Fire damages organic poultry farm on 160th Street

Thursday morning smoke was still coming from the rubble of the fire (Photos by decorahnews.com's Paul Scott)(Click on photos for larger images)

A fire Wednesday at S & C Organic Farms on 160th Street near Fort Atkinson  has killed an estimated 20,000 chickens and destroyed several buildings.

Firefighters from several communities were called out to fight the fire.  Flames from the buildings reportedly could be seen from as far away as Cresco.

The fire was at the former Wapsie Produce capon farm.  In recent years the farm had been used by Stacy Bushman and Chad Bushman to raise organic chickens for their S & C Organic business.

No cause for the fire has been determined and no official estimate of the damage has been issued, although the chickens alone were valued at $100,000.