Need someone experienced to care for your poultry in your absence?
Poultry Sitter Available!
Those of you who own poultry (chooks, ducks or WHY) will know how hard it can be to get away even for a night or two.
Even if you have friends or family willing to feed and check on your birds, unless they are poultry people themselves, chances are they don't really understand what is involved in caring for your flock when you are away.
I have ducks, and as a result of having ducks, no longer have a social life, lol! (Or money!)
Anyway, I was thinking that there are probably other people out there who like me, find it hard to get away even for a night or two, as either they don't have anyone to look after their 'feather babies' or they know that a night or two away is going to be spent worrying about them, because the friend or family member who volunteered to look after them, doesn't really understand what that means!
So I would like to offer my services to care for your flock. Either on a paid basis, or on a 'trade swap' type arrangement for anyone who would be happy to care for my birds if I am away or out late, in return for me doing the same....
My main experience is with ducks, however I have cared for a friends chickens in her absence, and also 'hosted' some 'borrowed' broody chooks at my place while they raised some ducklings for me :-)
I am available to feed, clean, collect eggs, and check on your poultry while you are away, including things like keeping an eye out for any health issues, predators, social (pecking, over mating etc) and keeping an eye on any birds incubating, brooding or hatching young, making sure all birds are in their coop at night and alerting you of any problems.
My experience caring for my own flock of domestic and rescued ducks includes breeding, egg production, identifying and treating/first aid care for health issues such as bumble-foot, egg binding/vent prolapse, spraddle/splayed legs, etc. And of course catching birds, being pooped on and occasionally pecked by a broody etc.
If you need someone to look after your birds while you go away, whether that be for a day, or night, weekend or longer, text me on 020 406 41485 or check out my duck rescue facebook page at:
Facebook.com/Uninhibitedducks
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
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