other species, females show an aggressive disposition and carry out real fights for the chosen partner. Such fights can last up to 5 hours.

After forming a pair, partners begin mating games. Having bowed their necks, they synchronously move towards the nest, which is a small depression covered with grass. Living together can last no more than 5 months.
As a result of such courtship, the female can lay up to 20 eggs. However, there are also single females who lay no more than 8 eggs. Males hatch their offspring, while furiously driving away all predators and unwanted guests. They leave their nests only when necessary, that is, for food. During the brooding period, the male can lose up to 15 kg in weight. During his absence, the eggs are warmed by the female.

The male’s worries do not end with the hatching of the offspring. The chicks are born with a weight of 500 g and a height of about 12 cm. The active disposition of the young offspring brings new worries to the male. Now he protects them from foxes, hawks or eagles, who are eager to feast on delicious meat. The chicks are fed insects, which allows them to gain weight very quickly and by the time they are one year old they have the weight of an adult. However, the chicks need a male for 5, and sometimes even 7 months.

Important! At home breeding Emus need to remember that there must be at least 2 females per male.

Features of emu breeding

These unusual birds attracted the attention of our compatriots. And this is not surprising, because the proper maintenance of one emu is less expensive than the maintenance of one pig. As a result, the owner receives not only tasty and dietary meat, which for us is also exotic, but also high quality skin and feathers.

These birds need a large space where they can walk quietly. It is better to give preference to spacious pastures, where there is a lot of grass, and where the birds will be protected from predators.
During the cold season, emus need additional heating. To do this, they are transferred to a spacious room that will be commensurate with the walking space. There are no special requirements for it, but it is necessary that the conditions of detention be as similar as possible to the birds’ natural habitat.

Breeding emus does not require much effort; in this process, it is necessary to give the birds freedom of choice. They form their own pairs. If the goal of the poultry farmer is not to profit from the eggs of these exotic birds, then it is best to purchase an incubator, which will significantly increase the survival rate of young offspring. You can also let the birds hatch their eggs naturally.

After the chicks hatch, they are placed in a special room prepared for them, where the temperature should be at the same level (+30ºС). The area should be large enough, because the chicks grow very quickly and by 12 months they are no different from their parents. The paddock area is built at a rate of 10 sq.m. per one individual. In the warm season, they can be kept in a spacious enclosure with an equipped canopy.

What to feed

In their natural habitat, ostriches are unpretentious to food. They feast on grass or wild fruits with equal appetite, and even small insects. In a poultry farm, it is customary to feed them with special combined feeds. You should not overfeed the bird, as excessive weight gain leads to obesity and bending of the limbs. At any stage of development, birds need a sufficient amount of clean water for drinking.

Adults

In the natural environment, the main food for these birds are fruits and tree leaves, as well as mushrooms and food of animal origin (for example, insects or small vertebrates). When keeping adult emus at home daily norm servings of food are 1.5-2.5 kg, which consists of 50% roughage and succulent feed. Alfalfa is very useful for emus. There are a number of specially prepared mixtures available on the market that contain most of the necessary substances.
However, the use of such products does not exempt you from adding components that are not present in the feed you purchased. The table below shows the composition of the mixture per adult emu:

Product type	Consumption rate in winter, g	Consumption rate in spring, g	Consumption rate in summer, g	Consumption rate in autumn, g
Rye bread	200	400	400	300
Oats	100	200	200	150
Barley	50	100	100	50
Bran	25	50	50	25
Oatmeal	100	150	150	100
Cake	not required	20	20	not required
Peas	not required	25	50	25
Chicken eggs	20	not required	not required	not required
Meat	150	50	100	100
Fish meal	25	not required	25	25
Potato	not required	100	100	not required
Carrot	300	200	300	300
Beet	50	100	100	not required
Cabbage	not required	200	200	not required
Grass	not required	500-1000	500-1000	not required
Onion	20	20	not required	20
Hay flour	25	not required	not required	25
Yeast	20	20	20	20
Fish oil	10	10	not required	10
Bone meal	15	20	20	20
Shell	15	15	15	10
Salt	5	5	5	5

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With the onset of cold weather, the emu's body needs an additional source of nutrients, vitamins and minerals. That is why grass flour, silage and various vitamin and mineral supplements are introduced into the diet.

It is worth limiting the amount of barley in the diet, as it contributes to obesity. For the same reason, corn should not be given. Green food that is wet or dirty is contraindicated. The leaves must be washed and allowed to dry. You should also not give whole milk (this product is replaced with cottage cheese, whey or yogurt). Whey is given instead of water, as it contains a large amount of easily digestible minerals.

Give fish Australian ostrich it is possible, but only its waste is used (and then after boiling and grinding it beforehand). Fishmeal is more convenient to use. Since industry in our country is more focused on growing chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys, feed for these birds can be used for ostriches.

Important!With a properly formulated diet, an emu at home can live up to 28 years (while in the wild average duration life span is from 10 to 15 years).

You can also make the food yourself. Low-grade hay is crushed and filled with heated water. This mixture is left for 30-60 minutes. After this time, the water is drained and bran, salt and other additives (for example, meat and fish meal) are added. The resulting mixture is fed to emus. Adults and juveniles feed twice a day.

Water should be freely available to these birds. It is better to give them water in the first half of the day. They pour into the drinking bowls clean water, and change it as it gets dirty. During the hot season, the water is changed several times a day.

Emu daily allowance

Like any newborn chicks, the emu needs frequent feeding. However, their nutrition has its own stages:

• from the first days of life to three months of age;
• from three months of age to 6 months;
• up to a year.

This conditional division is determined by the needs of the chicks. In the first 3-4 days of life, the chicks do not need food, as they feed on the remains of the yolk, which is in the sac. However, they are very thirsty. For this reason, it is freely available to them large quantities must be milk or water. They should be given water at least 3 times a day. For normal growth it is enough to ensure the correct temperature regime, since any hypothermia of the yolk causes it to solidify, and the young individual dies of starvation.
From the fifth day to a month, the chicks are fed feed that is rich in protein. They also give boiled egg, cottage cheese and chopped greens (alfalfa or clover). Closer to a month, the young animals are transferred to 4 meals a day.

From one to three months The chicks' diet should contain a minimum of fiber. For better weight gain, you can feed insects. Below is a table of the recommended diet for emu chicks up to 6 months of age:

Feed, g	Age of chicks in months
	1	2	3	4-6
Bread	20	80	200	200
Millet	15	80	100	100
Bran	20	30	50	100
Drag	10	30	50	100
Eggs	10	20	20	10
Cottage cheese	10	20	20	50
Milk	30	50	50	-
Lucerne	20	30	100	200
Carrot	20	100	100	100
Beet	30	100	200	200
Onion	5	20	50	50
Meat and bone meal	5	10	15	20
Fish meal	3	5	10	20
Yeast	3	5	10	10
Chalk	1	3	10	10

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Unlike adults, chicks can be fed milk for up to 4 months. It will perfectly replace water. It must be excluded from 4 months. Shouldn't give corn grits as it can lead to obesity. It is not recommended to graze chicks that have not reached 4 months of age in an alfalfa field. The greens must first be washed and dried. This will protect future offspring from intestinal disorders.

As the emu chicks grow older, they are gradually transferred to 2 meals a day. Young animals that are 6 months old can be accustomed to adult food. Such a nutritional system will allow for maximum growth by the age of one year, and at 15 months they will be ready for slaughter. Emus are fairly unpretentious birds to keep. They are a source of tasty dietary meat, valuable feathers and skin. And the biggest advantage for keeping this bird at home is its low cost.