Emus generally lay an egg every 3 days (72 hours), although variations on this can occur, taking up to 5 or 6 days between eggs, but this is not the average.
Mature birds even lay their eggs at approximately the same time every day, which makes it very easy to for the farmer to collect the eggs.
Do you know how an egg goes through the reproductive tract of the hen until it is being laid?
There are two general ways in which emus are housed during the breeding season. A large number of birds are housed in one camp or the emus are paired off into smaller camps.
Don't know which will suit your emu farm best? Try going through this first, "Emu Breeding Pairs".
Now, can you decide?
Generally the hens will mature at two years of age, although some birds may begin laying eggs at as young as 18 months. Males are generally sexually mature at 2 ½ to 3 years of age.
Get to know some interesting general emu breeding facts for the emu farming enterprise now!
Did you know that during the breeding season the males will often stop eating completely?
A number of climatic conditions signal the start of the breeding season: The days become shorter, and nights longer; the temperatures drop, and the Emus know that breeding season has begun.
Here are a number of small changes leading up to the beginning of the breeding season that you should be aware of.
What would you do once breeding season has begun?
There are two common feeding practices in commercial emu farming, which are set portion feeding and ad-lib feeding. What are the differences between these two and what are the advantages and disadvantages of these feeding practices? Want to find out? Click here - "Emu Feeding Practices". Which of these two that you feel is much more suitable for your farm?
The similarity between poultry (chickens and turkeys) and emus should not fool you into believing that the nutritional requirements are the same too. In the wild, they are very similar, but in captivity, poultry feed is formulated to support enormous growth in a very short time. 
Emus however take much longer to mature, therefore quick growth is not desirable. Want to know how to handle this situation? Read this here - "Emu Diet In Captivity".
Are the guidelines helpful?
In the wild emus birds are able to survive on small amounts of high quality food. This includes fruit, seeds, broad-leafed plants, shoots, flowers and grasses. The grasses do not normally form the main part of their diet.
They also eat grubs and insects when they are available. Read here for more info - "The Emu Bird Diet In The Wild".
Do you think emus and chickens are the same?
The size of the pens is determined by the lay of the land, by the requirements of the farmer – determined by the amount of land available and the number of birds to be accommodated, and lastly by the budget of the operation.
Here are a few things to remember when selecting a size of the pen - "Size Of Emu Pens".
Do you think sorting out the size and shape of your emu pens is important?
The use of visual barrires on an emu farming ranch has multiple purposes.
Want to know what they are? Read this here - "Visual Barriers Used On An Emu Farming Ranch".
So, do you think that these visual barriers are important for your emu farming?
Another challenge for those entering emu farming is the layout of their emu ranch. Knowing what space to dedicate to chick rearing, what space for emu breeders and also grow out emu birds.
Read more about this here - "Emu Chick Pens".
You really learn as you go along, don't you?
For your emu farming enterprise, young emu chicks need to be cared for in better facilities than adults. For a start, they need extra warmth.
Read more about this here - "Emu Chick Facilities".
What do you think about this?
Apart from the fencing and shelters, a good emu farming enterprise will also take a good look at the drainage. Good drainage in enclosures is important, especially in the area where the emus nest.
Want to know why? Click this "Drainage For Your Emu Camps" to find out.
Do you think you can handle this and get good results?
When it comes to emu farming, you want your emus to be well looked after. This means providing shelters for them. It is very important to choose a spot for the enclosures where trees give natural shade and protection. However, especially in wet conditions, it is just as important to provide the emus with additional shelters, where they can nest.
Read the number of options for shelters available here - "Emu Shelters".
Which structure do you think will work best for you?
You will find that emu fencing needs to be given careful considerations when you are starting your emu farming enterprise, as the emu bird is a specialist high jumper second to none. Mesh-wire fencing (chain-link or horse-wire) is the best option for fencing in the enclosures.
Want to know why? Click this - "Fencing For Emus".
What do you think of fencing? Is it only to keep your emus from escaping or is there more to it?
It often becomes necessary to handle the emus, and it is best if you become familiar with catching and handling these large birds as it is going to be a necessity for your emu farming venture. Although it is nerve-wrecking the first number of times, you will soon gain confidence.
Want to know ways to do so? Read this, "Handling of Emus on An Emu Farming Venture".
Are you confident enough now to try handling emu birds?
As with any livestock, selecting the right animals is extremely important to the general management and profitability of the farm, and selecting your emu bird is no exception.
Want to know how to select a good emu bird? Read this, "Tips on Selecting A Good Emu Bird".
The first stock you purchase will be the foundation of your emu farming business. So, are you ready?
