How to grow ostriches at home?

Where to keep the bird in winter?

Of course, in the stalls! Moreover, for each age category, you need to make your own specific designs. Young animals (5-6 months) should be kept at a high temperature (about +15 degrees), so a heater is a prerequisite. Stalls for young animals should not be too spacious so that contact between humans and birds during feeding is maximized. If you do not accustom her to yourself during the winter, it means that in spring and summer you will have a hard time - the pets will run away, and when laying eggs they can strongly knock off a person who has entered the cage.

An ordinary wooden shed is suitable for keeping, always with a warm floor. If it is concrete, you need to put some kind of wood, rubber or a thick layer of linoleum so that the young bird's legs do not freeze. For "elderly" individuals, the floor is also necessary, only heating is no longer necessary - they have enough plumage to warm themselves even in frosts. The main thing is to avoid drafts.

Calculation of the area: for 1 individual about 5 months old, 2 m2 is needed, for adult ostriches, allocate about 6 m2, and breeding birds should be raised in freedom - from 10 m2 / 1 individual. If you put them in an aviary, which will be much less than the required volume, they will get sick more often, and aggressiveness will increase.

Where to keep on summer days?

Did you have a paddock for horses? Then you are lucky - you don't have to build anything.

Ostriches need to run a lot, otherwise the limbs will be deformed, which will become a big problem and lead to irreversible consequences. It is best to make an exit from the stall to the corral so that the bird can run out to ventilate, and go to hide in the rain and cold.

You need a large paddock, preferably made of a net, so that it can absorb shocks. Ostriches often do not fit into a turn and can be very injured against the walls of the pen.

You can't make solid ground, otherwise the ostrich can kill its head on it when it is scared (just kidding). In fact, bulk materials are needed so that they cling to their claws and do not break them when running. The area for 1 head ranges from 20 m2 to 300 m2, it already depends on your capabilities.

Farmer's Tip: Never make a pen that is more than 30 meters in length or width. For such a distance, the ostrich can gain up to 45 km / h and kill itself against the wall of the pen or be seriously injured. Moreover, it is not safe for people to walk in the enclosure either. Just imagine a 50-100 kg bird speeding 40-50 km / h.

It is not necessary for young animals to make such large corrals, 5x5 meters is enough so that they can "knead" bones, more precisely, claws. With such a length, you can not invent anything new with the floor, leave everything as it is - there is not enough space to even accelerate.

How to feed an overseas bird?

The bird eats a lot, almost like a pig, but the game is worth the candle. Therefore, we stock up on the right feed and maintain a healthy diet so that the live weight is gained quickly, and the extra money is not spent. We will feed up to about 70% of the maximum weight - this is an ideal indicator for slaughtering poultry, so that there is no overconsumption of feed. An adult individual eats up to 2.5% of its mass per day, and "kids" are generally gluttonous, eating up to 4% of their mass. That is, 1-2 kg should be spread on average. Weight gain is 3: 1 at 6 months, 6: 1 at 10 months, and 15: 1 at 14 months. Therefore, it is time to fry at the age of 6-10 months.

Green forage. They should occupy up to 45% of the total diet in individuals up to 5 months and up to 55% in adult ostriches. Feed beets, cabbage, silage, mustard stalks, carrots, pumpkin leftovers, fruit tree leaves, berries, and even fruit can be fed. They eat parsley, basil, horseradish, Jerusalem artichoke, sorrel and other plants.

Dry roughage. Growing ostriches at home is not difficult at all, because it can be fed like an ordinary cow! They perfectly eat hay from forbs: dried clover, soy straw, barley straw, peanut stalks go well. They love to feast on mint, reeds. They eat almost everything that is used in raising pigs without going overboard.

Cereals. Milled corn, waste from crushing wheat, barley, whole grain, lupine seed, pea wedges - this and much more is easily swallowed by large birds, and it is necessary to feed abundantly. The total weight of cereals can be up to 60% of the diet, but give babies no more than 15% until their stomach gradually weaned from light herbs.

Minerals. Keeping an ostrich at home cannot be carried out without being fed with minerals. This is not only a whim of farmers, but a tradition. Mass is much better gained when feeding from phosphate, calcium, seashells, fine gravel, sand and even egg shells (a very good source of calcium for the body).

Keeping ostriches as a waste-free production

These exotic birds are good because they provide not only meat, but also a lot of useful things, unlike raising ducks or geese. Let's take a closer look at what and where you can sell.

