 |
| us.fotolia.com |
|
Summer Changes for the Chicks
We
have incubated, hatched and raised our own emu chicks for three years now on
Mt. Sicker Family Farm. As the mob grows and multiplies we always seem to be
playing catch-up with building new pens and feed enclosures. Emus grow very
fast and as running birds they need progressively larger pens until maturity.
Small pens at the start for shelter from the elements and protection from
predators. Suddenly, it seems, they outgrow the chick area and require running
exercise more importantly than shelter and protection. They are then moved to grassed
and treed pens that are located close at hand for observation. The hatching
process on our farm takes about 2.5 months so the earlier chicks are significantly
bigger than the later batches and so at this stage are maintained in separate
groups. At 4-5 months juvenile emus are still very trusting of their own kind
and different sizes can be blended with ease. So the whole year’s hatch is then
moved simultaneously to their final grow out pen. Here they can commune with
the ravens and eagles overhead and watch the mist rise off the neighbours'
fields and hear the emu hens boom out their call for an upcoming breeding
season.
 |
emu chicks
(1-2 mo) in chick house run
|
 |
next three photos:
emu black
heads (3-4 mo) are moved to grassed & treed runs
|
 |
| emu
juveniles (4-5 mo) moved to their blended grow out pen | | | | |
The farmer
needs a change as well….
The first 6
months of the year is very hands on for emu farmers. What with collecting eggs,
incubating and hatching chicks, getting specific feed for the young birds,
moving them around as they grow, etc….
So it is important for the farmer to take a break and get some distance
from the chores.
We treat
ourselves to two such breaks: one mid-summer when we attend the American Emu
Association Convention and the other in Oct Nov after our mature birds are
processed.
We joined
the AEA in 2013 to network with emu farmers. It was very difficult to find other
emu operations in our province on the internet. Most sites that come up are for
retailers of the products made with emu oil. To actually get to talk about
farming practices we needed to join an organization. The AEA
has a website (albeit in need of some
modernization), a members group facebook page and a yearly convention that is held in
different parts of the US. We have met other farmers through these venues both
just starting out and (the majority) with 20+ years' experience. We get our
batteries recharged at the convention and come home with renewed enthusiasm.
The Oct Nov
break takes us in our 5th wheel down to the western US states where we get some
warm weather and see friends. Our trip does however always include visits to emu farms
along the way. There is nothing better than onsite learning from other farmers.
Here are the thank yous that I posted on facebook to the farmers that we met.
John and I
decided to get out of town for some down time before egg laying starts for
another season. On our way to Albuquerque we stopped in for an overnight at
Wild Rose Emu Ranch in Hamilton Montana to see Clover and Joe Quinn. Wow what
generous hosts. We had a great emu stroganoff dinner and talked about birds and
the industry and toured the ranch. Thanks again to you both and we look forward
to more good talk at next year's American Emu Association convention in
Vancouver Washington.
Home
again now and into November rains. We are starting to look for eggs but nothing
yet. More thank-yous to be extended to fellow emu farmers that we visited in
California and Washington.
At Bedrock Emu Works Roger and Sharon live in the
beautiful mountains east of Sacramento. The area used to be a hub of some 30
large emu farms 20 years ago. We were very surprised to see a couple of emu
grazing with horses on a local farm and Sharon told us that many farmers
couldn't part with all their stock and kept some as pets. Our hosts treated us
to a wonderful dinner and lots of emu conversation.
It is our
second visit to 3 Feathers Emu Ranch and we feel very much at home
there as Washington/Oregon states are very like Vancouver Island. Lots to talk
with Tony and Janean as to how we each deal with raising emu with similar
weather challenges. Processing/marketing of emu meat was a hot topic. As a
mobile slaughter house is not available to us we are building our own. Thank
you both and Emily for showing us a wonderful restaurant in Chehalis which is
now on our go to list.
We always
appreciate the sharing that takes place with seasoned emu farmers like Jim and
Myra Glick at Backacres Emu Ranch Olympia WA. They showed us a
hen that has been with them since the start some 25 years ago. She is still
laying an amazing number of eggs at 30+. We got to see up close the fiberglass
emu huts that were popular around the country and are still in service. Jim is
actively working on re-establishing the Washington State Emu Association and we
are excited about the prospects of joining.
Farmers by definition are always on the job. Well, where do
they go and what do they do to get a well-deserved rest? According
to Kitty Walker a London
based freelance writer and journalist "to regain
our energy, all we need to do is spend time doing what we like and love".
And I guess that’s it in a
nutshell….we love what we are doing.
