. Bits of bird life . An Ostrich Farm. constant sight of human beings, are not easily have a great deal of curiosity ; they approach to wathina few feet of a person, and, if not interfered with, investigatewith their great bills any bright object, such as a watch-chain, locket, or breast-pin ; but a sudden movement with thehand causes them to run clumsily but rapidly to what theyconsider a safe distance. 48 OSTRICH - FARMING. The thick-shelled egg of the ostrich is twenty times aslarge as an ordinary hens egg, and its weight is about twopounds. Before the eggs are placed in the
. Bits of bird life . An Ostrich Farm. constant sight of human beings, are not easily have a great deal of curiosity ; they approach to wathina few feet of a person, and, if not interfered with, investigatewith their great bills any bright object, such as a watch-chain, locket, or breast-pin ; but a sudden movement with thehand causes them to run clumsily but rapidly to what theyconsider a safe distance. 48 OSTRICH - FARMING. The thick-shelled egg of the ostrich is twenty times aslarge as an ordinary hens egg, and its weight is about twopounds. Before the eggs are placed in the incubator, orhatching-box, each one is placed in a long box which has atone end a lamp and at the other end a small opening forobservation. If the egg is fruitful, an opaque spot will beobserved in the 3^olk. If the yolk has a uniform density it Young Ostriches. The eggs which pass this test are carefully placed in acabinet of a series of drawers, in which they restupon soft felt. The temperature is raised to the requiredheight by means of hot water from a large boiler near by. Athermometer attached to each drawer shows the exact temperature is kept between ninety-nine and one hun-dred and two degrees Fahrenheit. At intervals of seven or eight days the eggs are turnedover, and, during all the handling, great care is taken to OSTRICH - FARMING. 49 avoid sudden jars. The period of incubation is forty-twodays — just twice as long as that required for the ordinaryhens egg. The young ostrich is about the size of a youngpullet, when hatched, and has a brownish color, which giveshim the appearance of anovergrown partridge. Notuntil they are half-growndo the male birds begin todiffer in color from thefemales. The young chicks arefed upon bran, corn-mealand green leaves, and growrapidly. In six weeks theyare as
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1895
