How to Raise African Ostriches? Master These Farming Techniques
How to Raise African Ostriches?
(Agricultural Wealth Network) How to Raise African Ostriches?
--------------------------------------
Adult Bird Overwintering
After years of domestication, adult birds have developed cold resistance. In winter, adult birds need a room of about 12 sq m, which can accommodate one group of birds, one male and two females, three in total, for the winter. Never use a stove or heating in the room, otherwise it will reduce the ostriches' cold resistance. Sawdust, corn stalks, soybean stalks, rice straw, etc. can be used as bedding on the ground, but be very careful: corn stalks do not need to be chopped, while soybean stalks and rice straw are best chopped with a chaff cutter, otherwise after the ostriches eat whole dry stalks, these dry stalks will not be digested for a long time and will wrap around the ostriches' intestines, which can easily cause the ostriches' death. Be sure to note that when bedding with corn stalks, the roots should face the wall, so as to avoid the sharp cut ends of the corn stalks scratching the ostriches' feet. Every morning, the time to go out can be determined according to the ostriches' behavior; if they move about freely, they can go out early and return late. If the ostriches shiver and huddle together, are unwilling to leave the house, or crowd toward the house, then let them out late and bring them back early.
In terms of feed, the concentrated feed for adult birds in winter is the same as in summer. Frozen vegetables such as frozen Chinese cabbage, radish, and mustard leaves can be added. When using frozen vegetables, it is best not to thaw them before chopping and feeding, because after thawing and being taken outside for feeding they will freeze again, affecting the ostriches' eating.
--------------------------------------
Chick Overwintering
When chicks overwinter, the bedding where the chicks sleep at night must be chopped, with stalk length about 3.3 cm, spread about 10 cm thick. During the day, sand or furnace ash is spread in the chicks' exercise area; the diameter of stones in the sand or lumps of furnace ash should preferably not exceed 1 cm. The indoor temperature depends on the ostriches' age in months. For chicks over 4 months old, the best indoor temperature is above 15°C. Because there is a lack of sunlight indoors in winter, an appropriate amount of vitamin AD3 powder must be added to the feed. The most important issue in chick overwintering is the relationship among temperature, humidity, and ventilation. At the beginning of winter there is no need to heat the room, but as the weather gets colder and colder, a coal stove must be used indoors for heating. If the bird house is too large or plastic greenhouses are used for brooding, it is best to use a stove converted from a large oil drum for heating, and a protective fence should be set around the stove to prevent the chicks from being scalded. It is best to use a thicker stovepipe. In winter, some people only pay attention to heating and do not consider humidity enough. Therefore, temperature, humidity, and ventilation must be considered comprehensively, otherwise various diseases will constantly appear, causing a lot of unnecessary losses.
The specific method is: the temperature should be a little higher, raised to about above 20°C, so that after ventilation the temperature will be suitable. For ventilation, it is best to use the special exhaust vents on the roof of the bird house or use the chimney opening as an exhaust vent, which can both discharge stale air and prevent cold outdoor wind from directly attacking the chicks, and can also reduce humidity. Some enzyme preparations can also be added to the feed, which can greatly reduce the production of indoor foul odors. When necessary, windows can be opened for ventilation at noon when the temperature is higher; it is best if people in the bird house feel the air is fresh and free of stale odors.
--------------------------------------
Some people reduce the chicks' drinking water and vegetable feed in order to lower humidity. Practice has proved that this is not a good method. A good method is to frequently replace the bedding in the exercise area inside the house; dry furnace ash is better as bedding. When replacing the bedding, try to raise as little dust as possible, which can reduce the incidence of respiratory diseases. Once a respiratory disease appears, human oral spray medication can be used for emergency treatment, and then erythromycin medication can be used to cure it. At the beginning of the illness, there is a murmur when breathing; at this time, the veterinary drug Kechuan Bawang can be added to the feed, and it can be cured in 2 to 3 days.
--------------------------------------
Adult Bird Overwintering
After years of domestication, adult birds have developed cold resistance. In winter, adult birds need a room of about 12 sq m, which can accommodate one group of birds, one male and two females, three in total, for the winter. Never use a stove or heating in the room, otherwise it will reduce the ostriches' cold resistance. Sawdust, corn stalks, soybean stalks, rice straw, etc. can be used as bedding on the ground, but be very careful: corn stalks do not need to be chopped, while soybean stalks and rice straw are best chopped with a chaff cutter, otherwise after the ostriches eat whole dry stalks, these dry stalks will not be digested for a long time and will wrap around the ostriches' intestines, which can easily cause the ostriches' death. Be sure to note that when bedding with corn stalks, the roots should face the wall, so as to avoid the sharp cut ends of the corn stalks scratching the ostriches' feet. Every morning, the time to go out can be determined according to the ostriches' behavior; if they move about freely, they can go out early and return late. If the ostriches shiver and huddle together, are unwilling to leave the house, or crowd toward the house, then let them out late and bring them back early.
In terms of feed, the concentrated feed for adult birds in winter is the same as in summer. Frozen vegetables such as frozen Chinese cabbage, radish, and mustard leaves can be added. When using frozen vegetables, it is best not to thaw them before chopping and feeding, because after thawing and being taken outside for feeding they will freeze again, affecting the ostriches' eating.
--------------------------------------
Chick Overwintering
When chicks overwinter, the bedding where the chicks sleep at night must be chopped, with stalk length about 3.3 cm, spread about 10 cm thick. During the day, sand or furnace ash is spread in the chicks' exercise area; the diameter of stones in the sand or lumps of furnace ash should preferably not exceed 1 cm. The indoor temperature depends on the ostriches' age in months. For chicks over 4 months old, the best indoor temperature is above 15°C. Because there is a lack of sunlight indoors in winter, an appropriate amount of vitamin AD3 powder must be added to the feed. The most important issue in chick overwintering is the relationship among temperature, humidity, and ventilation. At the beginning of winter there is no need to heat the room, but as the weather gets colder and colder, a coal stove must be used indoors for heating. If the bird house is too large or plastic greenhouses are used for brooding, it is best to use a stove converted from a large oil drum for heating, and a protective fence should be set around the stove to prevent the chicks from being scalded. It is best to use a thicker stovepipe. In winter, some people only pay attention to heating and do not consider humidity enough. Therefore, temperature, humidity, and ventilation must be considered comprehensively, otherwise various diseases will constantly appear, causing a lot of unnecessary losses.
The specific method is: the temperature should be a little higher, raised to about above 20°C, so that after ventilation the temperature will be suitable. For ventilation, it is best to use the special exhaust vents on the roof of the bird house or use the chimney opening as an exhaust vent, which can both discharge stale air and prevent cold outdoor wind from directly attacking the chicks, and can also reduce humidity. Some enzyme preparations can also be added to the feed, which can greatly reduce the production of indoor foul odors. When necessary, windows can be opened for ventilation at noon when the temperature is higher; it is best if people in the bird house feel the air is fresh and free of stale odors.
--------------------------------------
Some people reduce the chicks' drinking water and vegetable feed in order to lower humidity. Practice has proved that this is not a good method. A good method is to frequently replace the bedding in the exercise area inside the house; dry furnace ash is better as bedding. When replacing the bedding, try to raise as little dust as possible, which can reduce the incidence of respiratory diseases. Once a respiratory disease appears, human oral spray medication can be used for emergency treatment, and then erythromycin medication can be used to cure it. At the beginning of the illness, there is a murmur when breathing; at this time, the veterinary drug Kechuan Bawang can be added to the feed, and it can be cured in 2 to 3 days.