1. Meat. Naturally, there is nowhere without it. It can be sold on the market for 300-400 rubles / 1 kg to wholesalers and a little more expensive at retail. In restaurants, they buy fresh for 600 rubles or more.
2. Skin. It will surprise many, but it is she who is the most expensive product. The price of 1 m2 of such material costs 400-500 dollars.... From one large specimen, about 2-3 m2 is obtained.
3. Egg. Growing ostriches will be incredibly profitable if you sell them. 1 piece costs 300 rubles at the bazaar and up to 1500 if you make a souvenir. 1 jigsaw, 10 minutes time and a souvenir box or ashtray is ready!
4. Feathers. They are bought by factories producing pillows, blankets and clothing. The cost of a feather depends on its length, type, quantity and buyer.
5. Beak. It is highly valued in pharmaceuticals because it contains valuable fat.
6. Liver. It has excellent taste, it is purchased by restaurants at 1500-2000 r / kg, so raising geese for the liver is not as profitable as an ostrich (and its size is 10 times larger).

We have considered how to keep ostriches, now it remains to have a couple of animals to train abilities and you can start an effective business!

. 

What should a person do if he has the opportunity to engage in agriculture or farming, but his soul does not lie in growing potatoes and breeding chickens? I would like to try something interesting and exotic, but scary, what if it doesn't work out? There is one idea that can bring pleasure and quick profit. This is the breeding of ostriches. Lovely "babies" can become a real gold mine for those who correctly draw up a work plan and assess their capabilities.

Ostriches can bring good profits to the owner

Why ostriches?

Growing ostriches is an interesting and unusual activity. This huge bird is the source of many valuable foods. Even the fact that when raising other poultry is not considered as a commodity at all is in demand. The budding farmer will need to network and network across a variety of industries. And he will have something to interest buyers, since very soon the sales plans will include:

• Dietary and healthy ostrich meat. Low-fat and rich in protein composition, a product that restaurants and shops are happy to buy. Each bird - at least 25 kg of meat when cutting. And the price of this product is much higher than that of beef or chicken.
• Ostrich fat. This product is gladly purchased by pharmaceutical and cosmetic companies for the manufacture of ointments, creams or other products. You can get 10-15 kg of fat from each bird.
• Eggs that are striking in size and delicate taste. They have a surprisingly long shelf life (up to a year), and are used not only for food, but also as a material for artistic painting, cutting and engraving.
• A feather that can be used as a pillow material or sold to fashion houses and dance groups to decorate hats and costumes. You can also earn income by selling male feathers as souvenirs.
• The skin from which bags, wallets and other haberdashery goods are made. It will be in demand because it has high elasticity, moisture resistance and a long service life.
• Breeding bird. This is also a kind of commodity, as home breeding of ostriches is gaining momentum.
• Claws and droppings are also a commodity! The claws can be sold to button and fastener makers, and the droppings can be sold as a valuable soil fertilizer.

As you can see, breeding ostriches can be very profitable. If profitability is the first item in your plans, then this business is for you.

Ostrich eggs are popular not only as food, but also as a decorative material.

How to build a business?

Any business starts with a well-written work plan. In economics, this is called writing a business plan. It should be clear and feasible, you should not set sky-high goals, first you need to prepare the basis for them. Breeding ostriches as a business requires careful preparation. A typical business plan consists of the following points:

• plans for the volume of production and sale of the final product;
• plans for the cost of purchasing feed, electricity and heat;
• marketing (price justification, promotions, customer acquisition);
• organizational issues (information about buyers and suppliers, staff recruitment, search for partners);
• objective risk assessment;
• financial plans (search for sources of financing, profitability, planning the return of loan money);
• the final part (determining the ultimate goals of drawing up a business plan, summary information).

Since at the initial stage of building a business, large financial costs are required, the farmer must understand that his risks are very high. There is always a chance of incidents that he cannot influence. It can be natural disasters, unexpected epidemics, deaths of birds. In this case, the farmer will go bankrupt even with the most scrupulous implementation of business plans. In all other cases, raising ostriches at home can become a stable source of income.

Ostriches are large birds, and the investment in their maintenance will be rather big

The first steps

To set up an ostrich farm, you need to rent a large plot of land. There are some nuances here. Not every area is suitable for keeping ostriches. It must be protected from the wind and well lit. You cannot choose cheaper wetland or damp lands.

The farmer must complete all the necessary documents and permits. Then hire staff, not forgetting that they are not only handymen, but also a livestock technician, watchman, and veterinarian. This is followed by the purchase of feed and equipment. It is advisable not to skimp on the quality and equipment of incubators.Immediately select a model with temperature measurement, moisture detection and automatic egg turning.

When the site and equipment are ready, you can buy birds. Usually they buy several heads of monthly chickens, as well as females and males in reproductive age.

First you should buy already hatched ostriches

Content methods

The first step is to decide how to raise ostriches. You must choose one of three ways:

• Intensive keeping of ostriches. The birds will be kept in a small area in close contact with the staff.
• Extensive housing, that is, a large territory is equipped for the birds, where they are left to themselves most of the time.
• Semi-intensive keeping of ostriches, in which close contacts with the bird are established in large areas.

