Mixed Flocks

[Grassman 52]

Wondering if anyone out there has "mixed" flocks - I have added Emu chicks to my little bird farm and just curious if anyone else has a diverse flock on pasture together during the day? Chickens - Muscovery Ducks - Crested Pekins - Geese - and now Emu's during the day I want to let all of them roam my 2 acre pasture - shade trees - grass - 20 gal field watering station along with small pools - two 50lb field feeding stations.

Today all run together with the exception of the 5-6 week old Emu chicks - they break off in to groups and there is enough room so they all get along - at night the chickens have their own coop - the geese have a three sided house - the ducks sleep under the chicken coop and the Emu's have their own shed.

 

[Grassman 52]

Searched past posts and threads and read about the problems with Emu's and other poultry - there is some great information on this site thanks to everyone for posting!

I have been trying to keep my Emu chicks with other birds from the start - In the shed I would keep the baby ducks and geese until they sold - The only problem I have seen so far is when I put a small black Muscovy duck in the shed - it started running back and forth and the Emu's jumped up and trying to stomp it - This went on for about a half hour until I setup up a small space that the duck could go but the Emu's wouldn't fit - After two days they stopped trying to step on it - It's my guess that this one duck looked like a mouse or such and instincts kicked in (for whatever I know) - it was actually fun to watch the behavior of the Emu chicks (the duck was not hurt).

This weekend I am going to let the Emu chicks spend the whole day in the large pasture with all the birds free to interact - I want to be available just to be safe.

I have to say - so far I have no regrets adding Emu's to my hobby farm. A few people have said to view these birds as you would horses , lots of space - run-in's etc.. That's a real good way to view these birds

 

[Ellamumu]

Who knows why some birds are acceptable and some need stomping, in my Emus world geese are just fine and mallard ducks need to be stomped and as far as chickens go, blacks and barred rock are fine but reds must be chased out of the paddock immediately, LOL

 

[Nicophorus]

Would love to hear about mixed flocks of Ratites too. Rhea/Ostrich/Emu in one pasture?

I've seen with my own eyes Rhea and Emu I the same pasture, but don't know what the success rate is for that.

 

[yinepu]

 

[chickenzoo]

My older Emu seem to be tolerant of most other fowl except during breeding season...the ducks know to stay out of their pasture then. My yearling to 2 year olds.tend to chase anything exciting and starts making a ruccus..... They all seem to leave the geese alone and most of the time the chickens...and the turkey chase them....lol

 

[Nicophorus]

Turkey seem like fun/goofy animals, I need to get a couple one day.

 

[Just Wingin It]

I just have chickens and ducks, but I was entertaining the idea of adding larger feathered friends. I was thinking of geese, but they say theyre too mean. My chickens free range 6 acres, while my ducks have 1/4 acre with a 30x30 pond. Who do you think might be suitable.... where?

 

[yinepu]

I just have chickens and ducks, but I was entertaining the idea of adding larger feathered friends. I was thinking of geese, but they say theyre too mean. My chickens free range 6 acres, while my ducks have 1/4 acre with a 30x30 pond. Who do you think might be suitable.... where?

not all geese are "mean".. go with breeds like sebastopol, embden or toulouse



chinese and african geese are two of the more aggressive breeds.. so those are two you would want to avoid if you are wanting to stay away from the "mean geese"

 

[Grassman 52]

I have two male Embdens and four female geese (3) Embdens and (1) Toulouse - great all around geese, only aggressive around broody females and even then, they back down quickly.

Since getting my geese, my loses to predators has been reduced to 0% - don't know if I can give all the credit to the geese, but it sure has made a difference