New To Ostriches - Have a Few Questions!

[ChickyPants]

I've found some ostrich eggs locally that I would like to try to hatch. I met an ostrich at a zoo recently and fell in love. I'll be getting blacks, which I am pretty sure are the smaller and more docile type.

I have been doing a lot of research but I still have some questions.

When raising ostriches from day old chicks, will they bond to you? I've seen a lot of people comment on how flighty they are and not very personable but then seen other people say they are sweet birds who love their people. How do you go about making sure your ostriches are friendly and easy to work with? I'm assuming just being with them daily should get me in their good graces.

And... THOSE TALONS! I know they can be very dangerous, how do you deal with an aggressive ostrich or one that all of a sudden decides to attack? Let's say you go into their nest to take their eggs and the male attacks you or something. How do you protect yourself?

What size fencing do you need? We currently have sheep and llamas and have 4 and 4.5 foot fencing. I'm assuming we will need higher fencing for the ostriches.

How do you handle them (let's say you need to give medication or provide first aid care) without getting badly hurt?

I see that hatching is very finicky. I have a GQF sportsman that I am going to set up for ostrich eggs and see how many I can fit. I know it is important to keep humidity down and good ventilation. With my ventilation holes open in the Sportsman, do I need to worry about ventilation?


Geez that is a lot of questions, I will stop there haha. Thanks for reading!

 

[briefvisit]

Welcome to our community. We haven't, over the years, actually had many ostrich folks. But luckily, some emu stuff surely overlaps with ostrich stuff.

'how do you deal with an aggressive ostrich or one that all of a sudden decides to attack?' You make very sure you never find yourself in such a situation. But you'll develop strategies as you go.

'What size fencing do you need?' Well, folks constantly underestimate the height of fences they need for emooz. So, if emus need six-foot fences, then ostriches gotta need?

'I'm assuming just being with them daily should get me in their good graces.' For emus, pretty much, barring strange stuff like protectiveness in emus looking to breed. The fly in the ointment, chickypants, is that although you will be in their good graces 99% of the time, you can pretty much hold an irate emu off with a broom or suchlike if things get weird; but ostriches are a way bigger critter.

And just to see the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, here is a cassowary in action. Not sure which species is orneriest, but ostriches are way bigger:

Supreme Emu

 

[NutrientDensePermaculture]

Did you end up hatching any?

 

[Candodon]

I've found some ostrich eggs locally that I would like to try to hatch. I met an ostrich at a zoo recently and fell in love. I'll be getting blacks, which I am pretty sure are the smaller and more docile type.

I have been doing a lot of research but I still have some questions.

When raising ostriches from day old chicks, will they bond to you? I've seen a lot of people comment on how flighty they are and not very personable but then seen other people say they are sweet birds who love their people. How do you go about making sure your ostriches are friendly and easy to work with? I'm assuming just being with them daily should get me in their good graces.

And... THOSE TALONS! I know they can be very dangerous, how do you deal with an aggressive ostrich or one that all of a sudden decides to attack? Let's say you go into their nest to take their eggs and the male attacks you or something. How do you protect yourself?

What size fencing do you need? We currently have sheep and llamas and have 4 and 4.5 foot fencing. I'm assuming we will need higher fencing for the ostriches.

How do you handle them (let's say you need to give medication or provide first aid care) without getting badly hurt?

I see that hatching is very finicky. I have a GQF sportsman that I am going to set up for ostrich eggs and see how many I can fit. I know it is important to keep humidity down and good ventilation. With my ventilation holes open in the Sportsman, do I need to worry about ventilation?


Geez that is a lot of questions, I will stop there haha. Thanks for reading!

Where did you find the eggs, we are looking for some