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Young Emu

Next steps

Ozzy and Izzy have now moved from the back garden to their nursery paddock.

3 month old emu chicks in their nursery paddock
3 month old emu chicks in their nursery paddock

This weekend we herded the emus out of the garden across the road and into their new home.

While they are young, I have sectioned off part of the field. They have access to the stable, where they go to bed at night and are locked away for safety.

During the day, they have full access to run around in their own little sanctuary.

After 9 months the plan is to give them free access to the field which they will share with the geese.

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Emu chicks 2 months old

There are emus about!

Emus having fun in the Spring
Emus having fun in the Spring sunshine

They grow so fast it is quite incredible the speed of growth. Now outside, they are enjoying the sunshine running around on the lawn.

They currently live in the back of our shippon (which is our log store later on in the year) with access to the garden.

We are feeding them on special emu growers feed, which we have source on line. This is rather expensive when taking into account the delivery cost, but amazingly our local feed merchant can source feed for us.

Amazingly they are putting themselves to bed at night which makes things so much easier. I am hoping that this continues especially when they are still quite small.

Longer term, we are going to move them to where we have our stable. Half of this has been turned into emu accommodation in preparation for their move.

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Emu hatching in an incubator

Emu Friends

Our first little emu hatched at 50 days incubation. This little one hatched on day 55.

Hatched emu in incubator. Hanging around as the incubator acts as a brooder.
Hatched emu in incubator. Hanging around as the incubator acts as a brooder.

So its name? The first was Ozzy, this is Izzy.

Normally to sex the little chicks you send off for DNA testing. This often involves using the membrane in the shell. However, the company I was going to use currently will only take blood or feather samples. I don’t feel it is humane to inflict either on the defensive little chicks.

As long as they have company that is what I feel is important.

Two emu chicks a couple of days old.
Two emu chicks a couple of days old.
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Quails hatching in an incubator

Quail Hatch Day

Came down in the morning to find our first quail had hatched. The little ball of fluff was chirping and wondering around lonely in the incubator. By mid morning Fluffy had been joined by two others.

Day old baby quail in a brooder.

Eight eggs remain in the incubator so fingers crossed and may the hatching continue.

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Quail eggs in an incubator

Hatching Quail Eggs!

Something new, never done it before. We were generously given quail eggs by someone who had purchased some of our honey. Told they were fertile, not having looked after quails before, we thought we would have a go at hatching.

As you can see, very small eggs – quail on the left, chicken egg in the middle and emu egg on the right.

Quail egg, chicken egg and an emu egg!
Quail egg, chicken egg and an emu egg!

The quail egg weighs 15 grams, the chicken egg 65 grams and the emu egg 750 grams!

To hatch a a quail egg the incubator temperature needs to be 37.1 centigrade with a humidity 50% RH.

A dozen eggs in our little incubator, I would expect about a 60% hatch rate. So possibly 7 quails, of which 60% or 4 will be male and 3 female. 23 days to hatch day and counting!

Check back for updates!

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Emu Egg Hatching!

Eight Emu Eggs in the Incubator

Second attempt to hatch šŸ£ Emu eggs is underway! Day 2. Another 48 days to go until we know if we have been successful.

This time we have borrowed the Mother of all incubators.

Eight Emu Eggs

Fingers crossed šŸ¤ž.

Last time was not successful Last attempt but we only had two eggs and perhaps an incubator not up for the job?

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Cockerel Crowing on the gate

A Classic Cockerel

This year we acquired a new cockerel just after our former cock died from old age (6 years old!). The new cockerel is a very different character, and perhaps could be considered a classic cockerel. Very vocal and often finding a high point to crow from and remind us he is there and looking over the girls!

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