Feeding ostriches is a rather laborious process that requires precision and regimen. This is especially true of ostriches who do not know how to control themselves. In ostriches, in comparison with other birds, fiber is well absorbed, which allows you to get delicious red meat with practically no cholesterol.
What do ostriches eat?
Ostriches are accustomed to living in the wild, naturally they eat the food that they themselves get, that is, they are omnivorous. The diet of ostriches is quite diverse, because they can be consumed as plant food:
- alfalfa;
- various grass;
- leaves from trees.
So is the living creature:
- small insects;
- bugs;
- snails.
The diet is supplemented with compound feed, crayons, shells, proteins, vegetables and cereals.
In nature
Ostriches, which are large feathered birds, inhabit the African savannah with long plains. A large number of greenery and young leaves grow in these parts - this is the main food for ostriches. Many herbivorous animals are grazed in the African savannah. In nature, the diet of ostriches is pasture.
Birds can be without water for quite a long time, so they often nest in dry desert surroundings, where they eat seeds, roots, branches that grow on bushes.
For a change, in addition to greenery, they eat small insects, rodents and reptiles. In order for an ostrich to expend a lot of energy and to be able to run far, it needs about 4 kg of feed per day.
In nature, ostriches come into contact with antelopes and zebras, these animals have excellent eyesight, so the first can spot a wild animal and notify their friends about it. Antelopes with zebras help ostriches with food, they get insects from the grass with their sharp legs.
On the farm
Birds living on a farm or on a private household do not have a much different diet than free birds. The food that ostriches eat in the wild, they eat it at home or on the farm. The only difference is that on the farm they are allocated a little space, so they move less, respectively, use little energy and eat a little. Their main food is fresh grass, herbs and leaves.
The table below shows the costs of concentrated feed per individual of different ages:
| Periods | Bird age in months | How much feed is required per year |
| Newborn | from 0 to 2 | 16 Kg |
| Start | from 2 to 4 | 84 kg |
| Fattening | from 4 to 6 | 100 Kg |
| The finish | from 6 to 10 | 300 Kg |
| Slaughter | from 10 to 12 | 150 Kg |
When properly fed, the birds should weigh as follows:
- in 1 month up to 3 kg;
- at 2 months up to 10 kg;
- from 2 to 6 months up to 60 kg;
- from 6 to 11 months up to 100 kg;
- from 11 to 14 months up to 120 kg.
Influence of the digestive system of ostriches on the diet
The digestive tract of birds is consistent with the drought conditions of savannas and prairies. Goiter in these birds is absent in comparison with other poultry. Food enters the pancreatic compartment, where it is softened by fluid secreted from the walls of the pancreas.
Then the soft mixture passes into the stomach, where the thick, hard walls are located. Ostriches have no teeth, so they often swallow small stones. Food, which consists of coarse fibers, is processed along with pebbles.
At the end of the process, useful substances are absorbed in the small intestine, which is 5 meters long. Fiber is decayed only in the processes of the cecum.
Thanks to this, birds can do without water for quite a long time, since it is replenished from food.
Feeding methods
The feeding diet needs to be given a lot of attention when. With proper, nutritious and rational feeding, ostriches will delight with good weight gain, good development and high productive qualities. In winter, preference should be given to alfalfa, which is sold as hay, and in summer, fresh alfalfa mixed with compound feed is given. One and a half kilograms is enough for one individual.
There are 3 types of feeding, the choice is up to the owner of the bird:
- Intensive method.
- Semi-intensive.
- Extensive.
Intensive method
This method involves feeding ostriches with compound feed or self-prepared grain mixtures (chopped corn, wheat, cake, premixes). Silage, hay and mass from perennial grasses are also added to the diet.
Semi-intensive
If the area for walking is small, then a semi-intense feeding method is chosen. In this case, the ostriches are walking on their own, they move a lot, eating pasture. But at the same time, the owner feeds with specialized feed in the form of compound feed pellets with chopped vegetables and herbs. This method is considered the best, since the birds feed both naturally and artificially, getting everything they need.
Extensive feeding
As for the extensive method, it entails an independent search for food, walking in the pasture. This option is very economical, since there is no need to constantly buy feed in stores. The diet is supplemented with compound feed. In Africa, people have long bred ostriches and they noticed that they get the best growth on pasture maintenance, especially in a meadow dotted with alfalfa. The walking area should be as follows: 1 hectare for 10 birds.
In addition, it turned out that it is better to keep chicks in the pasture from two weeks to 4 months, after which they are transferred to fenced pens and they are given alfalfa in granules or simply crushed.
Experienced farmers walk ostriches on grasses of seradella, clover, wicky. They also graze well in the field after harvesting wheat. In drought, when natural food a little feeding is done as with the intensive method.
