Ten people paid $75 each to handle the chicks and release them into burrows yesterday, in what ecosanctuary general manager Chris Baillie said was an attempt to ''become as [financially] self-sufficient as possible''.
The ecosanctuary was ''dependent on grants'', which was ''not a healthy way to go'', she said.
A similar programme existed for Sirocco the kakapo when he visited the ecosanctuary, but not for any other animals.
Ms Baillie said the kiwis were good candidates for the programme, because they were ''much rarer than other birds'', and also nocturnal, making it less likely regular visitors to the ecosanctuary would see them.
''I think a lot of human Kiwis haven't seen a kiwi, so it's a great opportunity ... where people can see a kiwi up close,'' she said.
Anne Owen, who paid the $75 fee to attend yesterday's release, said she did it because she had only seen a kiwi once before.
''I've only ever seen one in the San Diego Zoo, so I'd like to see one here.''
Plus, ''[the money] is all going to a good cause'', she said.
The kiwi chicks' arrival at Orokonui yesterday was the third arrival this year and in the ecosanctuary's history.
The ecosanctuary invited ''key volunteers and key sponsors'' to the first arrival, but the ceremony and release were not open to everyone, Ms Baillie said.
As part of the new initiative, three groups of two people each could pay to help track down the kiwi chicks for ''transmitter charges and health checks''.
The ecosanctuary was also looking into running night tours in the future, designed for people to see kiwis.
