The animal nutrition industry has long understood that an animal's main function in life is to protect and sustain its most crucial bodily functions of life. That life sustaining "individual survival" function takes first priority over anything else.

The second crucial intent of any animal is to "reproduce" so it can carry on future generations of its progeny. That is a secondary function and purpose of its life following "individual survival".

Ostrich are no different in this regard. Since the Primary function of life is to survive, Ostriches are constantly making adjustments within their body to compensate for deficiencies and excesses that may come about.

In relating this fact to Ostrich Breeder Hens, it is important to understand that the Ostrich hen takes care of its own body and organs FIRST. If the Ostrich breeder hen is deprived of certain nutrients over a long period of time, her body organs will immediately try to search for them "within" and attempt to compensate for those deficiencies as well as possible.

If an Ostrich breeder hen is experiencing a shortage of protein, it will not grow new feathers--or its feathers will be very short and minimal. If an Ostrich breeder hen diet has a severe shortage of trace minerals and vitamins, it will attempt to draw those items from within the body from any source it can. If an Ostrich breeder hen is fed a diet deficient in calcium or phosphorus, it will attempt to draw its needs from its own bones and body frame.

In times of great stress, whether that stress is illness, high breeding activity, egg production, or inclement weather, an Ostrich breeder hen needs a sufficient amount of energy and other nutrients to maintain its body, and its reproductive functions. If the diet being fed the breeder hen is deficient in Energy and these other essential nutrients to combat stress, it will begin to draw fat (for energy) from it own body Fat Pan reserve located under the belly between the legs. When the Fat Pan reserve is depleted, the breeder hen begins to search for OTHER sources of energy within the body--any source it can in order to survive.

Egg Yolk Follicles are an excellent source of Energy and other nutrients for the Breeder hen to draw from in times of severe stress. Egg Yolks are high in fat (energy) and high in other nutrients--nutrients intended for the embryo to grow on within the egg and for the hatchling chick to survive on the first 10 days of its life.

Photo 1, Good Egg Follicles

Photo 1 shows a cluster of egg follicles from a hen that was a good productive hen around 4 years of age in her second year of egg production. Notice the well-rounded and full yolk sacs within the cluster and how many of the yolk sac follicles are in progressive and varying development stages. Also note the bright yellow color of the egg yolk follicles and the amount of fluid within a majority of the near term follicles.

It is easy to see in Photo 1 how well the follicles are steadily developing and how the yolk sacs are filling with needed fats and nutrients for the embryo to thrive on and develop normally. Again, these same nutrients are most important to the newly hatched chick during the first 10 days of life.

Photo 2, Poor Nutrition Egg Follicles

Photo 2 is a cluster of egg follicles from a severely nutrient deficient hen around 4 years of age in her second year of egg production (same age bird as photo 1). It is clear to see that hardly any of the follicles are totally filled with yolk. Also, the yellow color (the fats) has been totally depleted leaving only some sac fluids behind.

It is most doubtful that this hen could have laid an egg in this condition, but if she did, you can clearly see WHY some embryos die in the egg and WHY some newly hatched chicks die early in their life. Most all of the nutrient value has been depleted from these egg follicles as the hen was starving for nutrients herself to maintain her normal body functions. Photo 2 is clear evidence that this hen ROBBED her nutrient needs from her own egg yolk follicles, as her daily diet was severely deficient to support and maintain her body for survival.

The diet of the Ostrich hen is most important to her health and reproduction. The diet HAS to be adequate and cover ALL her needs to do all the functions she is asked to perform.

The diet must include all the nutrients such as protein, fat, fiber, energy, minerals, trace minerals, vitamins and additives necessary for the hen to be a "productive" hen year after year and to produce healthy chicks year after year. This is why it is so important to feed the Ostrich hen PROPERLY all year around with a very strict nutritional program that is balanced with nutrients needed to perform the functions expected of the hen.

On the part of the Ostrich Farmer, this requires a concentrated dedication to purchasing the highest quality feed and understanding how to identify such, using the most critical feeding management program, and implementing the best farming management programs he can come up with. Then, and only then, will the Ostrich hen be able to perform to production levels needed for a cost effective operation.

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