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Twelve hours of exercise
So that the animals can stand in the barn on dry land, son Matthias Haas approaches with the farm tractor and shredder and blows freshly chopped straw onto the barn oor. “Cleanliness in the barn and in the drinkers and a dry stable oor is an important hygiene requirement, that’s why we cover the stable oor with chopped straw”, the breeder informs us. But the geese remain impatient, they want to get out on the green meadows. “Our geese love freedom and are usually outside for twelve hours a day”, Dieter Haas explains to us about the farm procedures. He breeds some 800 to 1,000 geese at Lärchenhof, and breeds muscovy ducks, turkeys, broiler chickens and laying hens on a smaller scale. All animal species are separated in the stables and on the green areas.
Meadows around “Lärchenhof”
In the Hessian Main-Kinzig district lies the small community of Oberissigheim. Far outside, in the midst of meadows, “Lärchenhof” can be found. For 30 years, the Haas family has been breeding poultry. The breeding of geese begins every year in mid-May. In Oberissigheim, the goslings are delivered by a hatchery from northern Germany. Without delay they are moved into the preheated stable under individual red light islands. The heated area must be wide, so that the little goslings do not squeeze too tightly and suffocate themselves. The bedding is changed often so that the animals can keep dry. After six weeks, in good weather, the hourly habituation to the eld takes place. As long as the animals are not yet feathered, they cannot tolerate wetness or rain, and would lower their core temperature, fall ill or even die.
Everything started with 30 geese
The goose cultivation started with a small ock of 30 Dithmarscher geese. The inspiration to keep free-range poultry was born out of the gap in the market in agriculture, reports Dieter Haas about the career of his farm. “30 years ago we still had a pure dairy farm. Due to the fall in prices of milk and the introduction of quantity contingents, we had to look for a new way.” The Haas family started on their “goose breeding” adventure. At the same time, the family had to build completely new
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