How to choose compound feed?
Every ostrich breeding farmer wants to get the best food for their livestock. There are many types of compound feed with various additives. You need to choose compound feed based on the weight, as well as the age of the bird. Usually, by age, they are divided into several types of feed:
- from 0 to a month;
- from 1 to 2 months;
- from 2 to 4 months;
- from 4 to 6 months;
- from 180 to 330 days;
- from 330 to 420 days;
- compound feed for feeding during rest;
- compound feed during the laying period.
It is important to purchase food from specialized stores or trusted locations. When purchasing a product, you need to pay attention to the composition and expiration date. Do not feed small ostriches with adult food and vice versa.
The table shows the names of feeds and their approximate cost:
| Feed name | Price in rubles, wholesale price for 1 kg |
| KS-30 | 19 |
| KS-60 | 18 |
| KS-120 | 16 |
| KS-180 | 16 |
| KS-330 | 15 |
| KS-420 | 12 |
| KC0 | 17 |
| IOS | 16 |
Self-preparation of feed
Ostriches can be fed with compound feed from the first days of life, since the composition allows you to replace complementary foods. The compound feed was created in such a way that the animal receives the necessary substances in the right amount.
It includes:
- wheat;
- cake;
- corn;
- fish flour;
- calcium phosphate;
- sodium chloride;
- premixes;
- lysine;
- methionine;
- threonine.
You can always make your own food by following the table:
| Component | Growth period from 2 months to a year,% | Productivity period,% | Productivity period,% | Productivity period,% | Unproductive period,% |
| Barley | 15 | 20 | 5 | 27 | 25 |
| Wheat | 12 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 18 |
| Corn | 30 | 15 | 20 | 15 | 20 |
| Oats | 3 | 12 | 20 | 12 | 5 |
| Fish flour | 5 | 10 | 7 | — | 5 |
| Bran | 5 | 5 | — | 7 | 10 |
| Sunflower meal | 7 | 10 | 5 | — | 2 |
| Soybean meal | 10 | 5 | 15 | — | 5 |
| Yeast | 5 | 3 | 5 | — | 2 |
| Bone flour | 2 | 2 | — | — | 2 |
| Vegetable oil | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| chalk | 1,2 | 3 | — | — | 1,4 |
| Monocalcium | 3 | 2,5 | — | — | 3 |
| Salt | 0,1 | 0,01 | — | — | 0,01 |
| Premix PKK P 8 569 | 0,5 | — | — | — | — |
| Premix PKK P 9 570 | — | 0,5 | — | — | — |
| Premix PKK P 9 571 | — | — | — | — | 0,05 |
| UVMKK "Felutsen" 1175 | — | — | 10 | — | — |
| UVMKK "Felutsen" 654 | — | — | — | 25 | — |
Nutritional features of ostriches
If ostriches are not fed correctly, they can grow up with uneven legs, which will not allow them to live a normal life. Newborn ostriches can live without food for several days, which makes it easier to feed and transport them over long distances. This is due to the fact that their body contains a lot of protein, which is absorbed in only 10 days.
On the very first walk, the chicks are admitted to clean water and food, which consists of crushed alfalfa or clover leaves and mixed feed. Once every 1-2 days, they are offered low-fat cottage cheese with chopped hard-boiled eggs.
In the following video, a farmer shares his experience of feeding ostriches:
Starting from the second week of life, ostriches gain 300 grams per day and increase daily by 1 cm.At the age of three months, the chicks weigh 15 kg. Babies need to be given gravel, otherwise the stomach will simply not be able to digest food, indigestion will occur, and they will be constantly hungry.
At the age of three months, fiber and protein are added to the main feed. Succulent grass should also be present in the chicks' diet as well as flour and silage. In order for the digestive tract to improve, crushed pebbles are needed, they are necessary so that the chick does not die chewing on solid food.
For some reason, the young are fed with the droppings of adult birds, this allows the intestines to be populated with good microflora. But before doing this process, you need to make sure that an adult ostrich is completely healthy and not infected with worms.
Until the chicks are six months old, they are fed five times a day, from six months to one year old, the number of feedings is reduced to 4 times. The adult feeds twice or thrice a day.
Feeding during oviposition
During the period of oviposition in females and males, the need for substances changes. As for females, their need for calcium increases, since eggshells are formed during this period.
In males, a lot of calcium interferes with the absorption of zinc, which plays a major role in sperm production. A high norm of substances in females is needed to properly form, and if the male overexposes, this will lead to obesity, and fertility will be low.
Feeding during oviposition of females and males should be different. They keep males and females separately, and let them in only for a few hours every other day. But this process is done only after she has eaten.
