Safari Ostrich Farm is a working commercial ostrich farm where we farm with these magnificent birds for their meat, skins(leather) and feathers.
We have specially selected breeding ostriches who mate and lay eggs for us. We then take the eggs away from them and put them in the incubators to eventually hatch after 42 days. Not every egg the female lays will be fertile. She lays one egg every two days during the breeding season which is from July to February.
When we go take the eggs out of their nests to place in the incubators we first check to see if these eggs are fertile. This process is called candling since in the beginning of the industry 140 years ago the farmers would use a candle. They would hold the candle under the egg in a dark room to see if there is an embryo inside. The egg-shell is porous like your skin which means that if you shine a light on the egg you can see through it.
Fertile eggs will then be placed in the incubators and the infertile eggs will after being cleaned, become curios. We have taken video footage of the “candling” process for you to see. Safari Ostrich Farm guides will show you the candling of ostrich eggs during your guided tour of our farm.
