What do your feed costs typically look like for a pair? There’s a farm nearby selling some and I’m sort thinking of getting two.
Oh my God, following this thread. I really want one, my husband says no, but… I really want one.
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Research thoroughly. I have not owned one, but my mule-owning friend has. The stories she tells about Emu ownership are both hilarious and harrowing. This is one person’s experience. However, according to her:
–Emu are attracted to white/light --that meant that she had to wear sunglasses when approaching the two birds as the white of her eyes was attractive and they tried to peck her eyes.
–Electric fence is not a deterrent to Emu escape. She found herself half naked in the middle of her (fortunately) empty country road trying to lead one Emu back to its pen using her t-shirt as a lead, and her bra on the neck of the other.
–determining the gender of Emu young is a challenge. She was supposed to have a boy and a girl, but had two boys. The planned breeding did not happen
–Emu are not dog friendly and can viciously kick dogs --she has no children, but one wonders . …
Based on the number of Emu at the Black Pines Rescue Center, she is not the only person who has struggled with ownership.
But again, this is all based on one person’s experience.
She did say that the two she had tasted good.
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I wish I could recall the name of the poster here who had emus.
@LockeMeadows ?
Her posts were funny - baby emus in onesies - until they weren’t.
IIRC, she had to get rid of the adult birds.
I believe temperament figured in the decision.
OP:
If you’re not raising for meat, why?
I don’t believe they have a good rep as pets
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No thank you
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This one would get offed so fast. That poor caretaker.
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No personal experience, aside from the field of emus I boarded next to back in Colorado years ago that caused my poor horse’s head to explode every time he saw or heard them!
But around here (Tennessee) there is an escaped-emu story, complete with hapless police or sheriff’s deputies chasing them on foot, on the local news about once a month. So it makes me suspect that like goats, they are escape artists—only larger, faster and meaner.
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You should read this;
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Now, my experience is with someone I know having Emu.
They do not wear sun glasses and when we go out to the area where the Emu are no sunglasses are worn. No Emu eye attacking has happened.
This person has kids and dogs (and other animals). No Emu attacking issues.
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They are delicious, that’s all I know.
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I remember one or two years at fair, there was a vendor that did ostrich burgers and eggs. Those burgers were pretty darn good!
This sounds just like the great ostrich boom 20+ years ago that was going to make breeders rich, rich, rich. Not very smart, not easy to raise, their kicks can cause serious damage. They were going to become the latest meat fad (and they are delicious). They didn’t.
Postscript: I don’t think that very many people are raising ostriches any more…
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Yeah I order from Amaroo Hills, they have farms in NC and TN, I think. I certainly can’t buy it locally (I’m allergic to beef and other mammal meat so it’s all fins and feathers for me). It’s not cheap but every now and then I want a real burger or steak.
sounds like horses
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Emu seem to be the latest get rich quick craze. All I see on FB are people getting attacked. It’s why I stick to chickens and all my roosters are silkies. It’s like getting attacked by a hairy throw pillow. The only thing in danger is your ankles.
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This thread is full of gems.
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I had an attack duck. He would go after anyone who entered the yard. I was his favorite person so I was the only one allowed to handle him. He was very mean though. I have a feeling he would have been more effective then a guard dog because he would not stop once he went after you. You would have to grab his beak and hold it shut to keep him from biting.
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You beat me to it! KAREN ! She is the stuff nightmares are made of. A real life dinosaur. She is a menace!
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