You can feed ostriches during the laying period with the following products:
- wheat;
- chopped corn;
- succulent leaves;
- compound feed;
- foods containing calcium;
- grass.
Drinking regimen
Although ostriches are accustomed to droughts, they still need to be offered clean water. In the household and on the farm, a drinker is placed along with the food so that they can drink from the heart. An important condition is the purity of the water, because the health of the bird depends on it.
For 1 kg of dry food, there should be 2.5 liters of water, and access to water should be constant. The height of the drinker should be 70 cm from the ground or floor.
How does the diet change in winter, spring, summer and autumn?
As with any animal, the diet changes depending on the season, and ostriches are no exception.
Summer. In the summer, ostriches spend most of their time walking, where they look for food for themselves. In addition, they need to be offered one and a half kg of compound feed every day, which they should eat per day. To replenish the body with all the necessary substances, and especially protein, lupine, beans, fruits, cake are mixed into the main feed. These components are easily absorbed by the body, especially together with the amino acid, which is contained in crayons, shells, eggshells and bran.
Autumn and spring. In the spring-autumn period, ostriches should eat greens or grass flour, gravel, cake, and grain must be present. It is recommended to dilute food with bone meal, table salt and chalk. Also, vegetables are required in the diet of both adults and ostriches.
Winter. In the winter season, ostriches are fed with pre-prepared hay, which is mixed with concentrated feed and cereals. Birds are allowed to give between feedings:
- cabbage leaves;
- beet tops;
- fodder beets;
- carrot;
- zucchini;
- apples;
- waste.
Hay remains the main food in winter, it is better if it comes from alfalfa.
The following reportage tells about the feeding and keeping of ostriches in Siberia:
What can not be fed?
Although ostriches are omnivorous, there is still a certain set of products that cannot be fed to birds and there are those that need to be given in a limited form.
Do not feed the following foods:
- potatoes;
- parsley and dill;
- rye.
Can be given in limited quantities:
- cabbage;
- flour;
- bran.
Popular questions and answers
Novice farmers have many questions about the maintenance and breeding of ostriches. Before introducing livestock, you should collect as much information as possible about the maintenance and feeding of birds.
Question: Should ostriches and adult birds be fed together or separately?
Food intake for ostriches and adult birds should be separate, since babies should not eat a lot of things, which can be used by grown-up individuals. The same applies to the number of feedings per day: newborns eat 5 times a day, and adults only 2-3 times.
Question: how long can ostriches live without water?
Ostriches can go without water for several days, but if it is available, they drink it in large quantities. Nevertheless, birds should always have clean water. Drinkers should be washed daily.
Question: should ostriches be given shell rock?
Limestone and shell rock should always be present in birds, and in free access, because they help the skeleton to form correctly. They are especially important in the first days of their life.
Question: when to start feeding ostriches?
Newborn chicks do not need groundbait, since they have a yolk sac in the umbilical cord for several days, which serves them as food. Adult birds are fed 2-3 times a day, and babies should have food all the time. When complementary feeding begins, chicks should receive a variety of mash, concentrated feed, crushed leaves without stems.
Publications: 34Ostriches are large, non-flying birds with long legs and a long neck protruding from a round body. Ostriches are larger than any other bird in the world. The ostrich is the only bird that has two toes on each foot.
In the 18th century, ostriches were almost extinct by hunting, because their feathers were very fashionable in women's clothing. But by the middle of the 19th century, people started raising ostriches. This allowed farmers to simply pluck feathers from poultry without killing them.
On the farm you can get to know ostriches very closely, see and buy fresh meat or eggs.
What do ostriches eat in Africa?
In the native expanses of Africa, ostriches mainly feed on almost everything: plants, roots, fruits, insects, lizards and small rodents. Small stones, sand and shellfish have been found in the stomach of the ostrich to help absorb food.
In our country, their diet consists mainly of roots, leaves and seeds, but ostriches will eat whatever is available. They also ingest sand and pebbles, which help them grind food in their stomach, a specialized gizzard. Because ostriches have this ability to grind food, they can eat things that other animals cannot digest.
On the farm, ostriches are fed with all types of grain: wheat, barley, corn, oats, millet, beans, peas. Also, ostriches are given different types of grass clover, nettle, etc. Vegetables can be fed with cabbage, carrots and beets. Ostriches, and especially ostriches, need special feeding and vitamins. Come to our farm and see for yourself what ostriches eat.
Do you have any questions? Ask them to us!
Many farmers who keep and breed various types of poultry argue that keeping ostriches in the household is no more difficult than chickens or ducks. After all, each of the breeds has its own characteristics. This exotic species can be bred for several purposes: to obtain delicious meat, beautiful feathers and eggs.