Aborigines cannot be regarded as the first emu farmers, as their nomadic existence did not go hand in hand with emu farming. It is more they hunted emus, but did not farm them.
So, what does these Aborigines have used that are from emus? Click here to know more, "Aboriginal Use of Emus".
What benefits does the emu oil have?
At first Emus were exported to other countries only as attractions in zoos, but once word got out that these birds are a valuable source of Omega 3,6 and 9 commercial farming had its beginning.
Emus have been farmed commercially since 1989. Want to know more? Click here, "Emus Worldwide".
Do you understand more about these birds now?
One key performance indicator to keep an eye on is the number of eggs laid in a season.
Click "Emu Eggs - The First Stage Of Production" for a few tips on the production of emu eggs.
How many young emu birds do you think, survive till adulthood?
Emu eggs are essentially the backbone of an emu farming venture. In order to be profitable, the breeding emu birds need to lay enough fertile emu eggs to sustain the industry, both for breeding stock and for slaughter livestock.
To know more about emu eggs, click this, "All About Emu Eggs".
Did you know that the male emu will look after the eggs?
Ever since the early 19th century, artists have made the most exquisite carvings from emu eggs. The Aborigines of Australia began carving with simple tools, and soon artists from over the world joined in. With the advent of modern tools, the carvings have become more delicate and intricate.
Want to know how they carve Emu eggs? Check this out then, "Why Egg Carvers Crave for Emu Eggs".
Want to try out egg carving too?
Emu meat is a healthy alternative to red meat, as it does not contain intramuscular or other fat. The emu meat is high in vitamins and minerals, as well as fatty acids and is low in cholesterol. It is important to prepare the meat in such a way that the goodness is kept as unchanged as possible.
Ready to know more? Click on this, "How to Cook Emu Meat for Best Result"
Are you ready to cook your first emu meat meal already?
With the rise in awareness in the need to live more healthy lives, the benefits of eating emu meat have emerged as being the perfect choice. Not only is emu meat tasty, it has a wonderful texture, absorbs flavors and spices easily, and is the healthiest choice too!
Why is it so? Let's find out. "Why Emu Meat Is So Healthy"
Are you hunting for recipes already?
The Aborigines of Australia have long regarded the emu birds highly for the wonderful benefits of emu oil. The oil was used by them for healing all manner of skin ailments, including burns and sunburn, as well as other wound treatments. The fat was also used as a tallow to light their homes.
Read on at "The Benefits of Emu Oil For People Suffering From Skin Burn".
Do you know any other use of Emu Oil?
Many people have thought of Emu farming as a way to have a few unique animals on their hobby farm, without seeing the wonderful potential of Emu farming as a profitable venture.
Browse through this article, “The Advantages of Entering the Emu Farming Industry”, and find out what you have been missing out before.Do you agree now that the Emu Farming Industry is a potential investment to make?The Aborigines of Australia have known for centuries about the wonderful properties of the emu bird. They used the emu feathers for decorations, the emu meat as sustenance, the emu oil for skin ailments and sunburn, and the emu fat for lighting their homes. Now that emu farming enterprises are springing up successfully, we have come to understand just how versatile this bird is for farming profitably.
Want to know more? Try reading this, “Sources of Income From The Emu Bird”
The emu bird is a member of the ratite family. These are large, flightless birds, with under-developed wings, but they make up for this by having very well-developed legs. All ratites come from the southern hemisphere, and they include:
• The Rhea from South America
• The Ostrich from Sub Saharan Africa
• The Emu from Australia
• The Cassowary from New Guinea
• The Kiwi from New Zealand
Read on at “How The Emu Bird Compares To The Ostrich”.
Do you know anything else that we don’t about these two birds’ differences?
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From: Alan Stables [mailto:info@alanstables.com]
Sent: Friday, April 01, 2011 2:00 PM
To: 'Posterous'
Subject: Does Emu Farming Sounds Interesting To You?
| Emu farming worldwide is still in its infancy. Although emus were highly regarded for their benefits by the aborigines in Australia, the farmers there long regarded emu birds as pests, due to the damage they caused to crops. In the last 3 decades, a renewed interest in the benefits of emu oil has caused a renewed interest in emu farming.
Check out “Emu Farming Associations Around the World and Their Activities”.
Do you know any Emu Farming Associations near you?
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One of the reasons why people enter the emu farming industry, is that they have read and heard about the benefits of the emu oil.
A human has 7 layers of skins, and emu oil has the facility to penetrate into those layers. So besides having qualities itself it can also be used as a carrier for other ointments.
Do you use emu oil ?
