chicken manure question

[mysidx]

I wanted to get some composted chicken manure from this local chicken house for about five dollars a truck load, however the only thing they have is only about a week or two old. I've got a friend who has a beautiful garden, and has gotten manure from this farm before. He has no problem putting it in his garden now, and will probably be planting in a month or so. I would like to do the same, will the manure be safe if I till it in my beds? The manure will be about six weeks old by the time anything is planted.

[saltmarsh]

I'd suggest talking to your friend who has used it in his garden before. Claud

[Defiant20]

I think it would be way too hot if it has not composted for a while.

[puttgirl]

I think if it is not applied too thickly and tilled in now, it would be okay in six weeks. Here's some info...
http://www.ehow.com/how_6546362_use-...en-manure.html
Oops, wrong link but the proper link is found on the left of the page.

[Tracydr]

I apply chicken manure as a tea to my garden. I also top dress thinly.
Sometimes, when I clean the coop, I will let the stuff sit for a week or two and then just toss ontop.
Ask what method the coop uses. They often use a method where the manure is actually composting right in the coop. If that's the case, many people will just age a couple of weeks, just to let the fresher stuff that was just deposited age a bit, then use it.
The deep litter method is the most common method so you will probably be just fine six weeks out. Some of that manure could be as old as half a year or more.

[tjg911]

chickhen manure is very hot. i'd be very careful putting it in the garden unless you age it 4-6 months. in birds the pee and poop is combined increasing the salts that can burn your plants. you might be ok but i wouldn't spread it everywhere, maybe try it in one small place.

tom

[mysidx]

Originally Posted by Tracydr

I apply chicken manure as a tea to my garden. I also top dress thinly.
Sometimes, when I clean the coop, I will let the stuff sit for a week or two and then just toss ontop.
Ask what method the coop uses. They often use a method where the manure is actually composting right in the coop. If that's the case, many people will just age a couple of weeks, just to let the fresher stuff that was just deposited age a bit, then use it.
The deep litter method is the most common method so you will probably be just fine six weeks out. Some of that manure could be as old as half a year or more.

I'm not sure what method they use, I think they just use a front wheel loader to clean it out and put it in a large pile. Couple of years ago, my folks got some from the same person, and when they got home to spread it through the garden they came across several dead chickens inside the pile. One would think it wasn't well composted if there were still dead chickens in between the layers. That year was the best their garden performed.


Last year I had a problem with composted horse manure that was tainted with herbicide, so I'm a little hesitant to use something that could hurt my plants. I have built two more beds that need organic matter, and the chicken manure is all I can find right now. A little too expensive to buy bagged compost for the size of the beds I've built.

[Granite26]

I hear chicken manure is great in the garden. The only problem I have with it is all the crud they give the chickens these days. Hormones, antibiotics etc. Wouldnt that carry thru?

[keesmom]

Hormones are not allowed to be given to poultry. Of course antibiotics are a different story but it depends on the owner.

Safe manure handling guidelines do allow fresh manure to put onto the fields directly. The manure/litter composts in place, not in a pile. Rule of thumb is the window for application should cease 60 days before planting and 120 days before harvest. Of course the type of crop matters - I'd stay away from using it in areas where you'd grow ground contact vegetables such as lettuce, radishes, etc. I would think later maturing vegetables - corn, squashes, etc - are fine.

Also get some to compost for next year, and to toss onto the garden this fall.

[RebelRidin]

We have a small backyard flock and clean our roost areas and floor litter out beginning of March. We keep about 16 birds and have a mix of about 1 part pure manure (roost areas) to 3 parts chopped straw/manure litter mix (mostly straw). I regularly have about 8 wheelbarrow loads making about 20 cubic feet or about 3/4 yard (don't you love my precision). This is spread over about 600 ft square and tilled in WELL. Any fresh manure is "hot" and chicken especially so (high N ratio). Tilling it in well IS essential.

This can be as little as a week before my lettuce, brocolli and cabbage go in and peas get planted and about 6 weeks before the tomatos. This is all the preplant fertilizer I use. We've never had any burn problems. The cole crops and tomatoes seem to like it.

[Tracydr]

Originally Posted by Granite26

I hear chicken manure is great in the garden. The only problem I have with it is all the crud they give the chickens these days. Hormones, antibiotics etc. Wouldnt that carry thru?

No hormones allowed in US chickens. Antibiotics, yes.

[mysidx]

I think the warmer climate here will also speed up decomposition than in cooler climates.

[mysidx]

I've got the stinky manure at my house now, unfortunately the unending rainy weather we have been getting here is not allowing me to till. I feel bad because my neighbor is trying to sell their home......I'm sure their realtor is not liking my smelly manure.

[stormymater]

Suggest the realtor bake more cookies (snickerdoodles) before showing & hustle prospective buyers into yummy smelling house fast... won't do any good for you to bring over baked cookies 'cause then your house would be the good smelling one.

[janezee]

Ain't that the truth!

j