Most biologists consider herbivorous birds, however, in fact, they can be safely classified as omnivores. They perfectly eat both food of plant and animal origin. With an abundance of greenery around, the basis of the bird's diet is grass, shrub leaves, seeds and roots of some savanna plants. Also, African birds are not averse to feasting on small insects and even reptiles. In a drought, they calmly do without water.
What to feed at home
We suggest starting to consider the composition of the diet and nutritional characteristics of ostriches with.
Newly appeared ostrich chicks do not need to be fed immediately at all... This is due to the fact that they feed from the yolk sac, which is in the umbilical cord for the first few days. In the wild, they first peck on adult manure, thanks to which they receive a set of microorganisms in their intestines, which further help them in the breakdown and digestion of plant fiber in the intestines, and also contribute to the development of the baby's immune system. They begin to feed the ostriches with chopped alfalfa, which contains a lot of easily digestible protein.
Experts recommend making a slide of sand or shell rock in powder form in an aviary with chicks. This will help improve the digestive processes of the young. Also, the feed must be enriched with B vitamins and biotin. These elements are essential for the correct formation of a healthy musculoskeletal system.
There are three ways to raise adult ostrich in three ways: intensive, semi-intensive and extensive. The first method is inherently very similar to keeping cattle in a stall. The extensive system is based on the placement of exotic birds in conditions very similar to their natural habitat. The semi-intensive method is a compromise between the two methods described above. In each of the cases, they reveal their own dietary habits of ostriches.
Ostrich feeding with an intensive housing system
When birds are constantly in the confined space of the aviary, provide them with sufficient hay and green fodder. They should be mixed with grain-based foods. One person can eat up to 3 kg of this assortment per day.
The basis of the daily diet should be rich, succulent food on chopped grass. Rapeseed, alfalfa or herbs are ideal. Do not forget to leave coarse river sand or fine expanded clay for the ostriches in the open.
When the female is preparing for, the intensity of feeding should be increased for the entire period of "motherhood". If you suddenly make adjustments to the existing diet or change the content of essential elements (fats, proteins, carbohydrates and others) in the food, the ostrich can stop laying eggs.
What to feed with an extensive housing system
The cost of food with this method is the lowest: the bird itself searches for food. To implement an extensive housing system, it is necessary to fence off a sufficient area of unplowed field where ostriches will graze like other livestock. The disadvantage of this system is that success and effectiveness depend on climate, terrain and variability of the weather. In the event of drought or, conversely, the onset of prolonged rains, the pasture may be unsuitable for walking and feeding ostriches.
Feeding with semi-intensive housing
This is a combination of walking an ostrich in the field and sub-crusting it with specialized feed mixtures. The ideal option here is to design and try to create conditions for the ostriches close to their natural habitat. However, it is very important that they are engaged in obtaining their own food in sufficient quantities.
How to prepare food yourself
The basis of the diet of ostriches consists of approximately the same components as any other poultry: compound feed, alfalfa, vitamins, shell rock. Alfalfa can be used both in the form of hay and in the form of green mass.
Also, ingredients for ostrich feed can be chopped corn, millet and wheat, soybeans, fish meal, yeast.
In winter, ostriches are mainly fed from dried herbal mixtures (hay). For example, the composition may be as follows: meadow fescue, meadow bluegrass, meadow clover (red) and creeping (white), forage sainfoin and sowing seradella. In the table below, we consider the need for ostriches in feed throughout the year.
Contraindications
The diet of the ostriches contained in must be formulated so that their body weight is close to ideal. You can not feed birds to obesity - if ostriches are actively gaining weight, it is necessary to cut back on the amount of cereals, replacing them with green juicy feed or hay. If the birds are depleted, you need to increase the amount of cereal food, as well as animal feed. In addition, it is necessary to ensure that the birds move enough - this factor affects both their weight and the taste of meat.
African ostrich (lat. Struthio camelus) is the largest bird in the world and the only representative of the ostrich order, the ostrich family, the ostrich genus. Belongs to the class of birds, subclass ratites.
International scientific name — Struthio camelus Linnaeus, 1758.
Conservation status- causing the least concern.
The biological name of a flightless bird literally translated from Greek sounds like "camel-sparrow" (Greek στρουθίο-κάμηλος). Such a well-aimed allegory arose thanks to the characteristic features of the ostrich: it has the same expressive eyes, framed by long eyelashes, like a camel, two-fingered limbs and a pectoral callus. The sparrow comparison is likely due to the small, poorly developed wings.
Ostrich - description, structure, characteristics, photo. What does an ostrich look like?
The African ostrich is a unique bird that cannot fly, does not have a keel and has only two toes, which is also an exception in the class of birds.
