Laguna Blanca’s Lower School is experiencing the joys of parenthood this spring. Their adventure began in January, when the first graders took a field trip to Buellton’s OstrichLand as part of their science class unit involving the study of birds.
“We purchased two emerald green emu eggs that day,” Lower School Science Instructor Clara Svedlund explains, “One non-fertile emu egg to scramble with cheese, and one fertile egg to incubate.” Ms. Svedlund reports that in early March, the students began to notice movement in the egg. “It would gently rock back and forth,” she says. “We were very happy to see that sign of life!”
The students patiently waited and watched while the egg incubated for 50 days. “Then, just in time to celebrate all things green, the green emu egg hatched on the morning of March 17!” Ms. Svedlund reports.
The newly hatched emu, with black and tan stripes and speckles, was about six inches tall. The students voted and elected to name the emu “Lucky” in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Lucky, who is now more than three weeks old, has doubled in size. He weighs nearly two pounds and measures about a foot and a half tall. Now back from spring break, the students are enjoying watching Lucky run, roll, and grow.
Ostriches grow one foot per month until they reach eight or nine feet in height. When asked how Lucky is going to spend his summer vacation, Ms. Svedlund replies, “We don’t know for sure yet, but he might possibly go to summer camp—at OstrichLand in Buellton!”