Teach you how to identify the age of farmed ostriches

For buyers, the age of the ostrich is also crucial. The age of an ostrich is usually identified by its appearance. At the age of 12 months, the legs and beak of the male ostrich turn white; at 2 years old, all the feathers on the back of the male ostrich fade, but most of the base of the neck and abdomen still exist, while most of the white feathers on the abdomen of the female are replaced by tawny feathers.

At the age of 3, all the white feathers on the abdomen of male and female ostriches fade, the feathers at the base of the neck remain unchanged, and the legs and beaks of some male ostriches turn typical red; at the age of 4, ostriches are fully mature and appear adult feathers; after 4 years of age, ostrich wings become thicker and stronger, but there are no other obvious characteristics. It is reported that the penis length of male birds can also be used to identify age. The first step in breeding ostriches is to introduce them. The quality of imported breeding birds or eggs directly affects the success or failure of ostrich breeding. As breeders, when choosing and buying ostriches, we should first consider the species of ostriches and buy them according to their own breeding purposes. Secondly, the sex ratio should be taken into account. The general female-to-male ratio is 3 ∶ 1 to 5 ∶ 2. In addition, special attention should be paid to age when introducing. Although the effective breeding life of ostriches can reach 40 to 50 years, the egg laying performance of newly laid ostriches and old ostriches are very low. It is generally believed that it is more ideal to choose ostriches between the ages of 5 and 10. Because it is both high-yield and promising. In addition, the size and appearance of the introduced birds should also be taken into account. Generally speaking, in terms of appearance, the ostrich with higher yield has dirty back feathers, dry hair tips, short and sparse or hairless back feathers, beautiful head, bright eyes, drooping tail, and thick hindquarters. On the contrary, birds with plump feathers, good gloss, large head, bulky legs, long legs, high wings, flat or upwarped tail, stunted hindquarters or very large bodies lay very low or no eggs. In general, ostriches without vibrating oestrus should not be bought.