How to Raise Emus

Familiarize yourself with the bird's history and background. For instance, according to the U.S. Agricultural Department, the emu originates from Australia, where the Aboriginal population ate them for centuries. However, recently, emus in the wild have been considered pests, as they crush and ruin croplands as well consume natural resources meant for livestock such as cattle. They are also quite fast runners: while they can't fly, they can reach speeds of up to 40 mph. In 20th century Australia, there were also hunted to extinction and emu farming was illegal, though that has now changed. Emus were first brought to the United States in the mid-20th century, and though still considered exotic by many, emu farming has become more and more common. While emus are docile birds, they can become aggressive while breeding. For more information, see the link from the U.S. Department of Agriculture on emus under "Additional Resources."

Have the means and space to raise them. According to FarmInfo.org, the yearly cost of housing, feeding and maintaining a pair of emus can range from $10,000 to $50,000, and that doesn't even include medical expenses. Make sure to meet all the legal requirements or codes of practice in raising them (see link to American Emu Association). Also, you might want to visit some existing emu farms to get a visual idea of how the birds are raised. You will want to purchase a starting pair of breeding emu from a reputable rancher. These prices can range between $8,000 and $25,000. Further costs of maintenance will be determined by what you would like to do with your starter pair: breed starting pairs for other emu ranches or utilize the bird as final product.

Stock up on supplies and facilities for egg handling, incubation and hatching. According to Red Oak Farm, there are different feeds for emus at the various stages in their lives. Chicks that are less than 2 months old should eat a feed of 20 percent protein several times a day, as too much protein results in splayed legs. After 2 months, chicks should be moved a specific feed for growing chicks. They stay on this until they reach 14 months, after which they are sent to slaughter or enter a breeding stage. For those you want to breed, see the Red Oak Farm link for specific details.

Provide adequate space or a brooder house for small chicks, as well as rearing pens for birds younger than a year. Note that your breeding pair of emus need a minimum of 400 square meters if you have good vegetation and a great amount of rainfall, but since most conditions are not optimal, your breeding pair should have 2,500 square meters. Young emus that are 3 to 6 months old should have at least 1 square meter of sleeping quarters and 40 square meters of outdoor space to exercise. If you decide to raise your birds free-range, you will need even more space; see the link to the oldest free-range emu farm for more information.

Know what to expect from your emus. According to FarmInfo.org, the birds tend to live for 30 years. Female emus are the most fertile from the ages of 1 1/2 to 3 years, and will remain fertile for the first half of their lives. Males are the ones that sit on the eggs, which should hatch after 50 days. (Also, during this time, females should be put in a separate pen, away from the males, as they can impinge on the incubating process, break the eggs or even kill the recently hatched chicks.) Emus will continue to grow for the first two years, and can reach heights up to 6 feet and weigh up to 150 pounds.

Select a breeding pair of chicks that are familiar with humans. If you decide to sell breeding pairs, your buyers will want emus that are used to people.