You should also know that you can breed livestock according to a single-level scheme, purchasing and raising chicks of the same age before slaughter. And according to a multi-level scheme, when individuals of different ages are reared in the same territory.

Multilevel keeping of ostriches implies keeping birds of different ages on the same territory

Breed selection

Most often, farmers prefer the breeding of African ostriches. These are large, unpretentious birds, weighing more than 160 kg. They are not afraid of high and low temperatures, and are unpretentious in food.

Australian emus can be bred. In this case, you will have to build separate enclosures for couples. Poultry is mainly slaughtered for meat. The weight of an adult is up to 75 kg.

The third ostrich species is the South American rhea. These ostriches are smaller than African ones. They live in small herds and are very fond of water.

African ostrich is the most popular breed for breeding

Organization of feeding

Correct selection of drinkers and feeders plays a big role in the organization of feeding. Ostriches eat greedily and a lot. Therefore, to avoid injury, several large feeders must be installed. The sizes are calculated as follows: each chick has at least 50 cm of space, and for an adult ostrich - 1.5 m. The design of the feeder should be stable and comfortable. Placement height - to match the height of the birds.

The best way to feed ostrich hay and twigs is from a trellised nursery. Their height is about 70 cm from the ground (floor) level. It is good to use strong plastic containers or ordinary troughs as a drinker.

Feeders for ostriches should be positioned so that they do not have to bend over too much

Selection of feed

To grow a strong and well-nourished bird, you need to properly organize the selection of feed. Food should be varied and nutritious.

The ostrich diet consists of:

• mineral additives, which are used as gravel, phosphates, shell rock, calcium and fluorine;
• roughage, that is, hay and straw;
• fresh fruits and vegetables, melons, pumpkins, apples, cucumbers, radishes or potatoes;
• green grass, best of all alfalfa, nettle, clover or quinoa;
• silo;
• fish and bone meal;
• grains and seeds of various crops;
• vitamins.

Despite the extensive list of foods, feeding ostriches is quite simple. They are not picky and gluttonous. The main thing is to observe the necessary proportions of feed for chicks in order to get a healthy adult livestock.

Chickens are prepared special mixtures of crushed clover leaves (alfalfa) and mixed feed with 20% protein content.

As a protein supplement, ostriches should be fed with boiled eggs and cottage cheese. From four weeks to three months, chicks should have no more than 12% fiber in the feed. Separately, they are offered small stones for grinding coarse forage grasses and greens.

Ostriches can be fed with pumpkin

Maintaining health

The main diseases of ostriches are associated with indigestion and respiratory infections. To prevent mass diseases on an ostrich farm, you must strictly adhere to the following standards:

• cleaning of premises and territories should be daily;
• special quarantine pens are set up on the farm for sick or only acquired birds;
• rooms and equipment, including feeders and water tanks, should be regularly disinfected;
• workers, especially those involved in incubators and young animals, must observe a disinfection regime and use gloves;
• be sure to conduct regular analyzes of droppings for infectious diseases and parasites;
• measures for the destruction of rodents must be carried out in a timely manner, and in compliance with safety measures;
• be sure to follow the bird vaccination schedule;
• water in drinking bowls should be in sufficient quantity and replaced with fresh water daily;
• the farm is necessarily equipped with disintegrating barriers.

Thus, diseases of ostriches are limited to isolated cases. And the livestock of the farm is kept healthy and reproductive.

Armed with the necessary knowledge and documentation, you can start setting up your ostrich farm.

The times are not far away when your business will cease to be considered exotic, and ostrich meat dishes will take their rightful place on our tables.

Subscribe Be aware of new products on our site

Ostriches are gigantic birds, successfully domesticated by man. Having appeared in the hot African savannah, they gradually reached the vastness of the European continent. From Greek, "ostrich" is translated as "camel-sparrow": inventive Greeks capaciously noticed its belonging to birds and large sizes inherent in animals. Breeding ostriches is a profitable and profitable investment. The enterprise turns out to be almost waste-free: meat, feathers, eggs, fat and even claws are in demand both in the domestic and foreign markets. If you strictly adhere to all the components of the business plan, the initial investment will pay off within 2 or 3 years.

Breeding ostriches

Why breed ostriches

If a few decades ago these giant birds were considered an exotic curiosity, exhibited exclusively in zoological parks, now Africa has become closer by several tens of thousands of ostriches! The number of ostrich farms is increasing every year.

Every year the ostrich business becomes more and more popular in the territory of the Russian Federation

The secret to the success and profitability of this business lies in several components:

• high profitability, which, with an average rate of 100%, sometimes even reaches 150%;
• product needs: ostrich meat is not only nutritious, but dietary. Due to its unusual origin, it is in demand among the chefs of restaurants and outdoor clubs, as well as among the population that cares about the health and beauty of physical forms;

  The cholesterol content of ostrich meat is quite low.

