Zapf Poultry Farm in Lübbecke — Online Webcam
History of the Zapf Family Farm
In the northern part of Germany, surrounded by the hills and green pastures of the town of Lübbecke, there is an unusual farm that has been combining poultry farming traditions with modern ecological standards for decades. It all started modestly — Josef Zapf built his first chicken coop in the 1960s, housing 200 hens in floor management. It was a small family farm where chickens walked on the floor with litter, not in cramped cages.
Development progressed gradually. In 1971, the foundation was laid for the first large poultry house for 3,000 hens — this became a turning point when the farm reached industrial scale while maintaining principles of humane treatment of birds. Today, Zapf Farm is an example of how to run a business with animal welfare and product quality at the forefront.
Housing System: Freedom and Comfort for the Birds
The main feature of Zapf Poultry Farm is the fundamental rejection of cage housing. Chickens are kept in poultry houses with attached winter gardens, and depending on the housing type — also with open free-range areas. A winter garden is a glazed extension where birds can be outdoors even in cold weather, receiving natural sunlight and the opportunity to scratch in the litter.
Everything inside the poultry house has been carefully designed. The farm has scratching areas, elevated perches, and laying nests. Scratching areas (Scharrflächen) are filled with sand and grain — this allows chickens to fulfill their natural foraging instinct, reducing stress and aggression in the flock. Elevated perches (Sitzstangen) are positioned at different heights, mimicking the natural hierarchy where dominant individuals occupy the upper positions.
Nutrition and Feed Base
The quality of eggs and meat directly depends on what the birds are fed. At Zapf Farm, this issue is approached with special responsibility. Feeding is done with GMO-free grain — this means the basis of the diet is grown on the farm's own fields or sourced from verified regional suppliers. The use of genetically modified feed is completely excluded, which meets the strict requirements of organic certification.
The farm's own grain base allows control at every stage — from sowing to milling. Chickens receive wheat, corn, oats, and other cereals in their natural form, without chemical additives and growth stimulants. This approach not only improves the taste quality of products but also supports bird health, strengthening immunity without antibiotics.
Certification and Quality Standards
Zapf Farm is not just a farm with a "homemade" approach — it is an enterprise with a full package of official certificates. The enterprise is certified according to Naturland and Demeter standards — these are the two most stringent organic farming standards in Germany. Naturland requires strict compliance with housing standards, use of organic feed, and rejection of chemicals. Demeter is an even higher level, taking into account biodynamic farming principles.
Additionally, most chickens are kept in free-range and organic conditions according to QZBW standards (Qualitäts- und Sicherheitszentrum Bundesverband). This is the federal quality and safety center that conducts regular audits and monitors compliance at all stages of production. Having multiple certificates means the farm undergoes inspections from different independent organizations — a guarantee of transparency and honesty.
Variety of Breeds and Farm Products
Zapf Farm does not limit itself to one or two breeds. The range of chicken breeds includes: brown, white, black, blue, Sussex, Königsberg, Greenlegs, Golden quail, and Marans. Such diversity is not just a tribute to tradition, but a conscious choice. Different breeds have different disease resistance, are adapted to different conditions, and lay eggs with different characteristics — from shell color to yolk taste.
Marans, for example, are famous for their dark chocolate-colored eggs, and Greenlegs for their greenish shells. Sussex is a classic dual-purpose breed with tender meat. Königsberg chickens are a rare breed, and their preservation contributes to biodiversity. White broilers, which can be seen in the broadcast, are raised in floor housing with sufficient space for movement, which fundamentally distinguishes them from industrial counterparts.
But Zapf Farm is known not only for eggs and meat. The farm has been producing pasta for over 30 years according to an old recipe, with an assortment of about 20 varieties — from traditional egg noodles to Bavarian spätzle and colored pasta. Eggs from the farm's own hens become the basis for the dough, creating a closed cycle: from grain to the finished product on the table.
Landscape and Location of Lübbecke
The town of Lübbecke is located in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, in the Minden-Lübbecke district. It is a hilly area called "Westphalian Tuscany" — because of the gentle hills alternating with fields and forests. This is exactly the landscape visible through the open side walls of the poultry house in the broadcast. The hills are covered with mixed forests, and between them stretch agricultural lands.
The climate here is temperate, with mild winters and warm summers — ideal conditions for free-range poultry. The open side walls of Zapf Poultry Farm are not accidental, but a well-thought-out architectural solution. They provide natural ventilation and access to fresh air, which reduces the risk of respiratory diseases in birds and reduces the need for artificial air conditioning.
What You Can See on the Camera
The online camera is installed inside the poultry house and shows a spacious room with white broiler chickens. Birds move freely on the floor covered with litter, approach feeders and perches. Through the open side walls, the inner courtyard of the farm is visible — a fence, trees, and the hilly landscape of Lübbecke in the background can be seen. Outside, geese or ducks sometimes appear, which are also kept on the farm.
Inside the poultry house, grain feeders, drinkers, and elevated perches are visible. Chickens behave naturally — some peck at feed, others bathe in sand, and others rest on perches. This is a typical picture of a free-range system on a German farm, where bird welfare comes first. The webcam in real time allows you to see what humane poultry farming looks like — without cages, overcrowding, and stress that are characteristic of industrial production.
