Emu farming business takes off in Whitby

Emu farming business takes off in Whitby: Hunter Farms offers a variety of rare products made from Australian bird 



Wouldn't this be a great retirement pastime? I have loved emus for a long time. They are easy to care for, and are hardy birds.

: Emu and Emu Farming

Emus and Their Fellow Flightless Birds

April 27, 2016/in Emu and Emu Farming /by Russ Davis

Throughout countless posts, we’ve discussed emus and their beneficial oils extensively. We’ve even covered the difference between emus and the fellow flightless ostrich. While we’re at it, we thought it’d be interesting to take a deeper look into the other flightless birds found in the group ratites. Though ostriches are the largest living ratite, it wasn’t always that way. Some extinct species were actually twice their size!
Of course, we’re sure none of the emus’ fellow ratites offered such beneficial oils to mankind, but they’re all still quite interesting. From the largest birds in existence to chicken-size kiwis, ratites are a diverse group of birds. Let’s take a closer look.

Flightless Birds: Extinct Ratites

When it comes to flightless birds, both living and extinct ratites take the cake for most interesting, but that’s our opinion. As mentioned, some now-extinct forms of these flightless birds were much larger than what we’re used to today. While ostriches and emus are two of the largest living birds, their predecessors were much larger. Take a look below:

• Moa: Native to New Zealand, the moa species ranged from turkey-sized birds to one of the largest birds, weighing up to 500 pounds and standing 12 feet tall! By 1400, the moa became extinct as the first humans arrived in New Zealand.
• Aepyornis Maximus: Though shorter than the moa, the aepyornis was the largest bird known to exist. Referred to as the elephant bird, these giants could weigh nearly 900 pounds and reach heights over 9 feet. Three smaller species existed as well, though they slowly disappeared after the arrival of humans.

Living Forms of Ratites

Continuing on through the list of flightless birds that form the ratite group, the birds to follow still live today. As mentioned, we’ve discussed emus extensively, and even went into depth on ostriches in our last post. With this, let us fill you in on the remaining ratites.

• Cassowary: Native to Australia and New Guinea along with the emu, cassowaries are shorter than emus, yet heavier. When threatened, cassowaries can be very dangerous and are likely to attack.
• Rhea: A mid-sized flightless bird, one species of the rhea, the American rhea, typically weighs 45-55 pounds and stands nearly 5 feet tall. The rhea is native to South America.
• Kiwi: Consisting of five species, kiwis are the smallest bird in the ratite group. From New Zealand, kiwis are about the size of a chicken. They’re nocturnal and nest in burrows. Surprisingly, kiwi eggs are quite large in comparison to the bird’s size.

Emus: The Beneficial Flightless Bird

There you have it: a list of emus’ fellow flightless birds. Ranging from 10 feet tall to a mere 16 inches, ratites are quite interesting, not to mention diverse. While interesting, none of these birds are quite as beneficial as the emu and its beneficial oils.
If you’re interested in reaping the benefits of emu oil, browse Willow Spring Emu Oil today! Of course, you can always contact us here for questions and comments.

Emus vs. Ostriches: The Difference

April 12, 2016/in Emu and Emu Farming /by Russ Davis

Here at Willow Springs Emu Oil we specialize in emu oil products, but we have noticed that many people often get emus confused with ostriches. While both are large, flightless birds, the emu and the ostrich have many differences.
Our emu oil products are effective at treating a number of skin conditions and we believe our customers should be as informed as possible about what they are buying from us. To better accomplish this goal, let our emu oil experts fill you in on the differences between emus and ostriches.

Territory and Size

One of the most obvious differences between these two flightless birds is their natural habitat. Emus are native to Australia while ostriches are found in Africa. Both birds are, however, surprisingly adaptive and were once found in other regions. For example, ostriches once roamed free in the middle east, while emus have been found on the islands surrounding Australia.
Ostriches are also the tallest bird in the world, standing as tall as nine feet in some cases! Emus are not small, however. As the second tallest bird, emus can reach a height of six feet. Both birds are also surprisingly heavy. Ostriches can weigh as much as two full-grown humans, or roughly 300 pounds, while emus can weigh as much as 135 pounds. Despite their size, both emus and ostriches are fast runners, clocking 30 and 40 miles per hour, respectively.

Physical Traits

In addition to their size differences, emus and ostriches have many other differences in their physical appearance. Female ostriches are a dull brown in color, while males can be black with white accents. Emus, on the other hand, can vary in color, but are typically greyish-brown with the tips of their feathers being black. Their habitat often determines their color scheme.
Additionally, both birds have rather large eggs. The ostrich egg is the largest egg in the world, weighing more than 1.5 Kg or 3 pounds.  Although ostrich eggs are the largest eggs, they are actually the smallest eggs in comparison to the size of an adult bird. Emu eggs are also large, weighing as much as 700 grams. Emu eggs are also a dark green color while ostrich eggs are more of a yellow cream.

Willow Springs Emu Oil

While both birds’ oil have skin moisturizing benefits, only Emu oil has therapeutic healing and anti-inflammatory properties. Here at Willow Springs, we specialize in emu oil. All of our products are made with pure emu oil and can be beneficial for a variety of skin and hair conditions.
If you are interested in any of our high-quality emu oil products, you can visit our online store here.
If you any questions or comments you can contact us here or call us at 1.866.338.8227.