• a constant increase in the cost of food, including an increase in the never-before-democratic price of ostrich products. The interest in ostrich products is constantly increasing;
• free access to the national market for products of domestic manufacturers, in contrast to foreign colleagues. Restrictions on the import of foreign products give carte blanche to domestic producers;
• subject to all appropriate conditions, the ostrich business can qualify for benefits and other favorable conditions;

  Entrepreneurs engaged in the cultivation of ostriches, in some cases, can count on assistance from the state in the form of subsidies or benefits

• the unpretentiousness of these birds: due to their good immunity, they rarely get sick, demonstrate excellent survival rates and calmly react to cold Russian winters;

  The birds tolerate frost well.

• income is brought not only by the sale of meat and eggs, but also by the sale of lard, leather, feathers and even feathered claws.

  Ostrich feathers are used in decorative arts

Ostrich meat can easily become an alternative to all other types of meat products. In addition, the birds are known for their high productivity: annually one female produces at least 40 babies, some of which are gaining up to 100 kg of live weight by the 10th month.

For 1 year from one pair of ostriches you can get:

• 1800 kg of meat;
• 50 m2 of leather;
• 36 kg of feathers.

Birds retain their reproductive qualities from 25 to 35 years: the length of this period cannot but rejoice farmers, since the purchase of ostriches is a long-term investment.

Buying just one or a few ostrich families can generate a stable income for many years.

Valuable ostrich products

The uniqueness of these birds lies in the fact that, in addition to their aesthetic appeal, if viewed exclusively from a consumer point of view, they represent an invaluable source of meat, eggs, feathers, fat and skin. Even the claws of these birds can be used as accessories.

Diet meat

It is famous for its low cholesterol content: up to 34 mg per 100 g. But the presence of proteins so useful for the body, on the contrary, reaches 22%. In addition, it contains the most luxurious set of micronutrients in composition. If you look at this meat from a culinary point of view, then it is difficult to find any drawback in the mass of positive aspects. It is superbly saturated with spices, which made it so popular in Mexico and Asian countries. Europe and the United States also could not resist its "charm": as of 2000, the level of beef consumption by Europeans decreased due to an increase in the purchase of ostrich.

Ostrich meat is rapidly conquering the stomachs of the inhabitants of the whole world

Ostrich eggs

One egg weighs on average 1.5 kg. Similar to meat, it is also low in cholesterol. The gigantic size of the eggs is attracting more and more buyers. The hard boiled egg process can take over 75 minutes! In South African countries, exotic bird eggs are successfully used to make bakery products. In Europe, restaurants are interested in gigantic eggs, luring guests with a huge fried egg, which can be easily divided into 10 servings.

If there is a need to prepare breakfast for 10 people, it is enough to fry only one ostrich egg

Ostrich skin

It is included in the luxury category and is increasingly becoming an alternative to the skin of animals belonging to endangered or protected species. The skin of these birds has a unique texture. It is appreciated for its positive characteristics such as wear resistance, elasticity and moisture resistance. The most popular skin is located on the back and in the chest area: it is in these areas that a pattern resembling air bubbles is inherent in it. The skin covering the limbs of birds is used primarily for the manufacture of boots.

If you sell only ostrich skin, without selling either meat or eggs, you can still fully cover all maintenance costs

Ostrich fat

From a medium-sized ostrich, you can get from 5 to 7 kg of fat, and if the bird ate well and managed to accumulate a sufficient amount of fat, then the amount of fat can reach up to 16 kg. Despite the fact that the most valuable and healthy fat comes from Emu ostriches, African ostrich fat is also popular in the market. It is renowned for its hypoallergic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, it perfectly complements and enriches the useful components of cosmetics. The fat is able to penetrate deeply into the epidermis, paving the way for the rest of the ingredients, and prevents the loss of invaluable moisture. Ointments based on it are successfully used to treat muscles and joints.

Ostrich fat warms and relieves joint pain

Ostrich feathers

The most popular are the white feathers of males, located in the area of ​​the wings and tail: they are used mainly for decorative purposes. The rest of the plumage also did not go unnoticed: due to its anti-electrostatic properties, it is often used to clean dust on electrical appliances.

After slaughter, from one ostrich you can get:

• 1―1.2 kg of short feathers, up to 22 cm long;
• 0.4-0.5 kg of medium and long feathers, over 22 cm long.

The share from the sale of feathers is only 10% of the total production.

Ostrich feathers appealed to artists and lovers of home art

In addition to selling products, income can be obtained from organizing excursions to ostrich farms. In addition to sightseeing walks, you can offer tourists dishes prepared with ostrich meat or eggs.

In addition, feathered claws can also be sold: some factories use them as fasteners. The large form inspired the craftsmen to sell painted eggs, from which the contents were previously extracted.

Excursions to a bird farm can be another source of income

Main breeds

The ostrich is the largest bird of our time. The resemblance to a camel, so clearly noted by the Greeks, is confirmed by bulging eyes, long eyelashes and the ability to feel good in the endless desert expanses.

