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Our Animals

Case study: Two kunekune pigs eat rat bait (and survive)

Two cute pigs are too greedy for their own good.

Are quail better than chooks?

These tiny birds are the easiest and most efficient producers of eggs and meat you can raise.

30+ basics every block owner needs to know

With the number of lifestyle block owners rising each year, many of them new to farming, it’s important to know where to find reputable advice and help.

From mussel byproduct to healthy snack for chickens

A natural waste product from the mussel industry is now a health supplement for happy hens.

The buzz on bumblebees

If beehives aren’t your thing, there are a few simple strategies you can use to encourage another beloved pollinator to find a home in your garden.

5 amazing things about the honeybee

Prepare to bee amazed.

Do cows need loos?

Scientists have shown it’s possible to potty train cows, which can help with reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Finnish chickens live their best log-cabin life

This architect-designed coop is the summer home of some very spoiled chickens.

If the Shoe Fits

A childhood love of horses and ‘divine intervention’ led to Kaiapoi’s Stuart Muir working as a farrier at the world’s foremost equine hospital Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital.

Why Rose the ewe got fitted with a maternity bra

A sweet ewe gets fitted for her first baa bra after an udder disaster.

The ultimate sick chook guide + a case study

Working out what’s wrong with a sick chicken can be tricky, even for an expert. Here’s how to improve your odds of getting a diagnosis, and prevent illness in your flock.

New technology creates virtual fences for cows

A new venture aims to give farmers back what they value most — time.

6 ways to work out if your hens are laying

If you're not getting all the eggs you expect, Sue Clarke explains how to work out who's laying, who's about to, and who's cruising.

Why chickens are liars

When a bird gets sick, it turns on its amazing powers to trick us.

6 nutritious plants to grow for happy chickens

How to create a nutritious mixed salad and creepy-crawly entrée that will improve the health of your chickens.

6 tips for safe bottle-feeding

Follow this easy checklist to make sure you're feeding your baby animals safely, so you avoid nutritional scours, and the risk of aspiration pneumonia.

How Snowflake the goat kid overcame pneumonia

Country vet Sarah Clews meets goat kid Snowflake during his hospitalization from a bad case of pneumonia.

Why you should consider raising turkeys

Turkeys are beautiful birds, work hard to keep your farm pest-free and make a great roast.

A beginner's guide to hoof trimming

Limping cattle, sheep, and goats are a common winter sight, but there are ways to fix and prevent it.

9 things to consider you're raising chicks

If you’re raising chicks this spring, here’s how to avoid some common mistakes and ensure yours get the very best start in life.

The no-grain clucking composting system

US compost-maker Karl Hammer runs a grain-free flock that works hard for a living.

What to plant for happier chickens

The ideal poultry habitat is full of trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals, which provide shelter, protection, and nutrition.

This big duck has no quack

It looks like a duck (but doesn't quack), acts like a goose, roosts like a chicken, and tastes like beef.

3 things your stock will thank you for this winter

Healthy stock easily cope with the cold. But combine cold, wind, and rain, and stock can become stressed. Here are three ways to help them cope better in winter conditions.

A rare herd of cuddly-looking giants near Taupo

They look quite cuddly, and they're roaming on a farm near Taupo, but farming them isn't for the fainthearted.

5 things to know about lice in poultry

They’re small, they’re fast, and they can bug your birds all year round.

A guide to biosecurity on your lifestyle block or farm

Good biosecurity will save you money and heartache.

This premature lamb weighed the same as a guinea pig

A case study of Davie, the premature lamb.

5 toxic mistakes you may be making with your chooks

There are all kinds of myths and 'fake news' about poultry, and some of them are deadly.

3 bad eggs & what they're telling you about your hens

Some are more common in older hens than others.

Inside the curious world of pigeon racing in NZ

This fancier’s pet project sees an ordinary bird taken to extraordinary heights.

Super hens or old-fashioned girls?

There are the super-efficient commercial hens, or the heritage birds with colour and longevity, but how do you know which bird best suits you?

How daylight affects egg production

One of the biggest influences on your hens' health is a star in the sky.

11 tips for caring for your livestock this May

Now is the best time to prepare for lambing season.

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