November, 1912.] 



359 



OSTRICH FARMING. 



The following extracts are from a paper on Ostrich Farming by Mr. 

 W. J. Slatter of Natal printed in the Queensland Agricultural Journal of 

 June 1912 :— 



The first work was to make for the four pairs of birds four 5-acre 

 paddocks — wire interlaced with bush. Half an acre was planted with 

 lucerne, quarter acre cabbages and root crops, the remainder being used 

 for mealies and forage. In every paddock there should be running water, 

 wood ashes and a box of crushed bones. 



Hatching. 



As soon as one or two eggs are laid, a round hole 2 yards wide and 

 18 inches deep is dug close to the eggs and the hole filled in level with 

 coarse sand or gravel. A few days later the eggs are moved on to the nest. 

 The ostrich cock does most of the fitting on the uest. The eggs being 

 hatched the chicks are left with their parents for three or four days and 

 then removed. Some breeders take away the chicks immediately they are 

 hatched; but it is best that they should receive the initial care of the 

 parents as they become stronger and more robust. 



Early Life. 



For five or six days the chicks are kept in a small enclosure— 20' x 12'. 

 They must have plenty of clean water, river sand, crushed bones and wood 

 ashes in which to clean themselves. Lucerne is the best and only food 

 required by the young chicks. It must be quite fresh; if stale and fer- 

 menting it will certainly kill them. An umfaan is their constant at- 

 tendant and teaches them how to feed by working his forearm up and 

 down, the wrist bent and the end of the pointed fingers just touching 

 the food. 



After the fifth or sixth day the brood should be put into a wire-net 

 enclosure of about 20' x 20' on lucerne. The umfaan still remains with 

 them and the picking motion with his hands soon teaches them to pluck 

 the leaves themselves. The enclosure should always be shifted on to fresh 

 lucerne after a few days' feeding. 



In wet and cold weather the chicks are put into paddook boxes parti- 

 ally covered over with sacks where a screened fire is burning. Chicks 

 which have once suffered badly from cold and wet weather are always 

 delicate in after life. 



Plucking. 



When the chicks are a couple of months old they may be taken among 

 the mealies. Two months later they can be sent to graze on the veld, but 

 until they are about six months old they should be sheltered every night. 

 Arrived at this stage they require no night shelter. At 18 months the 

 birds are thoroughly strong. They begin to breed when four years old 

 and continue till they are twenty. 



Chicks should have their feathers clipped when six months old, the 

 stumps being drawn out two months later. The first plucking will be 

 worth about 18s., and the next, taken six months after the drawing of the 

 stumps, 30s. Subsequent pluckings will vary in value from <£3 to £5. 