There are 3 ostrich breeds:

1. African ostrich... A specious bird of black and white color. It arose as a result of crossing a South African ostrich with a North African one. It turned out to be quite strong, unpretentious both to weather conditions and to content, a specimen: it easily tolerates ―22 ° С and + 36 ° С. If it gets used to a person, it becomes friendly, and some individuals even begin to behave like tame pets.

   African ostrich

2. Australian Emu. He is the second tallest among the ostriches. The feathers are gray or light brown. Due to the underdevelopment of the skeleton, it lacks flight wings. He is picky about food and friendly towards humans.

   Ostrich Emu

3. American rhea... In terms of exterior features, it is similar to the black African counterpart. The growth of these feathered babies does not exceed 130 cm, and the average weight is about 30 kg.

   Ostrich Nandu

Breeding ostriches in Russia: how profitable?

Russia has always been famous for breeding cattle, pig breeding and sheep breeding. However, the pace of development of the "ostrich business" is so fast that it will soon be able to compete with them based on the results of the profit it has earned. For home cultivation, the African black ostrich is recognized as the best option among all the varieties of this overseas bird.

The average ostrich is characterized by:

• the growth of a mature male is 2.7 m;
• live weight - up to 150 kg;
• the growth of a mature female is 2 m;
• live weight - 120 kg.

By their nature, ostriches are quite calm and obedient birds, therefore they do not cause much trouble in keeping. Only males show concern during the mating season. An additional bonus is their rapid growth: young animals reach the weight required for slaughter already at 10 months.

Ostriches grow very quickly

Performance characteristic

If in the natural environment the females begin to lay eggs from about 4 years of age, then in the conditions of private farms, the ostrich lays the first egg at 2 years.

To understand how profitable it is to breed ostriches in the temperate continental climatic zone inherent in the European part of the Russian Federation, it is enough to turn to the indicators of ostrich fertility, which is impressive in its results:

• egg production - on average from 40 to 80 eggs per productive season, sometimes from 100 or more;
• egg weight - from 1400 to 1900 g;
• egg length - from 15 to 21 cm;
• diameter - 15 cm;
• shell thickness - 0.6 cm;
• the duration of the incubation period is from 42 to 45 days;
• female productivity - from 25 to 35 years;
• male productivity - 40 years;
• fertilization of eggs - 90%.

In the wild, the female lays about 20 eggs during the season.

Females enter sexual maturity between two and three years, and males are 1 year behind them, although sometimes layers begin to lay eggs as early as 1.5 years. Females lay eggs 2 times a year: in winter and autumn. Usually clutch lasts up to 2 months: the ostrich lays eggs approximately every 2 days. During the first season, she lays from 10 to 30 eggs, over time this figure increases significantly. Eggs obtained at the beginning and at the end of the productive season are characterized by a lower fertility rate.

Ostriches are considered centenarians: with good maintenance, they can live up to 70 years. These birds are unusually hardy in relation to temperature extremes, which allows them to be bred not only in the European territory of the Russian Federation, but also in Siberia.

Ostriches can survive even at -38 ° С, so they attracted the attention of Siberian poultry breeders.

Market value

The result of farming work on raising birds is in demand on the national market. Recently, poultry farmers are more and more inclined towards the ostrich business.

Ostrich chicks: 1 day	7 000
Ostrich chicks: up to 1 month	10 000
Ostriches: 2 months	12 000
Ostriches: 6 months	18 000
Ostriches: 10 to 12 months	25 000
Sexually mature ostriches: 2 years	45 000
Adult ostriches: 3 years	60 000
Family: 4-5 years	200 000
Hatching ostrich egg	3 000
Table ostrich egg	1000―2000
Souvenir ostrich egg	500
Processed fat, 1 kg	1000
Ostrich meat (fillet), 1kg	1100―2200 depending on quality
Wet-salted ostrich skin 1.2 - 1.4 m2	3 000
Crafted ostrich leather 1.2─1.4 m2	7000
Ostrich feather, 60 cm	400

From an economic point of view, growing ostriches is practically waste-free

An approximate business plan for breeding ostriches

While this idea may seem bizarre at first, it is built on the solid foundation of a well thought out and tested business plan.

The "ostrich" business plan can be applied by both experienced entrepreneurs and novice businessmen.

Starting points for starting a project:

• determine the volume of sales of products;
• schedule the expenditure part: the purchase of feed, the consumption of water and electricity;
• plan the main components of marketing;
• find suppliers of products necessary for the implementation of the plan;
• assess risks;
• fix the planned profit.

When assessing potential failures, it should be remembered that raising ostriches, like any other activity, carries certain risks. There is always a danger of natural disasters that can lead to the death of the entire livestock.

