Ostrich and Rhea Chick Diets

Infants up to 1 month or 6 pounds

Getting them to eat as soon as possible is key to rapid growth.  Plantain, lamb's quarters, lettuce, kale, cabbage, onions and garlic tops, strawberry tops, and chopped apple have all been used successfully to get them started.  Cooked and chopped rhea egg or other free-range egg is also a crowd pleaser.  DO NOT USE cheap grocery store eggs-you will have unbelievable leg problems. 

I use the egg as a training aid through chickhood to entice them into their nighttime enclosure.  Using the same words all the time as you scatter the egg teaches them to come when called, which can be invaluable when a severe thunderstorm or tornado warning is issued.  When we rounded them up this spring to move to the adult pen "Come on, everybody" worked like a charm.  These birds can be difficult to herd, so having them trained to come when called was a huge blessing .

The basic plan here it to create a mixture that is dry enough to be swallowed without caking on the bills, but wet enough with meat to have the flavor. 

750 mls cooked beef heart-it used to be chicken heart but that
disappeared from the store shelves. It is cheap.  This is cooked in a large roaster, 20# at a time to reduce the volume of liquid.  Do not discard the liquid or the fat. I buy this 50-100# at a time and can it up into quart jars.  It makes mixing the feed easy; just heat and pour.  Canned meat does not need refrigeration.
1200 mls dehydrated alfalfa meal-very dusty. I have a table outside to mix this up.
1000 mls instant dried mashed potato (this may not be necessary, will investigate this year)
60 mls kelp

I have an outdoor table set up the whole summer, equipped with a roaster, containers of alfalafa, mashed potato, and kelp parked under the table.  I cover the table with newspaper for easy clean-up.  The mixer and measuring cups are stored inside.

The meat must be a slurry.  This can be done before canning or after.  Either way, only fill the quart jars 3/4 full (750 mls) for canning to prevent poor seals, there is a lot of fat in heart.  Heat before mixing.
The meat can be slurried with a large mixer and combined with the kelp, then add the dry ingredients and mix until it turns an even dark olive green.  Store in the frig or the freezer.

PLUS-very important for preventing soft bills!!!
CABBAGE or other brassica-daily

Rhea chicks CANNOT grow vigorously if fed soy or grain or not fed
meat. It can even kill them. The young are NOT vegetarians.

Chicks 1-3 months

After one month add 1000 mls of ground split pea to the mix.

Chicks over 3 months

Foal food, which they don't eat that much of

Baled alfalfa

Dog food: 1/3 pound per animal.  This is their first introduction to corn-in the dog food. I don't know if the ostriches really need the meat anymore at this age, but they love it.