Raising Ratites

Whether you’re running a farm or interested in keeping a few backyard birds, Storey’s Guide to Raising Poultry covers everything you need to know to successfully raise your own chickens, turkeys, waterfowl, and more. Stressing humane practices throughout, Glenn Drowns provides expert advice on breed selection, housing, feeding, behavior, breeding, health care, and processing your own meat and eggs. With tips on raising specialty species like doves, ostriches, and peafowl, you’ll be inspired to experiment with new breeds and add diversity to your poultry operation.

DIVWhether you raise your flock for pleasure, profit, or both, the freshly updated second edition of Christine Heinrichs’ How to Raise Poultry will quickly equip you to successfully manage any of 14 different fowl species./div

About the Book Rhea and Other Ratites looks at and compares the social structures, breeding, and management of these fascinating creatures both in captivity and in the wild. About the Author Donald Bruning, Ph.D. grew up on a dairy farm in Colorado, where he developed a love for animals. In college and graduate school, his interest in zoology grew rapidly and after his first course in ornithology, he knew it was what he wanted to do. After completing his master’s degree and starting his PhD, Bruning was offered a golden opportunity to intern for the New York Zoological Society at the Bronx Zoo in New York. There, his first challenge was to develop ways to incubate eggs of the endangered Darwin’s rhea and rear the chicks, a feat previously unheard of. In the first year, they had 28 eggs, hatched 26, and raised 25. This instantly made Bruning the authority on rhea. He was then able to study these birds in the wild in Argentina. His interest in these birds has continued to the present day. He worked with many zoos and other organizations over the next 35 years before retiring but continues to give talks and lectures on birds and conservation. After his first year at the zoo, a young graphic designer, Barbara, started working there as well. Less than two years later, they were married. Together they have three daughters and five granddaughters. Bruning’s hobbies since retiring include fishing, hiking, and exploration of the mountains in Colorado and Utah.

This volume reviews, for the first time, the broad range of issues that affect the welfare of commercially farmed ratites. Although ratites incorporate several families of flightless birds this book focuses on the most commonly farmed ratites, the ostrich, emu and rhea. The readers are taken on a journey through all sectors of the industry, which include breeding, incubation, hatching, brooding, rearing, growth, transport and processing, with an emphasis on husbandry and management protocols that can impact bird welfare and health. Also discussed is the structure and sensory innervation of the skin and digits of the birds, and the potential welfare implications of industry practices on these structures. Each chapter in this volume focuses on a particular aspect of the commercial farming of ratites with contributing authors from a broad range of disciplines.

THE RATITE ENCYCLOPEDIA is the only comprehensive guide for the ratite farmer. Each chapter is a stand-alone article on a single subject, written by the top experts from four continents especially for this indispensable reference tool. Except on subjects such as tax considerations, each species is treated separately; for instance, there are separate chapters on ostrich, emu & rhea chick rearing. Subjects include the history & geography of ratites, record keeping, breeder management, reproduction, the egg, candling, incubation & hatching, chick rearing, genetics, diseases, biosecurity, anatomy, nutrition, meat studies, leather, emu & rhea oil, working with veterinarians, farm design & layout, microchips, hauling & transportation, legal aspects, insurance & tax considerations, equipment, products, services & a glossary of agricultural & medical terminology. The book also includes lists of national & state organizations, colleges & universities currently researching ratites, trade publications & other reference material. It is profusely illustrated with charts, graphs, diagrams & color photographs. The publisher's first book on record keeping set the standard for the industry. Ratite Records, P.O. Box 790365, San Antonio, TX 78279-0365, 800-926-4695.