Our Animals
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The bird of the century's Wānaka protectors
In 2023, the pūteketeke went global. This Central Otago project has been its biggest cheerleader far longer
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The rise of the kunekune
Aotearoa’s beloved roly-poly piggies are making a big noise overseas – with good reason.
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The art of choosing a chicken breed
Six things you’ll need to consider to pick the right chooks for your coop.
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All you need to know about alpaca skin disease
Underneath their fluffy fleeces, alpacas are prone to a range of skin conditions. But there are ways to treat them.
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A couple adopt a pair of inseparable rescue goats
The line between pet and farm animal can often get blurry – especially when you adopt from the SPCA.
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The different sides to chicken fencing
The best ways to keep chickens in their run and out of the garden.
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Six tips to improve nesting boxes
How you can provide clean, private and safe nesting boxes with plenty of material when your birds get the urge to lay.
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How to prevent a backyard feather pecker
Feather pecking can be a problematic and mysterious behaviour, but there are ways to avoid it.
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When chicken feed ain’t chicken feed
With global supply chain woes now affecting feed prices, poultry owners may need to get creative to keep costs down.
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Handle with Care: Your responsibilities as an animal owner
Make sure any animal husbandry procedures are carried out by people with the right skills and care, to ensure animal wellbeing.
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Common mistakes sheep-owners make
Sheep are some of the most popular lifestyle block animals, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t prone to problems.
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Why eggs come in different colours
Pink, brown, green and blue – what is the science behind different eggshell colours?
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Adding calves to your lifestyle block
Here are the relevant requirements to help you provide the best care for these animals.
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Common mistakes alpaca-owners make
They might seem like easy-going fluff-faces, but alpacas require more care and attention than many owners realise.
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Five tips for first-time lambing
With lifestyle block sales booming over the last two years, there’ll undoubtedly be some green sheep owners nervously facing their first-ever lambing.
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9 things you need to know about combs
The appearance of a chicken’s comb can tell you a lot about how it's feeling.
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How to grow bigger meat birds using wholegrains
Adding wholegrains to chicken feed boosts meat production efficiency.
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7 things to know about natural worm control
Many people prefer to use natural health strategies for their livestock, but there’s a lot of misinformation on what works, and what doesn't.