Emu breed guide
Emu fencing, feed, and how to incubate and brood ratite chicks.
History & origins
- Emus are native to Australia and were first farmed commercially in the 1970s-80s for oil, leather, and lean meat.
- US flocks trace to that boom and are now mostly kept by small ratite breeders and oil producers.
Care & housing
- Fence at least 6 ft high with no-climb wire and no sharp corners — panicked emus injure themselves on fences.
- Feed a commercial ratite ration; grass and browse supplement but cannot replace it.
- Provide shade and a dust area; adults handle cold well but need dry footing.
Breeding tips
- Emus breed in cool months; the male incubates the dark green eggs for about 50 days and rarely eats during it.
- Artificial incubation runs 48-52 days at roughly 97.5°F with low humidity, weighing eggs to track loss.
- Chicks grow explosively — brood on non-slip footing to prevent splayed legs.