The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)

Buffalo farm’s little emus beat weather to make their appearance

Owner was worried they might have succumbed to the beast from the east

- Sarah vesTy svesty@thecourier.co.uk

A buffalo farm is celebratin­g a host of new arrivals after their resident emus Bog and Lily became parents for the first time.

Steven Mitchell told how he initially worried the eggs would not hatch following the beast from the east but was delighted to discover the first chick earlier this week.

The 35-year-old, who owns the farm near Kirkcaldy, was taking a video of the first hatchling when he found the second.

The clip has since been viewed thousands of times and shows a hilarious face-off between one of the plucky youngsters and a goat.

Mr Mitchell told how they now have five hatchlings but hoped there would be more to follow as the male emu, Bog, is still sitting on some eggs. The Buffalo Farm owner said: “So far we’ve got five hatched and the male Bog is still sitting on six eggs, so hopefully we have more to come.

“They’ve been sitting on the eggs since the beast from the east.

“They don’t want it to be too hot when they start laying because they’re from Australia and the eggs might boil in the extreme heat.

“But it’s a big upside down and here, they could freeze.

“With emus, the male tends to do everything after the female has laid the eggs.

“He’s done really well. He picked a spot right by the roadside so he’s got cars and buses going past him all the time.

“You would think he would have chosen somewhere else but it’s the most tucked away bit so he’s gone and made the nest there.

“He’s even managed to get a couple of Irn-Bru cans and a Refresher bar wrapper included in the nest.”

He added: “They’ve been really great fun and they’re going to be popular with our visitors.”

 ??  ?? One of the baby emus that have been born at the the Buffalo Farm near Kirkcaldy.
One of the baby emus that have been born at the the Buffalo Farm near Kirkcaldy.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom