Ostriches reach sexual maturity at about 2 years old and then are able to start laying eggs. Adult ostriches can lay up to fifty eggs per year, as long as the eggs are removed from the nest. It takes 39 to 44 days for an ostrich egg to hatch.
Instructions
1. Collect eggs at least once daily. Use extreme caution when collecting eggs since ostriches can be aggressive, especially during mating season. Don't wear anything shiny when caring for ostriches.
2. Place the eggs in a commercial incubator with proper ventilation. The temperature in the incubator should be kept at about 97.0 to 98.4 degrees Farenheight. Humidity should be in the 15 to 20 percent range.
3. Make sure the incubator room has fresh and flowing air.
4. Clean eggs before placing them into an incubator. Gently remove manure or dirt, but don't wash it away. Never get ostrich eggs wet. Some experts say washing the eggs in 3 percent hydrogen peroxide is fine, but double check with your veterinarian first.
5. Rotate the egg up to twenty-four times a day to make sure the baby hatches properly.
6. Move the egg to a hatcher once it becomes close to piping (breaking the shell). Do not rotate the egg anymore. The humidity of the hatcher should be about the same as the humidity of the incubator. However, you may need to gradually increase the humidity so that when hatching occurs, the humidity is set at about 40 percent.
7. Do not help the ostrich out of the egg once it cracks. It needs to work its own way out for proper development. It may take several days from the appearance of the first crack for the ostrich to hatch.
8. Transfer the chick to a brooding box within about 12 hours after it hatches.
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