As the largest birds on the planet, the large African ostrich boasts a height of 2.7 meters and an impressive weight of up to 156 kg. However, the average weight of an ostrich is about 50 kg, and the males are somewhat larger than the females.
The ostrich skeleton is not pneumatic, except for the femur. The ends of the pubic bones have grown together and formed a closed pelvis, which is also uncharacteristic for other birds.
African ostriches are distinguished by a dense build, a very elongated neck and a small flattened head ending in an even, wide, flat beak, on which a soft growth of horny tissue is located.
The ostrich has large eyes, and the upper eyelid is dotted with long, fluffy eyelashes.
The outgrowth of the sternum, or keel, characteristic of representatives of the class of birds, is completely absent in ostriches, and the sternum itself is poorly developed.
On its surface is a bare area of thick skin - a special pectoral callus, which acts as a support when the bird lies on the ground.
The forelimbs of the bird are represented by underdeveloped wings, on each of them there are two fingers, ending in sharp claws.
The hind legs of the ostrich are long, strong and muscular, with two toes, and only one of them has a peculiar hoof at the end, which serves as a support while running.
The plumage of the ostrich is loose and curly, relatively evenly distributed over the surface of the body. There are no feathers on the head, neck and legs: they are covered with soft, short down.
Ostrich feathers are distinguished by a primitive structure: their beards practically do not adhere to each other and do not form fans. Birds have very beautiful feathers and there are a lot of them: 16 primary feathers of the first order and from 20 to 23 of the second order, tail feathers can be from 50 to 60.
It is very easy to distinguish a male from a female ostrich. The plumage of adult males is black, and only the tail and wings are white.
Females are rather inconspicuous: their feathers are distinguished by a patronizing grayish-brown color, and their wings and tail feathers look dirty-white.
What does an ostrich eat?
The ostrich is an omnivorous bird, and although the diet of young individuals is mainly animal food, adult birds feed on all kinds of vegetation. Their diet consists of herbs, shoots and seeds of plants, flowers, ovaries, as well as fruits, including quite tough ones. Nevertheless, adults are far from vegetarians and, if possible, will not give up various insects, for example, locusts, as well as lizards, small rodents, and fell in the form of uneaten prey of large predators. Ostriches have nothing to chew their food, therefore, to improve digestion, they eat sand and small pebbles, and often various inedible objects: chips, pieces of plastic, metal and even nails. Also, ostriches can safely starve for several days.
Like camels, ostriches are able to do without water for a long time: they have enough liquid from the green mass of plants used. But, having gained access to water, the ostrich drinks a lot and willingly. Ostriches swim with the same great pleasure.
Where do ostriches live? Ostrich lifestyle
Ostriches live in Africa. Birds avoid tropical rainforests, preferring open grassy landscapes and semi-deserts north and south of equatorial woodlands.
The habitat of ostriches on the African continent. The places where various subspecies of the African ostrich live are highlighted in color. Photo by: Renato Caniatti
African ostriches live in family groups consisting of a mature male, 4-5 females and their offspring. Often, the number of a flock reaches 20-30 individuals, and young ostriches in the south of the range live in groups of up to a hundred birds.
Often ostriches share pastures with whole herds of antelopes or zebras, while animals and birds treat each other quite peacefully and travel together across the African savannas. Possessing high growth and excellent eyesight, ostriches immediately notice the approach of predators and quickly run away, taking steps up to 3.5-4 m in length. In this case, the speed of the ostrich can reach about 60-70 km / h. Long-legged runners are able to change direction abruptly without slowing down. And ostrich chicks, 30 days old, are practically not inferior to their parents and can run at speeds up to 50 km / h.
Types of ostriches, photos and names
During the Pleistocene and Pliocene epochs, there were several varieties of ostriches on earth, which lived in Western and Central Asia, India and the southern regions of Eastern Europe. In the annals of the ancient Greek historian Xenophon, these birds are mentioned, inhabiting the desert landscapes of the Middle East, west of the Euphrates River.
The uncontrolled extermination of birds led to a sharp decline in the population, and today the only species of ostriches includes 4 surviving subspecies that live in the vastness of Africa. Below is a description of the subspecies of the African ostrich.
- Ordinary or North African ostrich ( Struthio camelus camelus)
Differs in a bald spot on the head. This is the largest subspecies, the growth of which reaches 2.74 meters, while the ostrich weighs up to 156 kg. The limbs and neck of the ostrich are painted in intense red, and the eggshells are covered with fine beams of pores, forming a pattern that looks like a star. Previously, common ostriches lived in a large area covering the north and west of the African continent, from Ethiopia and Uganda in the south of the range to Algeria and Egypt in the north, covering West African countries, including Mauritania and Senegal. Today, the habitat of these birds has decreased significantly, and now the common ostrich lives in only a few African countries: Cameroon, Chad, the Central African Republic and Senegal.