Natural disasters are a significant risk when breeding ostriches

To make the "ostrich" event doomed to success, you should adhere to simple recommendations:

1. Purchase or rent a spacious land plot.

   It is recommended to use a plot of land located on the south side: ostriches like to soak up the sun

2. Prepare the necessary documentation and deal with obtaining the appropriate permits, for example, from the veterinary control service. It is impossible to start an ostrich farming business without the necessary permits.
3. Hire staff, ranging from a livestock technician to a watchman. Breeding ostriches alone will be problematic.
4. Purchase an ostrich incubator. The average cost of an apparatus with a capacity of 128 eggs is 120,000 rubles.

   For a successful business, it is preferable to use an incubator

5. Buy ostriches.

   The initial number of ostriches depends on the planned sales volumes

6. Stock up on all the necessary feed.

   It is advisable to purchase long-term food in advance.

After completing the above points, you can start the exciting process of breeding these amazing birds.

In order to increase income, you can do the processing of leather, feathers and tallow. An additional source of income can be the opening of points for the sale of products.

Keeping ostriches in terms of labor intensity is no different from growing any poultry

Home care and maintenance

The cultivation of these birds is conventionally divided into 3 types:

• intense;
• semi-intensive;
• extensive.

The first type resembles the peculiarities of keeping cattle in a stall, the principle of the second is to copy the natural habitat of birds, and the third is a mix of these two systems.

In farming circles, ostriches are called "livestock with wings"

To provide birds with comfortable content, you need to pay attention to a number of important points.

Territory

First of all, one should reckon with the fact that the ostrich is a large bird: the growth of a mature male can reach 2.7 m, and the weight is 150 kg. Therefore, the area for the content should be vast. In addition, the bird is quite mobile, therefore, it requires a lot of open space.

1. Earth. When choosing a place to create an ostrich farm, one should take into account the terrain, the presence of a forest belt that protects from the winds, remoteness from the city limits and motorways, equipment with electricity and sewerage.

   The land on which the ostriches will be kept must be covered with grass.

2. Terrain. You should choose dry land with a groundwater level of at least 1 m. It is desirable that there is a slight slope of the relief to the south: in this position, the sun will better illuminate the territory.

   It is not recommended to build a farm on wet or damp land

3. Corral length. Birds love open areas: the minimum length of the enclosure should be 40 m.

   The pen for birds must be at least 40 m in length

4. Walking area... It is recommended to set aside at least 0.4 hectares for bird walking. It is also advisable to equip the area with 2-meter fences.

   It is advisable to put dividing fences on the walking area

5. Fencing of the territory. In the case when a metal mesh is used instead of a fence, the option with small cells should be purchased: curious birds will not be able to push and damage their heads through small holes.

   The size of the cells in the protective mesh should be much smaller than the head of the ostrich, about 30x30 mm

After arranging the territory, you can move on to equipping the room for placing ostriches.

Room for content

"Ostrich House" must meet a number of requirements, without which it is impossible to grow a full-fledged livestock.

1. You can rent an abandoned pig house or build a new stall as a room for keeping. It is desirable that its height be from 3 m.For a family consisting of one male and two females, the occupied area should be 12x16 m.The doors should be made wide, from 1.2 m.

   The room should be well lit

2. If the stall is covered with concrete, a sufficiently large layer of hay or shavings should be used as bedding. Otherwise, the birds may freeze.

   The room must have a flat floor covered with hay or shavings

3. Male ostriches are polygamous individuals: up to 4 females can be present in one family. Separate maintenance of families is recommended: for this, the stall should be equipped with partitions separating one "social cell" from another.

   Partitions separating one ostrich "room" from another should not be continuous

4. The part of the enclosure adjacent to the room needs to be covered with sand: birds like to pamper themselves with a sand bath.

   Sand baths are an integral part of the "care" procedures

5. The nests that the male makes after the honeymoon should be lightly sprinkled with gravel to ensure drainage and clean sand on top.

   Fine gravel should be used to equip the nest

6. Feeders and water tanks are recommended to be installed directly into enclosures. This will greatly facilitate the work of the service personnel, since the employees will be able to update the food inventory without entering the ostrich territory. For one polygamous family, a feeder 1.2 m long and at least 15 cm deep is suitable. The size of the drinker should be about 75 cm long and 20 cm deep. It is not advisable to give the birds cold water.

   It is recommended to use open type ostrich feeders

From mid-spring to mid-autumn, it is recommended to keep the birds outdoors.

Caring for the health of birds

In addition to ensuring comfortable living conditions, no less attention should be paid to the health of the birds. To keep the birds always cheerful and energetic, it is recommended to adhere to the following rules.

It should not be forgotten that on an ostrich farm it is necessary to strictly observe all the prescribed technological conditions of production and periodically check the birds with a veterinarian.

