Housing design

HOUSING DESIGN

Adaptation

  • The ostrich is very adaptable and thrives under extreme conditions. Among the many ways of regulating its body temperature, it controls heat loss during cold weather by covering its thighs with its wings. During hot weather, by lifting and moving its wings, it creates a gentle breeze.
  • The feathers are excellent insulators, minimizing heat gain from direct solar radiation, as well as reducing heat loss during cold desert nights. It has a remarkable tolerance to heat, withstanding air temperatures of 56°C without undue stress.
  • Heat is lost by panting via the well-developed air sac system that avoids over ventilation of the lungs and consequent dangerous water loss. Ostriches rarely seek shade, but most desert animals regularly do.
  • Ostriches may be found in a variety of open habitats. They normally avoid areas of thick bush or heavy tree cover and but inhabit wooded grasslands and other open country. Ostriches are found in large numbers in semiarid, open and short-grass plains. They are also able to thrive in very poorly vegetated areas.

7.1

Fig. 7.1. Ostrich during a hot summer

  • Ostriches are completely diurnal. They are on their feet for most of the daylight hours, except when dust-bathing, resting or nesting. They invariably sit down at dusk and remain virtually inactive throughout the night unless disturbed.
  • The chicks and juveniles are strictly gregarious and always remain in compact groups. They are most active in early morning and late afternoon, but are very heat tolerant, and seldom seek shade. Their body temperature may rise appreciably during sun exposure without apparent harm, a useful physiologic adaptation.

Ideal Farm Size

  • Farming of 3 or 4 breeding ostriches is not viable revenue generating enterprise.
  • Ostriches love to live in groups. From 3 or 4 breeding ostriches an average of 1.5 chicks can only be hatched weekly and the chicks will suffer higher mortality than normal due to a lack of company from other ostriches. Therefore, good, small operation needs at least 9 breeding birds. If the farm is started with eggs or chicks, it is probably needed at least 50 to make a viable business.

Ostrich Farm Layout

  • An ideal ostrich farming operation separates the breeding, the incubation and the growing of the chicks into 3 separate farming locations at many miles apart. If it is not possible to have multiple locations an "all-in-one" layout can be designed.
  • Quiet and secluded location is ideal for ostrich farming. Although ostriches soon get used to noise and busy environments, breeding can be affected if there is too much distraction. Bio-security and cleanliness throughout the farm is crucial and reasonable distances need to be maintained from various ostrich pens and different farming operations.
  • When moving around the farm, the visit has to be made from youngest (i.e. incubation room) to older (i.e. chicks) to oldest (i.e. breeders). Entering the incubation room or the chick pen after attending adult birds is to be avoided for biosecurity.

Land and Service Requirements

  • The amount of land required is dependent on the age and the quantity of ostriches to be raised. Even a small operation requires a minimum of 3 or 4 acres (1 - 2 hectares). A constant supply of fresh, clean water is an absolute necessity as fully grown ostriches can drink up to 2 gallons (9 litres) of water per day. Electricity is required if artificial incubation is planned.
  • Gas or oil is a good alternative to provide heat to the ostriches in colder, freezing weather. Heating is required at night for newly hatched chicks if the temperature falls below 85ºF (24ºC). In freezing winter weather, it is recommended that ostriches are provided a shelter or shed. Although ostriches are very hardy, an enclosed shelter or barn is ideal.
  • Fresh water is essential and needs to be kept well above freezing point. A landscape of gentle hills and slopes are preferred for ostrich farming. Steep slopes should be avoided as this can cause problems for the ostriches running around which in turn leads to leg injuries. Serious leg injuries can cause death of an ostrich.

Ostrich Chick Pens (0 to 4 months)

  • An ideal chick pen consists of a greenhouse type structure with open access to a chick run/pen. Chicks should be encouraged to go outside at the earliest opportunity: however, they should be kept out of any rain. At night and in cooler temperatures during the day, a heat lamp with thermostat should be provided. When the chicks feel cold, they will run under the heat lamp to warm up.
  • Chick runs/ pens should be spotlessly clean of any foreign objects. Chicks will eat anything and will die if they pick up indigestible objects. The chick pen should not contain any planted tree in it. The chicks may consume fallen twigs and barks of trees and may get serious health problems. Chick runs/ pens can be made from concrete/ dry deck or grass. There are advantages and disadvantages to both surfaces. Concrete is easy to sterilise and clean but gets very hot in the summer so good shelters are required.
  • A good healthy chick will not experience leg problems on concrete, however, regular attention and observation is required. Grass is soft and natural and does not overheat in the summer. The disadvantage with grass surface is that disinfection is difficult to remove the harmful bacteria before housing of new batch of chicks. Rotation of chick pens is recommended to ensure a clean and sanitary environment.
  • Between 6 weeks and 4 months of age, birds should be moved into larger pens. These pens do not need such rigid fencing; however, construction should be adequate to keep any predators out. Good sun shelters are required and if the weather is cold, access to a heated area is necessary.

7.2

Fig. 7.2. Ostrich chick pen (Greenhouse type)

7.3

Fig. 7.3. Open run for chicks

Juvenile Pens (5 to 18 months)

  • Birds of 5 months and over should be moved into larger pens. The structure and size for a Juvenile pen can be the same as a Breeder Pen. Dozens of juvenile birds can be housed together into a good size juvenile pen. Juvenile pens can be of any type of substrate and ground cover such as grass is desired.

