By Kathi Stearns

Some said the idea was for the birds; the project could not possibly succeed. Others said, “Let’s wing it.”

So the monks at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers have ventured into new and unexplored territory, moving beyond bread, books and bonsai to become ostrich ranchers.

Since an unproven breeding of a pair of ostriches, a pair that has not produced offspring, began boarding at the monastery, the monks have become surrogate parents thus far to three eggs and anxiously await their hatching. The ostriches laid eggs on March 23, 27 and April 4. “We are hoping for our fourth egg any day now,” Brother Placid, OCSO, a monk nearing his 70th birthday, said expectantly.

During an ostrich’s breeding season, which begins in April and ends in November, a pair of ostriches can produce 50 eggs. Brother Placid hopes that 75 percent of the eggs will become hatchlings since the monastery will receive a quarter of the offspring that survive after 90 days. Brother Placid believes that the eggs that have been laid thus far are fertile.

The female ostriches lay their three-pound yellowish white eggs in a single large depression in the sand. Once the egg is laid, Brother Placid sterilizes it, and then places the egg in an incubator where it remains for 40 days. During this time the egg is weighed and evaluated weekly under both ultraviolet light and candlelight to determine if a chick is growing or if the egg is a “dud.” Eggs removed from the incubator are placed in a hatchery for three days.

While ostrich ranching is new to the members of the Trappist community, there are over 400 ostrich ranchers in existence throughout Georgia. Yet Brother Placid welcomes the challenge. “A little competition never hurt anyone,” he proclaims confidently.

Brother Placid, who used to field and cure hay when the monastery was in that business, relates that a neighbor from Covington approached him about the possibility of starting a ranch for ostriches and emus, a flightless three-toed Australian relative of the ostrich. “It was the silliest thing I had ever heard of,” he recalled.

But as Brother Placid began to gather information he learned that ostrich and emu breeding and boarding can be a lucrative business. Ostrich and emu meat are higher in protein and iron than catfish, turkey, chicken or beef but have fewer calories, and are lower in cholesterol and fat.

Brother Placid explains that ostrich meat produces little lard but tastes like steak. “I’ve eaten the meat, and I can’t tell the difference. If they didn’t tell me it was ostrich, I wouldn’t have known,” Brother Placid said.

He also learned that the feathers of the ostrich and emu are commercially desirable since they absorb dust. In addition, the emu produces one or two pints of oil on its back which can be used for arthritic patients. Finally, one of the ostrich’s two toes is ivory and can be legally sold.

After completing his research Brother Placid presented the facts to the Trappist community which, by a narrow vote, decided to turn two acres of the monastery’s land into breeding grounds for ostriches and emus. The construction of three ostrich and seven emu breeding runs, four runs for yearlings and two incubation rooms and hatcheries was completed March 30.

“People are waiting to see what I can do with this thing. I’ve given this project to the good Lord. He created the little critters. He knows what their value is, and He knows the market. I can’t improve on that. If He wants this project to continue and be something, it will,” Brother Placid said.

“Like all businesses some have greater success than others. For me it is all providential, since He is behind all our efforts. I am quite content, whatever the outcome.”

The monastery receives $200 a month for each pair of ostriches that it boards. Currently the monastery only boards the one pair of ostriches.

It is hoped that each run will one day house a pair of birds. The runs are made of wire and wood and allow a small opening at the foot of the run to provide an accessible escape route for the monk in case the ostrich becomes aggressive. The ostrich, the largest and strongest of living birds, may attain a height of eight feet, a weight of 300 pounds and a running speed of 40 m.p.h. It uses its feet and legs for self-defense.

“They (the ostriches) can get mean,” Brother Placid said. The emu is a peaceful and timid bird capable of running quickly to elude attackers. “You can get in the runs with them and hang out; you wouldn’t want to do that with the ostriches,” Brother Placid explained.

The ultimate goal of the monastery is to eliminate boarding other people’s birds once the ostriches and emus have begun producing offspring that will become the property of the monastery. “Eventually the ostriches that become ours will be raised until they are near their breeding age of 14 to 18 months. At that time we will pair and sell them. That is where money is made,” Brother Placid said.

An unproven breeding pair of ostriches cost $18,000 to $20,000, while a proven breeding pair of ostriches can run $55,000 to $75,000.

Similarly, an unproven breeding pair of emus can cost $45,000 to $60,000, while a proven breeding pair runs $55,000 to $80,000.

A natural extension of the monastery’s original project will be the breeding and sale of the Pyrenees dogs who protect the birds.

“It will take a while for things to catch on…We could be doing well by the time I’m 80,” Brother Placid said with a grin.

“I’ve told people that if we don’t prosper, I’ll shave my head,” laughed Brother Placed, who shaves his head every day.