Throughout the six weeks that it will take to incubate the eggs, the male will sit on the nest during the night, and one female will do so during the day. At this point the eggs are vulnerable and are sought after by hungry lions, hyenas, jackals, and even Egyptian vultures, who break open eggs by throwing stones against their shells. The shell is hard and glossy and has a glazed, porcelainlike finish. Each egg is the equivalent of 25 hens eggs, and ostrich eggs are prized for their rich contents and delicious taste. Empty shells are sometimes used as containers by Bushmen, who fill them with water.
Newborns are defenseless, but they grow fast and are born runners.
Protection of the chicks rests with the parent birds. That the ostrich buries its head in the sand when faced with danger is a myth. On the contrary, parent birds can be fiercely aggressive when protecting their brood, driving away predators with powerful kicks. Another defense tactic they employ is distracting the predator by pretending to be wounded, thus drawing attention away from their young and to themselves. However, if a predator comes too close to them, the parents usually turn tail and run for their lives, leaving their young to fend for themselves.