Any Ostrich breeders?

[poultry09]

I am wanting to get some ostrich chicksor eggs next year and I am having a hard time finding someone who has them, So I was wondering if thier is anyone on BYC that will have chicks or eggs next year available? if so do you ship them and what are your prices. Or if you point me to someone who does have them that would be great. I was also wondering if a fence like this one would work? It is a 6ft tall woven Deer&Rabbit fence except I would moslt likely go out and cut down some 6-7in thick trees for post.

Any help or advice is greatly apreciated!


Thanks
Poultr09

 

[Tame Emu Guy]

Well, P09, I’ll post, just to get the ball rolling.

Oddly, though we are Ostriches, Emus, and Rheas . . . we don’t seem to have any ostrich lovers. (We have cassowaries. Perhaps we should be Cassowaries, Emus, and Rheas.) I’m not sure if we have even one ostrich breeder here.

Next, fences: let’s get advice from people who do have their emus in fenced environments. I personally wouldn’t have wire. Perhaps I’m a fusspot; but emus (we’ll get to ostriches in a second) panic easily, and can injure themselves surprisingly easily when they do so.

Now here’s the bit you really won’t like: if six-feet-high emus need six-feet-high fences, then a nine-feet-high ostrich would need . . .

Gee, we’re in new territory. You could do some research for us, if you like, and post the results here: what are heights and weights of full-grown emus and ostriches?


Supreme Emu

 

[chickenzoo]

You could go to some old threads on here...their were a few people that raised some up. I personally don't have them because they are more difficult in nature and breeding males can be deadly. A friend raised them fr babies..when the male was of breeding age he tried to kill people so they had to put him down..not something i want to mess with. They easily weigh 300 to 400 pounds. They need a high fence. With emu. .when raised from.chicks will respect shorter fences if not provoked to jump it...like another emu chasing it...i would think a ostrich could be the same. They need even more space i would think. I would spring for thicker pt posts. Anything else would be like twigs to them if they challenged the fence. Also check with your state to make sure you don't need a licence for them.

 

[Pidgey104]

Our emus are kept in 5 foot horse fences and do great. Never had any jump the fence. Even if they get out their not going anywhere. To the front door of the house is where they'll end up. They only have about and acre of space it still give them lots of running room.

 

[Scottingitup]

Cutting down trees for fence posts is not recommended. You need treated wood or it will rot out in a few years maybe less depending on the conditions. With something as big as an ostrich you do not want a weak fence! I recently finished fencing in my property with 2x4 horse fence (5') - it took quite a bit of research. Let me know if you want any tips.

 

[poultry09]

Well, P09, I’ll post, just to get the ball rolling.

Oddly, though we are Ostriches, Emus, and Rheas . . . we don’t seem to have any ostrich lovers. (We have cassowaries. Perhaps we should be Cassowaries, Emus, and Rheas.) I’m not sure if we have even one ostrich breeder here.

Next, fences: let’s get advice from people who do have their emus in fenced environments. I personally wouldn’t have wire. Perhaps I’m a fusspot; but emus (we’ll get to ostriches in a second) panic easily, and can injure themselves surprisingly easily when they do so.

Now here’s the bit you really won’t like: if six-feet-high emus need six-feet-high fences, then a nine-feet-high ostrich would need . . .

Gee, we’re in new territory. You could do some research for us, if you like, and post the results here: what are heights and weights of full-grown emus and ostriches?


Supreme Emu

Supreme Emu you are right, this forum should be called Cassowaries, Emus, Rheas LOL. I have done some reading and have found some places that say they keep there Ostriches in with a 6ft fence, but I just was not sure if that type of fence would be strong enough to keep them in.

You could go to some old threads on here...their were a few people that raised some up. I personally don't have them because they are more difficult in nature and breeding males can be deadly. A friend raised them fr babies..when the male was of breeding age he tried to kill people so they had to put him down..not something i want to mess with. They easily weigh 300 to 400 pounds. They need a high fence. With emu. .when raised from.chicks will respect shorter fences if not provoked to jump it...like another emu chasing it...i would think a ostrich could be the same. They need even more space i would think. I would spring for thicker pt posts. Anything else would be like twigs to them if they challenged the fence. Also check with your state to make sure you don't need a licence for them.

Chickenzoo, I have gone through a lot of different pages of threads and have found minimal info about Ostriches. I am thinking about just getting 3-4 chicks and raising them up till I know the gender of them and send the males to lollies auction and keeping what ever females are in the group. I have read that a fence should be 6ft or taller and I have talked to one person who keep thiers in with a 5ft fence, Im going to use the thickest fence post/trees I can find. I have talked to my friend and she told me that I only need a permit if I plan on selling them, charging people to come and see them or use them for advertisement but I dont need to get a USDA liscense to have them as a hobby or personal "pet".

I was wondering what you all think about this hatchery, they sell ostrich chicks and they are the cheepest place I could find. I dont know how wise it would be to buy ostriches from a hatchery so what do you all think http://www.californiahatchery.com/Ostrich_p_143.html

 

[poultry09]

Our emus are kept in 5 foot horse fences and do great. Never had any jump the fence. Even if they get out their not going anywhere. To the front door of the house is where they'll end up. They only have about and acre of space it still give them lots of running room.

Do you think the deer&rabbit fence would work? or would a tall field/hog fence work or do I need to use a special horse fencing?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scottingitup

Cutting down trees for fence posts is not recommended. You need treated wood or it will rot out in a few years maybe less depending on the conditions. With something as big as an ostrich you do not want a weak fence! I recently finished fencing in my property with 2x4 horse fence (5') - it took quite a bit of research. Let me know if you want any tips.





I could use all the tips you can give me

 

[yinepu]

I am thinking about just getting 3-4 chicks and raising them up till I know the gender of them and send the males to lollies auction and keeping what ever females are in the group.

Personally I wouldn't want an ostrich.. but I'm assuming you want them as pets and not for the meat?
if that's the case you may want to vent sex / DNA test the chicks..and get rid of the males when they are still chicks
that way you don't end up getting attached to one only to find out later on that it's a male

 

[poultry09]

Personally I wouldn't want an ostrich.. but I'm assuming you want them as pets and not for the meat?
if that's the case you may want to vent sex / DNA test the chicks..and get rid of the males when they are still chicks
that way you don't end up getting attached to one only to find out later on that it's a male

yinepu

I would have them as "pets" to just have around the farm. the reason I was going to get 4 was cause I thought that you could not sex ostrich chicks. but that's a good point I don't want to raise them all up and get attached to the male(s)

Thanks
poultry09

 

[Tame Emu Guy]

Hey ya, P09. I am the uncomputerest person in the world almost, but I have sussed out one thing about tracking down info about emus – and it might work with ostriches. State Governments often have ‘Husbandry Guidelines’ (note the capital letters) – that is, if you Google ‘info on ostriches,’ you will find some stuff. If you try something like ‘Ostrich husbandry guidelines,’ you might find other stuff, like ‘scholarly articles’ or government texts. Keep trying different search terms.

In respect of the height of fences, I second what Chickenzoo said about tameness and the height of fences: you can very likely get away with a slightly shorter fence with a tamer bird – but the bottom line is: higher is better!

And if you don’t want a male ostrich . . . will anyone want a male ostrich?

Supreme Emu