Common ostrich (North African ostrich) male (Latin Struthio camelus camelus). Photo Credit: MathKnight
Common ostrich female (Latin Struthio camelus camelus). Photo by: שלומי שטרית
- Masai ostrich ( Struthio camelus massaicus)
Inhabitant of East Africa (south of Kenya, east of Tanzania, Ethiopia, south of Somalia). Its neck and limbs turn intense red during the breeding season. Outside of the breeding season, they are pink in color.
Male Masai ostrich (Latin Struthio camelus massaicus). Photo by: Nicor
Masai ostrich female (Latin Struthio camelus massaicus). Photo by: Nevit Dilmen
- Somali ostrich ( Struthio camelus molybdophanes)
Based on the analysis of mitochondrial DNA, it is sometimes considered as a separate species. Males have the same bald patches on their heads as representatives of the subspecies of common ostriches, but their neck and limbs are distinguished by a bluish-gray skin color, and females of the Somali ostrich have especially bright brown feathers. Somali ostriches live in the south of Ethiopia, northeastern Kenya and Somalia, and the local population calls them the beautiful word "gorayo". This subspecies of ostriches prefers to live in pairs or singly.
- Southern ostrich ( Struthio camelus australis)
It also differs in the gray color of the plumage of the neck and limbs, and its range is dotted across the southwestern part of Africa. The ostrich is found in Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola and Botswana, and lives south of the Zambezi and Kunene rivers.
Male southern ostrich (Latin Struthio camelus australis). Photo Credit: Bernard DUPONT
Female southern ostrich (Latin Struthio camelus australis). Photo Credit: Yathin S Krishnappa
Breeding ostriches
Sexual maturation of ostriches occurs at the age of 2-4 years. During the mating period, each male vigilantly guards his personal territory within a radius of 2 to 15 square kilometers and ruthlessly drives out competitors. The neck and limbs of the leaking male turn bright red, and to attract females, he falls to his knees, beats his wings intensively, bends his neck back and rubs the back of his head against his back. During the rivalry for the possession of the female, the males make very original trumpet and hissing sounds. Having drawn more air into the goiter, the male ostrich pushes it sharply into the esophagus, announcing the surroundings with something like a uterine roar, reminiscent of the roar of a lion.
Ostriches are polygamous, so the dominant male mates with all the females of the harem, but pairs exclusively with the dominant female for the subsequent incubation of offspring.
After mating, the future father personally digs a nest up to 30-60 cm deep in the sand, where all fertilized females periodically lay eggs, performing a similar manipulation every two days.
Among all the bird variety, the ostrich has the largest eggs, although, in relation to the body, they are quite small. On average, an ostrich egg is 15 to 21 cm long and about 13 cm wide. Egg weight reaches 1.5-2 kg, which is equivalent to 25-35 chicken eggs. The shell is approximately 0.6 mm thick, and its color is straw yellow, sometimes darker or, conversely, lighter.
Eggs laid by different females have different shell textures and can be glossy and shiny or dull and porous.
Ostrich egg versus chicken and quail egg. Photo Credit: Rainer Zenz
In the inhabitants of the northern part of the range, the joint clutch, as a rule, contains from 15 to 20 eggs, in the south - about 30, in the East African population, the number of eggs in the nest often reaches 50-60. After laying the eggs, the dominant female ostrich forces the competitors to leave and rolls her eggs into the middle of the hole, determining them by the texture of the shell.
The incubation period lasts from 35 to 45 days, at night only the male incubates the clutch, while the females take turns on duty during the day. This choice is not accidental: thanks to the protective coloration, the females remain unnoticed against the backdrop of the desert landscape. During the day, the masonry is sometimes left unattended and warmed by the heat of the sun. Despite the general care of the parents, many clutches die due to insufficient incubation. In populations where there are too many females, the number of eggs in a clutch may turn out to be such that the male physically cannot cover all the offspring with his body.
An hour before birth, the ostrich chick begins to open the shell of the egg, rests with its spread legs against its sharp and blunt ends and methodically hollows with its beak at one point until a small hole is formed. Thus, the chick makes several holes, and then beats it with the back of the head with force, so ostriches are often born with significant bruises that tend to pass quickly. When the last chick was born, an adult ostrich ruthlessly destroys non-viable eggs lying on the edge, and immediately flies gather for the feast, serving as food for the chicks.
Newborn ostriches are sighted, well developed, their bodies are covered with light down, and their weight is about 1.2 kg. The hatched chicks move well and leave the nest the next day, going with their parent in search of food. For the first two months, ostriches are covered with black and yellow bristles, the crown has a brick color, and the neck is off-white with dark longitudinal stripes.
