Ratites Fact Sheet:

What is a ratite?

A ratite is the family of flightless birds and includes ostriches, emus and rheas.

Ostrich:

The ostrich is native to South Africa, where they have been bred commercially for over 100 years.

Ostriches are reproductively mature between the ages of three and four. Several females, called hens, mate with one male, called a rooster. In the spring, each hen lays her eggs in the same shallow nest. For the next 6 weeks, the rooster incubates the eggs at night, while the dominant hen does the same during the day. Once the eggs are laid, it takes 42 days for them to hatch. The hens may start to lay as early as 2 years but are not considered mature until 4 to 5 years of age and at this age should be a consistent layer. Hens will lay an egg every other day until her clutch is depleted (10-15 eggs) and rest for a few days, and then start laying again. The laying season in Canada is between February/March and September/October.

Ostriches can live between for up to 50 years old. However, ostriches that are wild live between 20 and 30 years old. Ostriches stand between two and two point five meters tall and weigh between 113 and 159 kilograms. Because of their strong and muscular legs, the ostrich can run up to 40 miles per hour. The rooster is black with white wing tips and tail plumes. The hen has light brown and grey plumage and is slightly smaller than the male

Ostrich are raised for their meat, eggs and oil. Ostrich meat, leather and feathers have a high commercial value. Ostrich eggshells are carved into ornaments, used for containers or made into jewellery. Ostrich oil can be used to treat such ailments as dry skin, dry hair and sunburns.

Did you know…

An ostrich hen can lay 40 -100 eggs per year, averaging about 60 eggs per year.
This great bird has two toes. All other birds have three or four toes.
The ostrich is the largest living bird in the world

Emus:

Emus are native to Australia and are valued for their meat and oil. The emu belongs to the Ratite family, meaning they are flightless birds.

Emus have a life span of 30 years and may produce eggs for more than 16 of those years. Adult emus grow to a height of five to six feet and weigh 125 to 150 pounds when mature. The female emu, called a hen, lays between 20 and 50 eggs per season. Laying normally begins when the hen is two to three years of age and the laying season is from October to April. The male emu usually is the one who sits on the eggs to keep them warm.

The eggs that are laid by emus vary in size or colour. Usually the eggs are dark green, weighing 600 grams and being five inches long. Producers are now using artificial incubation that lasts for 50 to 60 days. This is used to help moderate the temperature at which the eggs are being incubated at.

Emus are produced for many products in addition to their meat. The oil from these birds is used as a method to treat anti-inflammatory problems. The leather from the hide is supple and durable and is used for a variety of products. Emu feathers, shells and toenails are all used to make various crafts.

Did you know…

Emus have three toes, while ostriches only have two.
The hen is the dominant bird. The female chooses a mate and then defends the territory for their nest.
Emus generally are docile and non-aggressive towards humans.
One emu can produce almost four litres of pure oil.

Rhea:

Rhea are native to South America and are a part of the ratite family, making them a flightless bird. This bird looks similar to the ostrich, having similar feathered heads and necks. However, the rhea has three toes while the ostrich only has two. There are two different types of species of rhea, the white rhea and the common or gray rhea (gray or light brown with a white bottom).

When fully grown, the rhea weighs 60 to 80 pounds approximately and stands five feet tall. They become sexually mature between two and four years of age and a male can have up to five mates. The breeding season is early March through August and the female can lay up to 60 eggs per year. The eggs are usually yellow, with a waxy shell. The incubation period lasts between 32 and 42 days.

Rheas are produced for their meat, feathers, oil and their hides, which is turned in to leather. White rheas currently are more expensive than gray ones, but the only difference is their feather color.

Did you know…

A rhea can produce up to six litres of oil; this is dependent on the size of the bird, its weight and what it is fed.
The fat from rhea is rendered and redefined to a lotion and used by many people as a cosmetic or moisturizer.

How are ratities raised?

Newly hatched chicks usually weigh about two pounds and are about 10 inches tall. Young ratites must be sheltered in a warm place for their first weeks of life. Adolescent and adult birds are allowed to roam freely in fenced pastures or pens. Ratites need daily exercise to avoid leg and digestive problems. The closely woven wire fences must be six to eight-feet high because ratites can leap over a five-foot fence. Ratites are fed on grain and hay or pasture.

What do Ratites eat?

Commercially produced feed comes in the form of a pellet or in ground form. Feed ingredients may include: corn, alfalfa meal, wheat, soy, barley, oats, fat, and grit, which aids in the digestion of feeds. Ratites may also be fed forage such as alfalfa hay, or silage. In addition to feed, ratites require a good supply of quality water. Adequate calcium in the diet is critically important to growing ratites to ensure strong, healthy legs.

Useful Links:

Ontario Ratite Association
Canadian Ostrich Association
Ostrich Producers of Ontario