Handful Of Rabbits, Poultry Grow Into Small On-Farm Business

Handful Of Rabbits Poultry Grow Into Small On-Farm Business LIVESTOCK Poultry Three years ago Karen Nichols started with 7 rabbits and a small incubator to hatch chicks Now with the help of her husband Shawn Fisher she raises more than 300 chickens geese and ducks and hatches eggs from two GQF incubators that hold 400 eggs each Nichols also runs a rabbitry with more than 200 rabbits Nichols grew up in the Southwest and her family raised rabbits and chickens That experience and the couple’s desire to grow their own food in retirement led them to raise animals When Lebanon Mo neighbors and friends started asking to buy animals the hobby became a small business S&K Poultry & Rabbitry “My husband was born and raised here and we have lots of friends who want to be self-sufficient ” Nichols says As the number of animals grew so did the feed bill which includes a 27 percent protein mix for poultry feed “They eat a lot Chickens don’t pay for themselves until we hatch eggs ” Nichols notes Barns and outbuildings house their rainbow of poultry breeds from traditional breeds such as Buff Orpingtons to Tuxedos Italians and Texas A&Ms Nichols appreciates breeds like Polish and Silky as “eye candy ” “I can tell if any are missing ” she laughs “I know my birds ” She also raises coturnix quail a domestic breed that doesn’t require a wildlife permit Good fencing a great Pyrenees dog and a pet horse help keep predators away Nichols’ rabbits - Chinchilla New Zealand California and Rex breeds - are housed in cages in the garage and offspring are sold to local pet stores Word of mouth and Craigslist help market poultry “It is quite a bit of work ” says the mother of five and grandmother of 18 “But it’s like a stress release when I watch the animals They are highly entertaining ” For people considering doing something similar she suggests starting small and building up so that the animals make enough money to pay for themselves Contact: FARM SHOW Followup S&K Poultry/Rabbitry Shawn Fisher and Karen Nichols 22340 Grandview Rd Lebanon Mo 65536 ph 417 664-2035 or 417 533-4301; Facebook: S&K Poultry & Rabbitry

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