Our Animals

Sheep can’t speak, but you can learn to see what they're telling you.

Eels have had a tumultuous history in Aotearoa, from being a prized food source to being declared “public vermin'. Today, these slithery creatures are a source of immense pride.

Some goats have horns, some have none, and some fall in between.

Withholding periods – where you can’t eat the eggs or meat of poultry dosed with medication or drench – are often misunderstood and crucial for human health.

Insect numbers have declined shockingly in recent years. But perhaps the biggest problem is that most of the world doesn’t realize how alarming this is.

One couple’s work in making a kiwi-safe habitat near the Kaipara Harbour has grown into a project to create an ecological corridor so north island brown kiwi can move safely from coast to coast.

How to create a first aid kit to get you through labour this spring.

Want to know which chicken feed is best for your birds? Look for the FeedSafe NZ mark.

The very first drink your newborn animals have are the most important of their lives.

It may be unsightly, slow-witted and produce an intolerable noise, but the guinea fowl is a useful addition to any lifestyle block.

If you want happy, healthy chicks, it starts with choosing the best eggs.

The fight to save teeny, tiny Sadie-Baby.

It is almost impossible to tell if a chick is male or female at hatching.

This unusual coop is also a feature of the landscape at night.

A healthy, hardy, delicious flock comes down to one key choice.

Looking for the perfect chicken coop design? You can find both inspiration and envy in this one.

It happens to all of us – here's how to deal with your chook losing a nail.

You can pay for a professional soil test, or assess it yourself with some close observation.

A Kaikōura couple finds their purpose in stalking — and saving — the banded dotterel. They’ve been winging it for seven years.

Before the winter chill settles in, make sure you and your farm are well-equipped with this handy checklist.

Some creepy crawlies might invade your home this winter, while others are accidental visitors.

Water is the number one nutrient for poultry, and it's crucial to keep it clean.

A seaweed-rich diet may be the key to reducing burps in cattle.

Being a responsible cat owner also means protecting our native birds.

They’re delightful little creatures, but you need to be careful about how you share the love.

Long-time poultry writer Sue Clarke answers your queries on poultry health.

Spraying weeds is easy, but it turns out organic methods can give you the same results if you do it right. Here are 16 practical ways to control weeds without using chemicals.

Here’s how to fight one of the most frustrating problems for poultry owners that’s so small, it’s hard to spot.

Vitamins are a tiny part of your flock’s diet, and if they’re missing, the signs can be confusing.

Flystrike is easy to prevent, but vets still see it far too often.

A little lamb survives the seemingly unsurvivable.

Jodi Roebuck has been mob grazing sheep for more than 10 years.

There are few things more beautiful than a peacock strutting his stuff, fanning a full, bejewelled, iridescent tail. Don’t be sucked in, says Ross Lawrenson.

The decisions you make about how you manage your sheep now have a big influence on the lambs you'll get in spring.