Our Animals

While hybrids don't have a long lifespan, these egg-laying machines are the most economical of any poultry.

Lynda Hallinan's guide to what – and what not – to adopt when you live in the wops.

These useful DIY tools will help you fight the biggest, smallest pest in the poultry world.

Hunting for truffles is not for the impatient or the olfactorily impaired. Success calls for a sniffer-out of buried bounty – in other words, a dog.

Honey is a food product, and you need to meet food safety standards if you want to sell it.

A Whenuapai firm aims to revolutionize New Zealand agriculture by breeding an army of underground critters.

Red Devon are one of the world’s oldest breeds of cattle and a good option if you’re new to cattle.

Ross Nolly is a former butcher and a hunter, but still finds it emotional to kill and process livestock he cares for.

Prepare the paddock and animals for wetter, coolor weather.

A Wanaka couple’s enthusiasm for natural-fibre products weaves essential purpose into their business, warmth into their home, and ties them to a very personal pioneering past.

How a hen produces an egg is quite eggs-straordinary.

If you have too many fresh eggs to eat yourself, selling them seems like a good idea. But making it profitable takes good management, and often a lot of paperwork.

If you’re a current subscriber to NZ Lifestyle Block, this digital edition is yours to keep and read forever.

Poultry and their eggs make a perfect dinner for New Zealand’s deadliest pest predators. Here's how to start fighting back.

You may think a limping bird means an injury to the foot or leg, but it can be a symptom of other, odder causes.

A few biosecurity measures could make or break the health of your flock.

It's easy to fall in love with a donkey. But the world of wonkey donkeys is not always cute and fuzzy.

An ancient forest atop a Waikato mountain is home to the world’s largest mainland pest-free sanctuary.

While it may be tempting to treat your chooks, long-time owners know that bland feed is best.

Tourists and trampers help a hardworking Banks Peninsula family in their four-decade struggle to rescue penguins, save the native forest and secure their livelihood.

A lot of long-time poultry owners have common regrets. The coop consistently tops the list.

Meet a couple who love bacon so much, they left Christchurch to go pig farming.

A Bay of Plenty family is turning pests into profitable products.

Catching a live possum can reap a handsome reward.

An egg that doesn't hatch may seem a mystery, unless you know how to read the clues.

They’re very cute, very smart, and very small, with big milking stats.

Chickens are not the best at self-regulating a nutritious diet.

Preventative action will keep livestock happy and healthy in peak summer.

It may be time to size up the differences between a pony and mini horse.

Poo can be a smelly problem but if you manage it well, it’s a beneficial addition to pasture and gardens.

Research shows a small dock population can do animals good.

Keep your animals happy and healthy all summer long.

Robert Jones and Angela Moon-Jones are bringing native butterflies back — one garden at a time.

You may love your poultry for their sweet natures, colourful looks, daily egg, and possibly meat, but they reliably produce another useful product too.