Almost one year ago, Laguna Blanca School students hatched an emu on the Lower School campus.
“Lucky” popped out of an emerald green egg on St. Patrick’s Day, and Lower School students watched him grow from a 6-inch emu chick into a healthy, young emu that ran really fast. Lucky now lives at Ostrich Land in Buellton, and in the past month he has had visits from both Lower School science instructor Clara Svedlund and the first-grade class.
“He is doing well, is much bigger, and has blue coloration on the head and neck now,” Svedlund said. “On a recent first-grade field trip, we purchased five emu eggs from Ostrich Land that are currently in the science classroom incubator being hand-turned three to five times a day.”
Thanks to Laguna’s computer department, the eggs are now viewable via the Laguna Blanca emu cam.
The first egg hatched earlier Monday, and the second hatched at 9:29 p.m. Monday night.
According to Svedlund, all five eggs were wiggling in response to a whistle. Emu eggs usually hatch between days 46 to 56; it is currently day 41 in the incubator.
“Lucky hatched on day 52 last year,” Svedlund said.
After all of the eggs hatch, the camera will be moved to video the chicks.
Click here for the web cam. If you happen to see an egg hatching, email csvedlund@lagunablanca.org.
— Tara Broucqsault is the director of communications for Laguna Blanca School.