The Rural Voice, 1992-05, Page 31here every other day."
Despite the fact all emus in North
America are generations from their
native Australia (it's illegal to export
birds from Australia), they still
maintain their southern hemisphere
biological clocks. They start laying
eggs anywhere from October to
December and continue until about
May 1 and a good layer will produce
an egg every three days. A top layer
will average about 30 eggs a year but
the range can be from 15 to as high as
40. A breeding pair has to have three
or four seasons of laying before you
can determine how prolific they can
be, Wilder says.
In the wild, the male sits on the
eggs and can incubate as many as
eight. Emu farmers take the eggs
away so the hen will keep producing.
The birds lay at dusk and and Wilder
goes out about 8 p.m. each night with
a flashlight to collect the eggs before
they can freeze.
He stores the eggs in the basement
Emu eggs are bigger than a
grapefruit and take 52 days to hatch.
of his house where there's a constant
58 degree F temperature. The eggs
are washed to take off any dirt then
put in the incubator after several have
been collected.
Fear of the technicalities of
incubation deters some people from
getting into the business, Wilder says,
but he has found the problems over-
rated. In his first season he had a 100
per cent success rate. (He hasn't quite
matched that since.) If you follow the
instructions, he says, you'll have
success. A breeder with two or three
breeding pairs can get a good
incubator for starting out for about
$1000.
He has partitioned off a comer of
his basement and insulated it so the
BRICKMAN'S BOTANICAL GARDENS
Walk through this beautiful English -type, 4 acre herbaceous
perennial garden, with over 2,000 varieties of perennials,
fragrant herbs, shrubs, old fashioned roses, lilies, wild flowers,
water plants and many rare and unique plants. See over 10,000
blooms of spring bulbs in April-
, May, June -September,
perennials at their best.
July is peak season.
Hours: 7 days a week,
including Holidays. April to June
8 a.m. - 9 p.m.: July to September
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.: Individual walk
and bus tours welcome. Only 10
minutes from Stratford.
For information and brochures write:
BRICKMAN'S BOTANICAL GARDENS
(Ellice Township Rds. 6 and 7)
R. R 1, Sebringville, Ont., NOK 1X0
(519) 393-6233 Fax (519) 393-5239
BRICKMAN'S
COUNTRY
FLOWERS
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8 /Perth Cty Rd 12 I
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Are you interested in a career
In agriculture and food?
Then join us for
We'd like to invite you to:
• visit the campus
• find out about career opportunities
When: Wednesday, May 27, 1992
Where: Huron Hall
Time: 10:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
tf you are interested in attending the preview day,
telephone Centralia College (519) 228-6691, Ext. 245.
COLLEGE
PREVIEW DAY
• meet the faculty and staff
• tour residence facilities
Ministry of
• Agriculture
and Food
ONTARIO
CENTRALIA
COLLEGE
Huron Park, Ontario NOM 1Y0
(519) 228-6691
MAY 1992 27