How to Raise Ostrich Chicks? Practical Breeding Experience Shared
Brooding is a key part of the success or failure of ostrich breeding. The quality of the chicks is directly related to the growth and development of the ostriches, and even affects their production performance. Raising chicks is the most difficult part of ostrich breeding. Therefore, it is necessary to fully understand the physiological characteristics of chicks and determine the specific measures and methods of feeding and management, so as to create a series of environmental and nutritional conditions conducive to growth and development for the chicks.
1. Physiological characteristics of chicks
(1) Temperature Newly hatched chicks have an incomplete thermoregulatory function. Their bodies are covered with downy feathers, and they lack the ability to resist cold; they are afraid of both cold and heat. Therefore, they are sensitive to temperature. Only after they reach 4 months of age or older does the thermoregulatory function gradually become more complete, giving them the ability to adapt to changes in the external environment. Therefore, during the brooding period, the brooding temperature must be strictly controlled.
(2) Digestion Newly hatched chicks have an incomplete digestive system. Their nutrition comes from the residual yolk in the body, and before hatching the chick absorbs the yolk through the umbilical cord. The weight of the yolk reaches 1/3 of the body weight of the hatched chick. The yolk absorbed in the stomach can supply the chick with nutrition for 4 days after hatching, but if no feed is provided during this period to supplement nutrition, it will cause a decrease in the chick's body weight. Newly hatched chicks have incomplete digestive function. If they are allowed to eat freely, they are very likely to suffer from yolk sac inflammation, causing constipation or diarrhea. Therefore, the starter feed should be easily digestible feed.
(3) External environment Chicks are sensitive to the external environment, timid, fond of living in groups, and lacking the ability to defend themselves. If they encounter external stimuli, they become restless and call incessantly. Therefore, during the rearing of chicks, a quiet environment should be created to prevent external stimuli, so as to avoid unnecessary losses.
(4) Disease resistance Chicks are delicate, have poor adaptability to the external environment, and are also weak in resistance to various diseases. If feeding and management are improper, they are prone to illness. Therefore, chicks should be carefully fed and managed, their physique should be improved, and all sanitation and epidemic prevention work should be done well.
2. Feeding of chicks
Ostriches from hatching to 3 months of age are called chicks.
In the first 24-72 hours after hatching, the newly hatched chicks can obtain the nutrition needed for vital activities through the protein and fat in their own yolk sacs. But after 72 hours, the nutrition in the yolk sac is gradually exhausted, and the chicks begin to eat. At this time, the ideal feed is a nutritionally rich chick starter feed. Its characteristics are high protein content, requiring 18%-20%, moderate energy, and easy digestion. When special chick feed is lacking, tender green vegetable leaves, succulent green grass, boiled and chopped eggs, etc. can also be used as starter feed. After the chicks reach 6 weeks of age, crushed grain feed, Chinese cabbage, radishes, etc. can be added to the diet.
Chicks grow and develop quickly. Newly hatched ostriches generally weigh 0.8-0.9 kg, and at 1 month of age their body weight reaches 4-5 kg, which is 4-5 times their birth weight; at 2 months of age it is 11-15 kg, and at 3 months of age their body weight reaches about 25 kg, which is 25 times their birth weight. Chicks have vigorous metabolism. Therefore, when preparing the daily ration, in addition to energy, protein, vitamins, and trace elements that must be satisfied, special attention should be paid to the supply ratio of calcium and phosphorus to meet the chicks' needs for inorganic salts and prevent leg disease.
(1) Drinking water After hatching, chicks have a relatively large amount of residual yolk in their abdomen, and water makes up 2/3 of the yolk, so they will not feel thirsty within 48-72 hours after hatching. As the chicks lose water through breathing and excreting feces, their body weight continuously decreases, and at this time water needs to be supplemented. Before the chicks start eating, give them water first. This can promote intestinal peristalsis in the chicks, absorb the residual yolk, expel meconium, increase appetite, and help with starting to eat. For the first drinking water, the water temperature should be about 24°C. B vitamins, glucose, etc. can be added to the water to make a nutrient solution, which is more effective. Once the chicks begin drinking water, clean drinking water should always be provided and water must not be cut off. Afterward, the water should be changed at least 2-3 times every day. Each time the water is changed, the drinker should be cleaned. In the chicks' drinking water thereafter, add 0.01% potassium permanganate water once a week, which is beneficial for preventing digestive tract diseases in chicks. Be careful not to let the chicks drink rainwater.
(2) Feeding of chicks Newly hatched chicks are not hungry and do not eat, so they should not be forced to eat. The nutrition provided by the yolk in the chicks' abdomen can meet their nutritional needs for 48-72 hours. Only after the yolk is basically absorbed do the chicks feel hunger and try to eat. Starting to eat too early is harmful to the digestive organs and unfavorable for later growth and development. Starting to eat too late will consume the chicks' strength, reduce their body weight, make them weak, and affect later growth and survival. Starting to eat should be 2-3 days after the chicks hatch, feeding them a mixed concentrate. The starter feed should be fed wet, not dry. The powder feed should be mixed with water into a wet feed. Place 1-2 week old chicks among the chick group to guide the chicks to start eating. Chicks have natural curiosity and imitativeness and can quickly learn to eat. When starting to eat, care should be taken to ensure that every chick gets feed. After 1 week of starting to eat, the mixed concentrate no longer needs to be mixed wet, because feeding wet feed for a long time can easily cause indigestion in chicks. Instead, dry and crushed pellet feed can be fed. Pellet feed should be fed at fixed times and in fixed amounts, and the chicks must not be allowed to eat freely, otherwise it will induce yolk sac inflammation in chicks, causing constipation or diarrhea. Generally, the daily amount of concentrate feed for chicks should account for 1.5%-3.0% of body weight, and afterward it should gradually increase as the chicks grow. The mixed concentrate should be fed 3 times a day, and each feeding amount should be 1/3 of the whole day's feeding amount. Generally, it is best if the chicks finish eating within half an hour. In addition to concentrate feed, chicks also need chopped cabbage leaves, lettuce leaves, alfalfa or clover leaves, shredded carrots, etc. However, special attention must be paid: green feed should be washed clean with clean water before feeding, and then soaked in clean water for 5-10 minutes to prevent the green feed from being contaminated with pesticides. After the water dries, chop it and feed it. Stems must not be fed, because feeding stems to chicks can easily cause stomach blockage. Fresh alfalfa can be tied into bundles and hung leaf-down in the exercise yard or bird house, at a height equal to the chicks' heads, so that the chicks eat the leaves, which will leave the stems. The green feed fed must be fresh; withered feed can easily cause indigestion. After the chicks rest at night, feed does not need to be given. Green feed is generally fed 4-5 times a day, and before each feeding the remaining forage and feed in the trough must be cleared away cleanly. The chicks' feeding amount, intake amount, and remaining amount in the trough should be weighed and recorded. Appropriately increase the amount of green feed to prevent excessive concentrate supply, overly rapid growth of chicks, and leg disease.