We started out with two females and one male at about one-and a half week old. They were only six inches high. All I can say is they grow like kudzu and they love attention.

They are Australia's largest native bird but they can't fly.

They eat seeds, grasses, leaves and bugs.

When there is lots of food and water around they'll stay in one place but if there's not, they'll move on.

Females make special noises to tell males they are ready to mate.

When males are ready to mate they fluff out their neck feathers and try to look as big as possible.

In the emu world the male makes the nest and sits on the eggs the female lays.

Emu eggs are dark green.

The female goes off and has nothing to do with her eggs or her chicks.

Dad lies on the eggs for about 8 weeks. He hardly eats, drinks, wees or poos.

Stripes on the emu chicks make them hard to see in the grass.

Dad will show his chicks how to find food, how to run and swim. He'll also protect them from eagles, dingoes and feral cats. In about two years they'll be able to have their own families.