NZET supports the National Kiwi Hatchery….

When students book on our tours they have the option of adding a $10 donation to support this worthy conservation cause, the Aotearoa National Kiwi Hatchery.

NZET then matches this donation and when enough money has been raised we get to sponsor an egg. We then sit around the office coming up with a name for 'our' chick before it hatches! When the chick hatches, we receive an update…

How does it work? On average it takes 78 days of incubation before the egg hatches and a new kiwi chick joins the world. The kiwi chick then lives at the Hatchery for up to five months before being placed in their new ‘home forest’.

Your donation helps to cover all the costs for our kiwi chick
•           up to 3 months of incubation
•           food for up 5 months to get to 'stoat proof' weight
•           brooder box
•           outdoor pen
•           veterinary checks
•           medication
•           staff care
 

NZET is proud to introduce TWILLY!  Twilly has been named after our beloved office dog, and we are happy to be able to continue her memory.

Twilly hatched on 24/1/2025 and weighed 310.5g.

Kiwi hatch with a huge belly full of yolk, which gives them all the nutrients they need for up to the first week of life.

Last night Twilly was offered the kiwi diet for the first time and already ate 6g! Most kiwi take a few days to recognise the food as something they eat (given they are used to their food alive and wriggling) but Twilly is looking like the textbook kiwi that we love!

Above is a photo of Twilly from his or her health check today - we hope you enjoy!!

We'll post a second update and photo as our chick gets ready to be released into it's new home.

For more information see: https://www.nationalkiwihatchery.org.nz/

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