New Emu Chicks - Spring is Here!

Spring is not officially here until 1st September, but this year's emu chicks are hatching now.  

A few weeks ago I posted a Blog about a new home for the expected emu chicks, a 40ft container. 

These are the first we've hatched on the farm for a couple of years, rather than employing an outside company to rear our chicks for the first 2 months.

The first little chick hatched on Tuesday, two days early and they've been coming continuously ever since. 


We have 250 eggs in "Daddy Emu", the incubator, so named because in the wild, it is the male emu who sits on the eggs and hatches them. 

After 53 days, they start to chirp inside the egg, so are moved to the Hatcher where they chip away at the egg to break it and emerge.  So far, all those hatched are still alive and seem to be healthy little chicks. 

Chip, chip, chip.  It is a fairly hard, thick egg for such a little mite to break open.  We try not to "help" them, preferring them to do the hard work themselves.   Can you see them emerging?

To give you some idea of their size, this little chick is one day old, being held carefully.  Note how alert he is - I mentioned above they seem strong and healthy little chicks so far.  I say "he", but unless chicks are "sexed" at birth, you can never really tell afterwards which is a male and which is a female. The striped markings will disappear as they grow older.  Cuddly and cute hey?

These were the first few placed into the container, huddled together and still a little wet from birth.

I'll keep you posted on their progress. 

Have you ever tried any natural Emu Oil products?

CONGRATULATIONS must be showered upon Albury High School Soccer Team who this week WON their Grand Final in the Erra Cup held in Sydney for the NSW State Combined High School Open Age Group.  It is rewarding to see any Country Team in any Sport successful at State Level. 

My interest, of course, is my youngest Granddaughter, Jasmine, who is only 13, but is a member of the Premier Team.  Hers is the face to the left of the one holding the prized trophy. 

Well done Albury!