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Chicken houses have cropped up in Southwest Missouri in recent years, but one proposed concentrated animal feeding operation or CAFO in Eagle Rock has neighbors crying foul.
Some concerned residents say it will be too close to Roaring River State Park.
KSMU's Christy Hendricks has more on the controversy.
The sound of chickens chirping will soon be added to the goats on Michelle Ozbuns farm in Eagle Rock.
She and her husband plan to build a concentrated animal feeding operation or CAFO on their 62 acre farm near Roaring River State Park.
And that has upset some neighbors who are now trying to stop it.
But, Ozbun says the chicken houses will be out of view, behind a line of trees and most people won't even know the chicks are there.
The Department of Natural Resources has issued a permit for the Ozbuns to raise 60-thousand pullets that will grow to be laying hens at a hatchery.
Barry County has 62 permitted CAFO's for poultry.
That means a quarter of all poultry CAFO's in the state of Missouri are in that county.
But, neighbors say what's ruffled their feathers is the location of this CAFO.
Jim Brookman lives on land adjoining the Ozbuns and has a banner reading "Save our State Parks" on his fence.
He says he's not as concerned about the other CAFOs in the area.
The four buildings that will house Ozbuns chicks will be less than a mile from Roaring River, one and a half miles from state park land, and four miles or so away from Table Rock Lake.
Donna Hawkins and Ron Buford each live over a hill from the Ozbuns.
Michelle Ozbun says the litter from the chickens will be hauled away and won't get into the local water.
Jim Brookman says he's worried about the impact on tourism at the state park, but Michelle Ozbun says she's just trying to make a living to keep her 100-year-old farm in business.
The Ozbuns have begun to level dirt where the chicken houses will be and Michelle says she plans to have chickens by the end of the year.
Brookman says he doesn't think the "Friends of Roaring River" can stop the Ozbun's chicken farm from being built but hopes to raise awareness.
Right now, Barry County has no planning and zoning rules, so as long as the Ozbuns have state approval they can build the chicken houses.
