Ostrich Eggs

[29PalmsRanch]

How did you maintain a constant temp with the door open? The humidity levels you were running were at the top of the scale. We usually start at 15 - 20% and then adjust according to weight loss or gain.

 

[29PalmsRanch]

Well I made a separate thread about this ^^, would love for you to explain it to me/us!

The same question keeps coming up... https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/779394/ostrich-breeds

 

[KarenandDerek]

I don't know what kind of ostrich eggs we had. As far as the humidity in the Reptipro 6000.. The eggs themselves were hiking up the humidity level so we would crack open its door..we didnt add any water so by cracking open the reptipro door..it would release some humidity..we were fluctuating between 25 -35 %..all from the eggs..the temperature would stay constant according to digital readout and the separate thermometer..

 

[29PalmsRanch]

Were you weighing them as you went?

 

[Nicophorus]

How does letting the Ostrich themselves hatch out their own clutches match up? Do they have a good hatch rate?

 

[KarenandDerek]

We did not weigh the eggs. That was another mistake we made. We will weigh this time.

 

[29PalmsRanch]

How does letting the Ostrich themselves hatch out their own clutches match up? Do they have a good hatch rate?

Well... our ostriches are livestock, not pets. Our ranch has to go for maximum production on an annual basis to offset some pretty heavy costs. I have never let mine brood a nest. It slows down egg production Right now we have 2 wide open pastures that our birds are in. We have marked their nests, which birds are staying with each nest, etc. They have defined their own territories. We are adding another 60 birds marked for breeding to our flock this year. So the breeder runs are going up at the end of this season. We are going for max fertility. And ironically the 2 to 1 ratio is better than 3 to 1 just like with quail

I threw my back completely out yesterday stealing eggs out of a nest. I'm going to put the story up on the social board. Absolutely insane but hilarious as usual

 

[Kiril749]

I used a styrofoam little giant for 4 emu eggs and I got 3 to hatch......I think it was easier to maintain temp and humidity in the smaller incubator. Then just before hatch day I got some styrofoam sheets and made a 7 inch extension for the height. It was my first time with emu so I was surprised I was so successful. Maybe it's beginners luck. And maybe that theory wouldn't work so well with ostriches. But one thing I did was every time I walked by the incubator I lifted the lid for 5 or 10 seconds to exchange the air. Someone gave me that advice.......and it seemed to work.

 

[29PalmsRanch]

) That's very cool I had an incubator start to give me fits at the beginning of the season. So I thought I could do the same with an ostrich egg. heh. Only 1 could fit I have three little giants and one hovabator that have forced induction kits on them. I use them when I need extra hatching space now for quail or whatever little bird is coming out of the egg. I used them in my first season with auto turners for just about everything but big bird's eggs. Anyway I ended up taking an old sportsman and drilling the trays. This way I could fit three eggs up the middle with wood dowel rails to keep the eggs separated but still able to turn. For emus, I know GQF makes special dividers for them now and you load them in the left and the right. The eggs can clear the top without knocking. My girls put out HUGE eggs and there isn't enough space between the top of the egg and the tray above it to put a good auto turn on it.

 

[Kiril749]

Mine don't have auto turners so I turned them by hand. It's a big committment for emus as it takes almost two months. I never missed a turn......and it paid off. We just love these little guys. They're just a week old and there growing fast.