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Emu Project 2016 is Underway!
Lots of excitement is surrounding the science lab at the Lower School these days. Check out this Q&A with Science Instructor Clara Svedlund, aka "Emu Mom," to learn more about the Lower School Emu Project.
Q: HOW MANY YEARS HAS THE LOWER SCHOOL BEEN HATCHING EMUS?
A: This is year six! There was one year when none hatched.
A: We have raised nine birds!
2011: (1) Lucky -- check out this video of Lucky running around in the LS backyard.
2012: (4) The Fab Four: Pip, Ume, Geo, and Pie – because Pie hatched around Pi Day, March 14. Cam died after ten days
2013: 0 hatched
2014: (2) Mumu and Piper
2015: (2) Cocoa and Pebbles
2016: Time will tell… Q: WHEN DID YOU GET THE EGGS?
A: The nesting season for the emus at Ostrichland is usually from November through February. I went up to Ostrichland to collect the eggs on January 26, but the nest had unfortunately been abandoned overnight and the eggs were very cold. Once I got back to the Lower School Science Lab, I weighed each egg, put a different colored smiley face sticker on each egg so that we can tell them apart, and then popped them into the warm incubator. The eggs get hand-turned about five times a day. We’ve been hoping for the best since then!
Q: HOW MUCH LONGER UNTIL THE EGGS HATCH?
A: Today (3/3/16) is currently Day 38 in the incubator and emu eggs normally need 46 to 56 days of incubation. On day 21, one of the six eggs had not developed at all, so I removed it from the incubator. We have been weighing the eggs on a daily basis to make sure that the eggs are losing water weight, which is a good sign for the incubation process. Optimally, eggs that are developing normally will lose between 10 and 18% of their weight over the incubation period. So far, these eggs have each lost about 10% of their original weight.
A: Since Spring Break happens pretty quickly after they are supposed to hatch, we’ll have to see if we keep them over break or not.
Q: WHAT DO THE STUDENTS THINK ABOUT THE EMU PROJECT?
A: Kendall Keshen said, “I’m excited that we’ll have baby birds running around here soon!”
Ulrikke Jensen said that she is looking forward to seeing the baby emus for the first time.
Alex Whitten is predicting that the red or blue stickered eggs will hatch first. He can’t decide which one.
You can also be part of the excitement and view the eggs (soon-to-be chicks) on our LBS EMU CAM, which streams live so you can enjoy every wiggle, and eventually witness the hatching of baby chicks!
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Q: HOW MANY YEARS HAS THE LOWER SCHOOL BEEN HATCHING EMUS?
A: This is year six! There was one year when none hatched.
Q: HOW MANY EMUS HAVE WE RAISED AT THE LOWER SCHOOL THUS FAR?
A: We have raised nine birds!
2011: (1) Lucky -- check out this video of Lucky running around in the LS backyard.
2012: (4) The Fab Four: Pip, Ume, Geo, and Pie – because Pie hatched around Pi Day, March 14. Cam died after ten days
2013: 0 hatched
2014: (2) Mumu and Piper
2015: (2) Cocoa and Pebbles
2016: Time will tell…
A: The nesting season for the emus at Ostrichland is usually from November through February. I went up to Ostrichland to collect the eggs on January 26, but the nest had unfortunately been abandoned overnight and the eggs were very cold. Once I got back to the Lower School Science Lab, I weighed each egg, put a different colored smiley face sticker on each egg so that we can tell them apart, and then popped them into the warm incubator. The eggs get hand-turned about five times a day. We’ve been hoping for the best since then!
Q: HOW MUCH LONGER UNTIL THE EGGS HATCH?
A: Today (3/3/16) is currently Day 38 in the incubator and emu eggs normally need 46 to 56 days of incubation. On day 21, one of the six eggs had not developed at all, so I removed it from the incubator. We have been weighing the eggs on a daily basis to make sure that the eggs are losing water weight, which is a good sign for the incubation process. Optimally, eggs that are developing normally will lose between 10 and 18% of their weight over the incubation period. So far, these eggs have each lost about 10% of their original weight.
This last Friday, we noticed some movement in three of the five eggs (the red, blue, and yellow eggs)! Needless to say, this sign of life is always a very exciting thing to see in the science lab emu incubation program! We are hoping to see the wiggling continue over the next ten days, and will hope to see some emus successfully hatch!
Q: WHEN WILL THIS YEAR’S EMUS BE GIVEN TO OSTRICHLAND IN SOLVANG?
Q: WHEN WILL THIS YEAR’S EMUS BE GIVEN TO OSTRICHLAND IN SOLVANG?
A: Since Spring Break happens pretty quickly after they are supposed to hatch, we’ll have to see if we keep them over break or not.
Q: WHAT DO THE STUDENTS THINK ABOUT THE EMU PROJECT?
A: Kendall Keshen said, “I’m excited that we’ll have baby birds running around here soon!”
Ulrikke Jensen said that she is looking forward to seeing the baby emus for the first time.
Alex Whitten is predicting that the red or blue stickered eggs will hatch first. He can’t decide which one.
You can also be part of the excitement and view the eggs (soon-to-be chicks) on our LBS EMU CAM, which streams live so you can enjoy every wiggle, and eventually witness the hatching of baby chicks!
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