On the Day of Poultry
From the perspective of Gut Aiderbichl
19th March is a special day for man's feathered friends. It belongs to the chickens, the geese - to all those who wear feathers.
Man may be the last cry, but he is not the last word of creation
Konrad Lorenz
Chickens, geese and ducks of various breeds, peacocks, parrots and pigeons live at Gut Aiderbichl. They are all intelligent and so we are far from assuming that they are dumb birds. Chickens, for example, have a distinct social behaviour. They talk to their unborn children and their language is a conglomeration of diverse "clucking sounds". Every sound is communication and language among conspecifics.
Chickens love music - some like it rocky, others prefer classical tones. There are chickens that appreciate the company of humans, while others are shy, reserved and can also become aggressive. Small personalities in feathers with their own character.
Who causes the suffering of turkey chickens?
It is not the breeders alone who contribute to the suffering of the chickens. It is also the consumer who decides. The price has to be cheap and too few people think about the suffering of the animals behind every single caged or barn egg when buying eggs.
Again and again, Gut Aiderbichl rescues so-called organic chickens from slaughter. Often the chickens were only 18 months old. Because they no longer brought the laying performance, they were to be slaughtered. Dozens of "underperforming" young chickens owed their continued life to an animal rights activist who asked us for help in rescuing them. Many chickens were thus given to private chicken keepers and to Gut Aiderbichl in 2020.
In species-appropriate husbandry, the once rescued organic chickens now live happily. A large meadow, trees where they can sleep. Of course, there are also coops where they sit on the chicken perch on the ceiling and sleep peacefully.
Geese that can live a species-appropriate life
Konrad Lorenz swam with geese in the pond and when he called them, they came towards him. He was not afraid of their strong beaks and sharp little teeth.
Whether Curly Goose, Pomeranian Goose or Warty Duck - you will find them everywhere on the farm, chattering loudly in greeting. If the chattering increases in volume and the goose's neck stretches out threateningly towards you, the best solution is to simply walk on quietly.
A new member of our large flock of ducks and geese is Hansi the mallard. He has been a resident of our duck and goose houses at the small pond at Gut Aiderbichl Henndorf for a few weeks now. Hansi was discovered by a family and brought to Gut Aiderbichl. Here, he has many goose and duck ladies to please now.
If you call the beautiful Casanova by his name, he comes waddling up. He recognises my voice immediately and lifts his head. I am allowed to stroke his neck and back. We have become real buddies.
Hansi is looking forward to your visit. You will find him by the duck pond. Sincerely, Gisela