Only over time do they form real feathers, and the outfit of all chicks becomes similar in color to the plumage of females. Male ostriches acquire the black color characteristic of adults only in the second year of life.
Taken from the site: www.reddit.com
Ostriches are very attached to each other and if two groups of chicks meet, they can no longer be separated, due to which flocks of ostriches of different ages are often found in the savannas of Africa.
Being polygamous birds, the male and the female start a fight with each other, and the stronger parent gets further care of the brood.
Ostrich eggs are hunted by jackals, hyenas and scavengers. For example, a vulture grabs a large stone with its beak and throws it on top of an egg several times until it cracks. Chicks can also be attacked by lions, cheetahs, leopards or hyenas.
It is in vain to think that ostriches are shy birds: in fact, they are quite aggressive and able to stand up for themselves and their offspring. An angry ostrich, without hesitation, will attack a person who has encroached on its territory, and even seasoned predators are afraid of adult birds. Cases have been recorded when a defending ostrich mortally wounded an adult lion with one powerful kick.
Ostrich lifespan
African ostriches live long and under favorable conditions they can live for about 75 years.
There are several types of birds that are very similar to the ostrich. But they do not belong to the ostrich family and the ostrich genus. Below is a brief description of them.
Darwin's nandu, he is small rhea or long-billed rhea ( Rhea pennata)
A large flightless bird from the rhea order, rhea family, rhea genus. The plumage of the bird is gray or grayish-brown; there are white spots on the back. Height at the back is approximately 90 cm, weight varies between 15-25 kg. The Darwin Nandu is found in southern Argentina, including Patagonia and the southern Andes, Bolivia, Argentina and the island of Tierra del Fuego.
Great rhea, common rhea he is northern rhea ( Rhea americana)
A flightless bird from the order of the rhea, the rhea family, the rhea genus. A typical representative of South America. Lives in Argentina and Bolivia, in Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. The height of the great rhea to the level of the crown reaches 127-140 cm, the weight varies from 20 to 25 and more kilograms. The color of feathers is brown-gray, often among birds there are albino individuals with white plumage and bright blue eyes.
Cassowary ( Casuarius) - a large bird, unable to fly. Belongs to the order of the cassowary, the cassowary family, the cassowary genus. Scientists have identified three types of cassowaries. Individuals reach 150 cm in height and weigh up to 80 kg.
A distinctive feature of the bird is a kind of outgrowth-helmet on the head. The head and neck of the bird are usually fledgling, the color of the feathers on the body is black, two species have bright “earrings” of different colors in the neck area. Cassowaries live in the thickets of the tropics of New Guinea, in the northeast of Australia, they are found on the islands of Aru, Muruk, Salavati, Yapen.
Emu ( Dromaius novaehollandiae)
A large flightless bird from the order of the cassowary, the emu family, the emu genus. It reaches a height of 150-170 cm, while weighing from 45 to 55 kg. The color of the feathers is gray-brown. Emu is widely distributed almost throughout Australia.
African ostrich meat is a rather healthy product, which, according to some nutritionists, has surpassed even the popular turkey in terms of the minimum cholesterol content with the maximum amount of protein. Ostrich meat has a dark red color, tastes a little like veal, cooks very quickly, but with prolonged heat treatment it can lose its tenderness and juiciness. Ostrich meat is very much appreciated in Asia and Europe, becoming a completely familiar restaurant dish among connoisseurs of delicious food with exotic notes. Ostrich meat is used to prepare delicious steaks, roasts, cold appetizers, cutlets, it is boiled, stewed and baked. Lean African ostrich meat contains manganese, potassium and iron, it is rich in phosphorus, B vitamins and niacin.
Do ostriches hide their heads in the sand?
There is a misconception that ostriches hide their heads in the sand, but they don't do anything like that. The appearance of this myth was facilitated by the manner of birds standing with their heads bowed to the ground and swallowing small stones that aid digestion.
Also, an ostrich can drop its head on the sand after a long run. The bird has no strength left, and thus it rests.
Taken from the site: theiwrc.org
- Ostrich feathers are especially beautiful and are traditionally used to make fans, fans, and headwear. The popularity of the ostrich feather led to the fact that if in the 19th century only a ton of raw materials per year was exported from Africa, then at the beginning of the 20th century this figure was already 370 tons.
- In the middle of the 19th century, birds began to be kept on farms, and if this had not happened, the ostrich population might not have survived to this day. Today, more than 50 states have farms for breeding ostriches, including countries with cool climatic conditions, in particular, Sweden. In addition to preserving the species, the main goal of breeding ostriches is to obtain expensive leather, feathers and tasty meat that resembles beef.