7.4

Fig. 7.4. Juvenile pen

Breeder Pens (above 18 months)

  • Each pair of ostriches should be considered individually. Each pair requires about 1 to 3 acres of running area. Ostriches require high tensile or mesh fence that will not allow them to get their heads or legs caught.
  • Ostriches can be quite aggressive and will bite or nip. They will cross over, or escape through gap on the bottom if possible, and can hurt themselves if their necks or legs get caught. Ostriches can grow to more than eight-feet-tall so the fencing should be at least six-feet high. It is preferable for breeding paddocks to have rounded corners or baffles to reduce collisions.
  • It is also advisable to make a passage between two paddock fences (1.8m wide) to prevent males of neighbouring pens from fighting. Ostriches need shelter from the extreme cold of winter and heat of summer.
  • The shelter is best placed inside the fenced area where ostriches will have free access. The design of the shelter can range from a plywood three-sided building to a small barn that can be heated if necessary. A shelter measuring 20 feet by 20 feet is adequate for a breeder pair. Good, well-drained and, where possible, paddocks should be chosen as ostrich breeding areas.

7.5

Fig. 7.5. Breeder pen

How to Build Houses for Ostriches

  • Ostrich shelters should offer the freedom of space and allow for physical exercise and increased playful interaction. This makes the ostriches healthy not only physically but also mentally.
  • Consider the size of pen or shelter. The size depends on how many birds are planned to raise in the farm. Ostriches are lovers of space and prefer large breeding areas. For a breeding pair, ideally a run area of 1 to 3 acre per pair is to be provided. However, under farming conditions ostriches cannot be provided with large areas (unless land price is low), but they should have sufficient space in which to forage, walk, run and display courtship when they wish.
  • Accordingly, a minimum of 0.1 ha (0.25 acre) paddock, is needed for two to three adult ostriches in breeding (one male and two females). The Royal Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) of the United Kingdom recommends 12 adult birds or less per acre (0.4 ha).
  • The major areas/ structures in the pen are
    • Shelter or Pen
    • Open run
    • Fencing
    • Sun shelter
    • Sand bath

Shelter or Pen

  • A covered shelter with a space of minimum 400 sq. ft. (20 by 20 feet) is constructed inside the pen. Designate a minimum of 60 to 80 sq. ft. of space per bird. The shelter should be constructed inside the pen or on one side attached to the pen. When possible, build shelters away from loud noises or high traffic areas.
  • Narrowing the pen towards the shelter will allow a funnel affect; this can allow easy driving of the bids into the shelter for examination if needed.
  • Feeder and waterer are placed in such a way so that internal access for the ostriches and external access for filling are possible. Waterers and feeders should be placed at chest level.
  • The size of indoor building is determined based on the number of ostriches to be kept in a four-sided building with a gate at least 36 inches wide. Minimum height of the shelter should cover the tallest ostrich with atleast 2 feet room above.
  • Special flooring is not required for ostriches; a sand or soil base is adequate for their needs. Choose a sandy location with fairly level ground and no drainage problems. This location should not be near stagnant water or within ear shot of high vehicle traffic areas.
  • Clear the location of all weeds, bushes, rocks and any other objects that may be hazardous to an ostrich. Use a shovel and rake to smoothly level out the area. Construct a 2' X4' steel/ wooden frame using a saw, level, hammer and nails. Cut wire mesh/sheets to size for each frame and attach them to the 2-by-4 frames by nailing the siding securely in place to each frame. Stand up a panel frame and attach it to a second side with hammer and nails. Continue attaching walls until all four walls are attached and secured.
  • The front of the shelter should be constructed to allow for the gate opening. The other three sides will be covered with the panels already prepared. Attach the 36-inch gate with hardware to the siding panel that has been designated as the front.
  • Avoid injury to the birds by not leaving any large gaps that an ostrich could get caught in. Stretch and attach a shade cloth/ a knitted fabric that provides UV protection across the top of the side wall and attach to it. Paint the interior and exterior the ostrich house with exterior house paint for protection from the elements.

7.6

Fig. 7.6. Ostrich shelter

Open Run

  • The run should include a gate and at least one escape route. Leave an escape route in the pens. This can be accomplished by leaving a gap in the fence large enough for an adult male to slip through but too small for a full grown ostrich, or a similar sized gap at the bottom of a gate for a person to roll through.

Fig. 7.7 Open run (with shelters inside)

Sand Bath

  • Grasses are acceptable ground cover for ostriches but an area of sand for ostrich rolling has to be made inside the paddock. This area should be atleast 30 square feet, but it can encompass the entire pen also.

7.8

Fig. 7.8. Sand bath

Sun Shelter

  • Erecting a sun shelter using simple materials may be considered deep inside the pen if there are no trees. Sun shelter is smaller than shelter or pen in size and made of simple materials.

Fig. 7.9 Sun shelter

Fencing

  • First place the posts/ pillars made of cement, wood, steel etc. giving special attention to the gates. Wire mesh/welded mesh/metal strings are then mounted on the pillars. Chain link material can be used, but that might injure ostriches' limbs.

7.10

Fig. 7.10. Different types of fencing used in ostrich housing

Last modified: Wednesday, 2 May 2012, 8:37 AM