Emu/large flightless bird coops!

[KadenL]

Hey there, I was wondering if anyone has any special instructions or specific tricks that work best when creating a nighttime pen for large birds such as Rheas, Emus, or Ostrich. I'll be getting a pair of Emu eggs soon and I would like to have a little insight on what conditions their nighttime/bad-weather coop should have. If anybody has any ideas that'd be great! I know the basics, of course, and I've been thinking of designs similar to a large garden shed with ventilation and straw or sawdust-like bedding in it. Is there specific bedding I should try to use instead of these two? Are they good or are there better bedding choices out there? Would flax better suit the birds or should I not bother spending the money it costs to keep a flax bedded coop?

This is my first time raising such large birds and I don't want to make any mistakes!

 

[PeepersMama]

Build a barn. Birds that big don't get coops, they get barns

Last time I checked they are considered livestock/exotic livestock (?)

 

[KadenL]

Build a barn. Birds that big don't get coops, they get barns   Last time I checked they are considered livestock/exotic livestock (?)

Are they really? I didn't know that! I meant coop as a general term, obviously I'm not going to squeeze them into a little 4ft tall coop and run lol, it sure would be strange to see that!

And I was thinking of what materials I might use as a base rather than wood so it will remain strong and keep from rotting or settling, and I finally decided on PVC pipe as the base outline for the pen. I plan to cover the walls over with large sheets of plywood but this way it'll last longer even if the sides need replacing or repair from wood rot along the bottom or in crevices when it rains.

Still unsure exactly what the best bedding to use might be, any info would help!

 

[PeepersMama]

pvc pipe won't be strong enough. Plan it like you are getting a horse. Big metal livestock pannels for their pen, unless you want to provide county wide entertainment

I know from expierience, it's really cool to see an emu running around in the neighbors yard. Emus are very strong animals.
As for bedding, just find some clean straw or all purpose sand. Shavings might work, but I just can't see that

 

[KadenL]

pvc pipe won't be strong enough. Plan it like you are getting a horse. Big metal livestock pannels for their pen, unless you want to provide county wide entertainment  I know from expierience, it's really cool to see an emu running around in the neighbors yard. Emus are very strong animals. 
As for bedding, just find some clean straw or all purpose sand. Shavings might work, but I just can't see that :/  

haha alright. Thank you! I'll most likely wind up using straw. I used shavings for my black Stars and it was the only thing they wouldn't kick out of the nest haha

 

[PeepersMama]

Ha! Those chickens, rotten boogers to the bone, especially black stars, I've got a few of those.

 

[KadenL]

Ha! Those chickens, rotten boogers to the bone, especially black stars, I've got a few of those.

They sure are picky little things. I've only ever had Black Stars, but my girlfriend had a pair of RIR hens and they were pretty bad too, always trying to get in the house.
They used to sit on the couch and watch TV with her dad– it was the funniest thing I'd ever seen.

 

[PeepersMama]

Our reds were never that friendly! It was always the easter eggers

 

[KadenL]

Our reds were never that friendly! It was always the easter eggers 

Really? I'd heard somewhere that EEs tended to be flighty. I guess it just depends on the birds

 

[PeepersMama]

Really? I'd heard somewhere that EEs tended to be flighty. I guess it just depends on the birds

They really are pretty skittish, but when they were chicks, we would put the "wimpy ones" up a sleeve or under a shirt, and they would sleep, and sleep, and sleep. Now they all think that we are their mommies (we being me and sis) and insist on hiding inour shirts instead of sticking up for themselves on the roost

I tell them that they need to grow up and "be fierce," but I guess we didn't make that clear to them as chicks, like broody mamas do.
Besides spoiling them completely rotten, i think the breeding might play a role. If their momma was pretty chill, then the chance they will be too is bigger.
Anyways, they would probably be flighty if they weren't pet chickens

This is Caroline, living the dream of a house pet