Our chickens

For most people, chickens have one main purpose: they provide meat or lay eggs. But this life is often associated with great suffering. Laying hens are particularly hard hit – as soon as they are no longer profitable, they face the fate of slaughter. When they start to moult, they stop laying eggs for a few weeks. In industrial farming, this is not economically viable – instead of waiting until the animals have feathers again and lay eggs again, they are “stalled”, i.e. usually slaughtered.

However, it is not only moulting that causes chickens to die. Their natural behavior can also be their downfall. Roosters, for example, are often given away because their crowing is perceived as a nuisance and the neighbors feel disturbed. At Gut Aiderbichl, these chickens are given a second chance. Here they are simply allowed to be chickens – running around freely, scratching, clucking and bathing in the sun.