Keeping ostriches

Chicks can see and move from the very first minutes of their birth. They must be kept on a litter floor for the first 3 weeks. The stocking density should be at least 1 m2 per individual, since ostriches are born large enough, with a body weight of at least 1 kg. It is not recommended to keep more than 40 chicks in one group.

When babies reach 3 weeks of age, the area of ​​the occupied territory is increased to 5 m2, and after the chicks are 6 months old, each of them needs a personal space of 10 m2.

It is advisable to grow ostriches in aviaries with awnings

Features of poultry breeding

Incubation of ostrich eggs

Features of behavior during the mating season

With the onset of the mating period, the male sometimes becomes hostile: it is important to be extremely careful when interacting with the bird. To calm a male with overly played hormones, a 2-meter hook is used with which he is laid on the ground for disorientation. If this measure does not work, a cloth bag with slots for the beak must be put on the head.

The duration of the mating season is due to the quality of the diet, conditions of detention and climatic features.

How do ostriches breed?

It is important for a novice farmer to know how the birds he plans to breed reproduce. Fromour articleyou will learn all about poultry breeding and how mating and hatching of eggs occurs.

How to feed ostriches

Plant foods and seeds are the main dishes of these fast-running birds. As a dessert, ostriches feast on insects: they have excellent eyesight, so they can notice these little creatures from afar. In addition, a long, well-developed neck makes it easier to find bugs.

Ostriches are omnivores

The amount of food required for food is determined by the age, the degree of mobility of the birds and the nutritional value of the food:

• young individuals eat 3 to 4% of their body weight daily;
• adults - 2.5%.

As you grow older, the proportion of weight gain and the amount of feed consumed changes:

• chicks: 1.4 - 2.1 to 1, which is deciphered as follows: in order for one baby to gain 1 kg, he needs to be given from 1.4 to 2.1 kg of concentrated feed;
• young growth from 3 to 6 months: 2.6 ―3.0 to 1;
• individuals from 7 to 12 months: 4.1 - 15.0 to 1.

The weight gain per feed unit in ostriches is significantly greater than that of other poultry

Birds are allowed to feed feed developed for other farm animals or birds.If there is no financial means for the constant purchase of expensive concentrated feed, it is recommended to prepare mash and dry mixtures for birds. It is advisable to mix them with good quality hay, as well as vitamin and mineral supplements.

Calcium should be included in the daily diet

Types of food used to feed ostriches

Green food	The basis of the bird feeding system is: alfalfa; White cabbage; Clover; nettle; beet and spinach leaves; fodder cereals; quinoa; carrot tops; rape.
Roughage	meadow hay; straw. After vegetable feed, hay is the second most important element of the diet.
Juicy root vegetables	carrot; radish; onion; turnip; cucumbers; watermelon; apples.
Cereals and seeds	pumpkin seeds; wheat; cow peas; corn; sunflower; rye; oats; millet; barley.
Animal products	meat and bone and fish meal; gravel; limestone; crushed shells; shell rock. Meat and bone meal is an important mineral supplement.

Ostriches also love to feast on silage.

The volume of drinking water is determined by weather conditions, dietary habits and the amount of food fed. For example, at high temperatures and a shortage of juicy feed for one mature ostrich, at least 10 liters of water are needed daily.

Ostriches grow very quickly during the first 3 months of life, so it is important to provide them with a balanced diet at this stage.

Ostrich diet

The balance of all elements essential for the body of babies is very important for the growth of a healthy livestock. For example, an illiterate ratio of calcium, manganese, phosphorus and zinc is fraught with deformation of the limbs and metabolic disorders.

The stems of plants fed to birds should be thoroughly crushed: undigested feed lingering in the gastrointestinal tract is fraught with the death of birds

It is not recommended to feed the chicks for the first 3 days: high-calorie substances in their bodies come from the yolk sac, which makes up 25% of the total weight of the babies. When its contents are depleted, you can begin to give water from the drinkers. And on day 4, the chicks are already able to eat finely chopped clover leaves, thoroughly mixed with feed for chickens.

Starting from day 4, you can give a mash of boiled egg, chopped corn and curd mixture

To help the digestive system work, fine gravel should be poured into separate feeders from 3 weeks.

Despite the exotic nature of the breed, ostriches are absolutely unpretentious in keeping and caring.

How to feed ostriches?

The topic of making a ration for ostriches is immense. Learn more about feeding ostriches from our article: features of the digestive system, intensive and extensive feeding methods, feeding during the laying period and the diet of young animals. And we answer the question, what is the drinking regime of ostriches?

Video - Growing ostriches at home

Video - Keeping ostriches at home

In the general classification of animals, the numerous class of birds, due to their originality and specificity, is divided into three large groups: flying, swimming and running.

Among the latter, flightless flat-chested birds, the largest currently living on earth are the African ostriches.

According to the "experienced", keeping ostriches at home is no more difficult in terms of labor intensity than any other poultry. This exotic bird can be bred for several purposes: to obtain high-quality meat, feathers, skins and other types of products.