- Feathers of ostriches that have reached the age of 2-3 years are not pulled out, but carefully cut off from the skin itself, repeating the procedure 2 times a year.
- Since ancient times, man has used ostriches as a means of transportation: the birds were harnessed to a harness, and also rode on horseback.
- An ostrich fleeing from pursuit often performs the following trick: the bird falls on the sand and stretches its neck, which gives the pursuers the impression that the ostrich has suddenly disappeared. But when they approach the lurking bird, the rested ostrich jumps up in the blink of an eye and quickly disappears into the distance.
- An interesting feature of ostriches is to swallow completely inedible things. A number of interesting objects were found in the stomach of one ostrich: 3.5 kg of sand, rags, tow, 3 pieces of iron, 9 coins, a copper hinge, 2 iron keys and even lead bullets.
- You can ride an ostrich. A bird can easily carry an adult on itself.
Before we look at the diet of ostriches, let's find out what they generally eat in nature. We want to note right away that these birds are unique and have a special structure of the digestive system. By the way, it differs from those possessed by poultry. Firstly, ostriches do not have a goiter, which means that rougher feeds are digested faster.
This provides a powerful stomach. Also, their digestive tract has a characteristic elongated back part of the intestine. This allows the bird to get the maximum amount of fiber and to cleanse the microflora well from coarse plant fibers.
Most experts call ostriches herbivores, although in fact they can be safely ranked among omnivores. They perfectly eat plant and animal food. With an abundance of green fodder, the basis of nutrition is grass, shrub leaves, seeds and roots of some plants. Also, African birds are not averse to feasting on small insects and even reptiles.
In natural habitat
If you have already read our previous publications, you probably already know what is in the African savannas. There, on long plains, they graze along with other herbivores in fresh greenery, and also collect leaves of young shoots. Basically, in natural conditions, these birds feed on pasture, that is, grass.
Since ostriches can live without water for a long time, they often choose semi-arid deserts for nesting. There they find various seeds, roots and branches of shrubs for food. In the absence of abundant greenery, birds also hunt for small insects, reptiles and even rodents. An adult in nature eats about 4 kilograms of food per day. This is exactly the amount they need for a long run and a strong expenditure of energy.
At home
In principle, at home, ostriches eat everything the same as in nature. True, in such cases, they eat less, since they do not need such a large expenditure of energy. Their diet is based on greens: grass and leaves. In winter, they are also given hay, various concentrated feed and cereals. Today, ostriches include cabbage leaves, beets in the diet at home, they give root vegetables, for example, beets and carrots, birds eat apples and zucchini well. Often they are also given table scraps.
Ostrich feeding ration
At home, much attention is paid to their nutrition. So, for example, with normal food, young animals grow and develop well, females increase productivity. Today, alfalfa is the best food for African birds throughout the year. In winter it is given in the form of hay, in summer it is fresh with the addition of compound feed. Give at the rate of 1.5 kilograms per adult.
Allocate an intensive, semi-intensive, normalized and extensive feeding system. Alfalfa, grass and compound feed form the basis of the latter type of feeding. With intensive or semi-intensive, grain, legumes, mineral and vitamin feeds are added to the greens. Their number depends on the productivity of the bird.
It is worth noting that these feeding programs for ostriches are still very conditional and developed by analogy with other poultry. But, as practice shows, there is a place of its own existence. However, you should definitely take into account the place of residence of the African bird, its living conditions, use, age and weight.
In summer, ostriches should spend most of their time in the pasture, grazing. Once a day, they are added to special feeders 1.5 kilograms of compound feed. If the bird needs protein, it is given lupine, soybeans, meal and cake. For their better assimilation, amino acids are added. For raising young animals, it is imperative to add minerals to the feed. These are, for example, chalk, bone meal, eggshells, pounded shells. You can also give bran.
As a vitamin supplement, especially in winter, ostriches are recommended to give herbal flour, alfalfa hay, and silage. Let's consider all the feeds again in more detail:
- green - grass, leaves, vegetables;
- grains - oats, barley, soybeans, corn;
- protein feed - cake, meal, bone meal, baker's yeast;
- hay - alfalfa, herbs, soybeans, silage;
It is important to feed the birds correctly. For example, grain should be given in the form of grains, proteins - in the form of flour, vegetables and root crops should be carefully chopped. In separate feeders, small pebbles or gravel should be poured over the ostriches. For ostriches, there is a different diet, they do not even begin to feed them immediately, but only 6-8 days after hatching. But read about this in our next publications.
Video "Ostriches on the farm"
In this video, you will learn not only how to feed ostriches, but also the general rules for keeping these birds. What do they eat and what kind of diet they have, one of the private breeders will tell you.
