220 chickens live in Karlsfeld on the B2.
The Thiel family from Bachlhof keep the animals in the mobile chicken coop.
The eggs and many other products can be bought in the first Regiomat in Karlsfeld that the family set up.
Karlsfeld
- Lush green meadows, bushes to hide, earth to scratch, a stable to sleep in - the Thiels' chickens seem to be doing well.
This idyll cannot be found anywhere in the Dachau hinterland, but in Karlsfeld parallel to the busy B2.
Sonja and Markus Thiel live here with their son Philipp, Markus' parents, grandfather and chickens as well as other animals such as goats and two donkeys.
They have been attracting attention since May with a "Regiomat" that is clearly visible from the B2.
In the machine, the first of its kind in Karlsfeld, there are eggs and much more.
A success-story.
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Even the youngest helps: Philipp (2) carefully sorts an egg into the box.
© Miriam Kohr
The Thiels have lived at Reschenbachstrasse 100 since 2004. There have always been animals here, including chickens. “This is where I started keeping and breeding bantams as a hobby. But that took a break because of my engineering degree, ”says today's designer. When more time was available again and the then girlfriend and today's wife Sonja agreed to new chickens, there were bantams again in 2017. "But they were constantly brooding and the three eggs a week weren't enough for their own needs," says Sonja Thiel.
So laying hens were quickly added, another house and therefore more eggs. “Now we had so many eggs that we gave them to our parents, friends and neighbors,” continues the 34-year-old. Even then, the two of them notice that their product from Karlsfeld is well received. So they bought more chickens so that in 2019 they started selling their eggs in front of the garden gate in handcarts, where many cyclists and walkers pass by. “There was a time in summer when we were sold out two weeks in advance,” recalls the 28-year-old. Corona played into their cards there.
The time came when they asked themselves the question: “Either we leave the whole thing or we go full throttle,” says Markus. They stepped on the gas: The Thiels bought a machine to sell, ordered a mobile chicken coop, brought in more chickens, set up a website, designed a logo, and printed business cards. Now 220 chickens live in the mobile barn, which is moved every two weeks, and the 160 older chickens live in the second, old barn.
The farm, which was previously nameless, was named Bachlhof. “I know that the meadow was called Bachlwiese by the first property owner, hence the name,” explains Markus Thiel. The former farm has become a sideline farm. “It only works together,” both say. Because Markus continues to work full-time, and Sonja is a full-time mother. Everyone has their own fixed tasks: "Markus organizes, negotiates and designs, I mainly do the sales, pack and label," the trained retail saleswoman lists. The almost two-year-old Philipp always goes to the stable and knows exactly where to find the eggs. The grandparents help out by taking care of the little ones.
The vending machine now also has noodles made from Bachlhof eggs, grilled meat from Wallner's turkey farm, honey from the beekeeper Sebastian Fritz, whose bees are placed on the Thiels property, and even lemonade. “We believe the concept is so popular because awareness of the animals is increasing. People want to eat eggs from chickens that are fine. And here you can see that the animals are really kept free-range. ”The keeping even meets almost all organic standards. For example, he keeps 220 chickens instead of 250 in the mobile barn. But they don't want to afford the expensive seal. “The bureaucracy was enormous up to now,” Markus also explains of the difficulties.
But all the effort is worth it: "It's the best thing to notice that what you do is valued and is well received." The Thiels are already working on the next project: an industrial kitchen, which may one day also serve eggnog or spaetzle To be able to offer.
Miriam Kohr
