Rhea breed guide
Rhea fencing, diet, and communal-nest breeding for ratite keepers.
History & origins
- Greater rheas are South American ratites from the grasslands of Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay.
- They were farmed for feathers, leather, and meat and are the smallest of the commonly kept ratites.
Care & housing
- Fence 5-6 ft with smooth, visible barriers and large paddocks; rheas are grazers and need room to run.
- Feed ratite pellets plus pasture and greens; avoid feeding small hard objects they will swallow.
- Provide shade, dry ground, and no loose wire or string in the pen.
Breeding tips
- Males build a ground nest and incubate eggs from several hens for 36-40 days.
- Artificial incubation runs about 38 days at 97.5°F with low humidity.
- Breeding males are aggressive — never enter the pen alone during the season.