Breeding ostriches at home

For breeding in households, the largest among other species of ostriches, the African black ostrich, is most suitable.

The African black ostrich is a cross between South African and North African. The growth of an adult male can reach 2.7 m, body weight - up to 150 kg, of a female - 2 m and 120 kg, respectively.

Ostriches are considered centenarians, as they can live up to 80 years.However, the reproductive function of these birds remains only up to 40 years.

While in the usual habitat, egg-laying in African black ostriches begins at the age of four years, at home it begins much earlier - from 2 years old. If under natural conditions the female usually lays 12-18 eggs, then in the household she can lay from 40 to 110 eggs. The average weight of one egg is 1400-1900 g. Depending on the weight of the egg, the incubation period ranges from 42 to 45 days.

A feature of breeding ostriches is that the female and the male take turns incubating eggs: the female - during the day, and the male - at night. It turns out that if one female brings 60 eggs, then up to 40 chicks can be hatched, the live weight of which in a year of rearing can exceed 100 kg. Thus, the total amount of meat in live weight will exceed 4 tons, which no farm animal is capable of.

Keeping ostriches at home

There are three ways to keep ostriches at home: intensive, semi-intensive and extensive. The first approach is similar to stalling cattle. An extensive system of keeping involves placing domestic ostriches in conditions as close as possible to natural ones. The semi-intensive method is a cross between an intensive and an extensive system of content.

Domestic ostriches overwinter in stationary wooden or brick poultry houses. Each family of ostriches is placed in a separate section at the rate of 10 m2 per adult bird. The height of the room should be at least 2.7-3 meters. The floor of the house should be covered with dry straw and shavings.

Part of the stall should be covered with sand so that the ostriches can take a sand bath. In the mating season, the male makes a small depression on the earthen floor for the future nest, which must be filled with clean sand - the females will lay eggs there. By the way, usually females lay eggs every other day.

It is worth remembering that during the mating season, the male-producer can be very aggressive, so the attendants need to be extremely careful. It is allowed to use a special hook with a length of more than 2 meters, with which the male's head is pressed to the ground for the purpose of disorientation. Then the so-called "hood" is put on the head - a cloth bag measuring 15x30 cm with a hole for the beak.

In the warm season, it is better to keep ostriches outside in spacious corrals, fenced with a metal mesh with a cell size of 30x30 cm. The height of the fence should be at least 2 meters so that a domestic ostrich cannot jump over it.

Feeding ostriches at home

Around the perimeter of the corral, sheds are arranged, under which the feeders are located. Drinking bowls and feeders are best placed so that maintenance personnel do not have to go inside the pen. Usually food for adult ostriches is placed at a height of 1-2 meters, for ostriches - a little lower.

Optimal diet for domestic ostriches throughout the year:

• 1.5 kg of compound feed;
• chopped hay;
• green mass.

The level of feeding depends on the degree of feed intake. The amount of concentrates can be increased to 2-3 kg mixed with green chopped food.

Growing ostriches at home

Newly hatched chicks have a height of about 20 cm in the back. They grow at a rate of 1 cm per day until they reach 150 cm. It is not recommended to feed or water the ostriches for the first three days. This is necessary for the resorption of the bile sac, which, when hatched, makes up 25% of the mass of the ostrich chick.

From the fourth day of life, ostriches are given water and leaves of clover or alfalfa more than 1 cm in size, which are mixed with PK-5 compound feed (this is compound feed for broiler chickens in the first 4 weeks of growing).

At the same time, they are fed cottage cheese, a hard-boiled egg. From the 5th week to 3 months of age, ostriches should be fed with PK-6 compound feed (finishing compound feed for broiler chickens).In the first days of growing, the temperature under the brooder should be 32-33 ° C.

In the first three weeks, ostriches are kept on the floor with a stocking density of one head per 1 m2 in a community of no more than 40 heads in a group. After 3 weeks, the area increases to 5 m2, and from 6 months of age - at least 10 m2 of area per head.

In addition, ostriches that have reached 3 months of age can be kept in pens with sheds. Grown ostriches consume a significant amount of grass in summer, root crops (potatoes, beets, carrots) in autumn, silage and grass flour in winter.

From 3 weeks of age, ostriches should be fed gravel in separate feeders. Typical feed ingredients for ostriches can be: ground corn, millet, wheat, fish meal, hydrolysis yeast, dicalcium phosphate, table salt, vitamin-mineral premix.

The cost of a baby ostrich at the age of 1-7 days is approximately $ 180, 3 months. - 350 US dollars, 1 family of 3 birds of two years old - 5 thousand US dollars.

TO MAIN

With full or partial use of site materials, an active link toAgroinfois required.

Read also:

Indoor breeding as a business

How to breed guinea fowl in the country?

Growing turkey poults is a delicate matter!