Emu Chicks

Appearance:

• Color: Emu chicks are born with bold black and cream/tan vertical stripes that run from head to tail. These stripes help camouflage them in the wild.
• Size at hatch: Around 5–6 inches tall and weigh about 1 pound.
• Eyes: Large, dark, and alert.
• Beak and legs: Black and proportionally large compared to their body.
• Feathers: Soft and fluffy at birth; they begin to shed their striped down and develop juvenile feathers around 6–8 weeks old.

Behavior:

• Very curious and alert from the start.
• Active and fast: Even as hatchlings, they can run quickly and are quite playful.
• Social animals: Prefer being in groups and can become stressed if isolated.
• Bonding: If handled gently and frequently, emu chicks can bond well with humans and become tame.

Growth:

• Rapid growers — they can grow up to a foot per month in their first few months.
• Stripe pattern fades by 3 months, and they transition into a solid brown/gray juvenile phase.
• Reach full height (5–6 feet) by 12–14 months, though full maturity takes 18–24 months.