Any manure type you would not use?

Dvangorp · February 28, 2018

I have access to chicken/duck, cow, horse and rabbit manure.
Does one provide more benefits that the other?

What about rat (yes, rat) bedding ... sort of like rabbit pellets. The rats are fed a commercial rodent feed and raised in a very clean environment. Do you think adding the aspen bedding to the compost pile would be a problem?

thanks!
doug

**Mischka** · February 28, 2018

Poultry manure is too hot to use straight from the pen. It is too "hot" (high nitrogen) and must be aged a full season, at minimum. (I raise geese, peafowl and guinea fowl)

Horse manure is too full of weed seeds, IMHO. It also should be aged a season and the pile frequently turned, to kill any sprouting weeds. There will be many.

Cow is superior to horse manure and can be tilled directly into the garden, as loong as you don't go more than 50/50 with it

The finest manure of all is the highly valued rabbit type. It can also be tilled right into the soil or even used as top-dressing, if you rake it in slightly. I would get as much as you can lay your hands on and enjoy a lush garden!

Spartanburg123 · March 11, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mischka

Poultry manure is too hot to use straight from the pen. It is too "hot" (high nitrogen) and must be aged a full season, at minimum. (I raise geese, peafowl and guinea fowl)

Horse manure is too full of weed seeds, IMHO. It also should be aged a season and the pile frequently turned, to kill any sprouting weeds. There will be many.

Cow is superior to horse manure and can be tilled directly into the garden, as loong as you don't go more than 50/50 with it

The finest manure of all is the highly valued rabbit type. It can also be tilled right into the soil or even used as top-dressing, if you rake it in slightly. I would get as much as you can lay your hands on and enjoy a lush garden!

I second the rabbit poo! Last spring, I tilled it into the South Carolina red clay along with some peat moss, and I had the most lush and productive plants. Although fruit yield was also high, I felt like I had too much vegetative growth, and some of my 10+ foot plants collapsed from the weight. I wouldn't go too heavy on it, it is slow to decompose and lasts the whole summer.

garyjr · March 12, 2018

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mischka

Poultry manure is too hot to use straight from the pen. It is too "hot" (high nitrogen) and must be aged a full season, at minimum. (I raise geese, peafowl and guinea fowl)

Horse manure is too full of weed seeds, IMHO. It also should be aged a season and the pile frequently turned, to kill any sprouting weeds. There will be many.

Cow is superior to horse manure and can be tilled directly into the garden, as loong as you don't go more than 50/50 with it

The finest manure of all is the highly valued rabbit type. It can also be tilled right into the soil or even used as top-dressing, if you rake it in slightly. I would get as much as you can lay your hands on and enjoy a lush garden!

Good advice. I personally loaded a trailer full of horse manure that I know had been aging for well over a year and still had a terrible problem with weeds. Switching to rabbit poo this season.

KarenO · February 28, 2018

Human. Including composted sewage “biosolids”
As they so nicely call it.
KarenO

Of your list the rabbit would be best, all are ok fully composted provided you KNOW for certain there is no herbicide treated feed being fed to the animals.
KarenO

KarenO · February 28, 2018

Your pet bedding and waste should be ok fully composted.

pmcgrady · February 28, 2018

Pig/Swine manure, some farmers around here make a slurry and inject into their fields... It stinks for miles. I would never use it in a garden. As stated above rabbit manure is one of the best.

Worth1 · February 28, 2018

Hog and human never.
Worth

bower · February 28, 2018

Never list: human, dog, cat, rodent. Why? Risk of disease.

Yes it's true, ultimately everything animal including manure rots and will turn into plant nutrients. The backyard compost cycle is too short, the temperature is not controlled, and ultimately I would rather be safe than sorry.

Pet manures, like animal bones, I would dispose by digging in around trees or shrubs to let them decompose on the long cycle, far away from contact with fresh veggie foods. Cover them well, so flies don't visit them before they come visiting your vegs.

ScottinAtlanta · February 28, 2018

I prefer goat manure. Not hot, can be directly used.

bjbebs · February 28, 2018

The would nots have been covered. One not mentioned is worm castings. When your soils are feed with leaves and other prefered worm foods they will go into action. It's not something that can be readily seen but they are working your soil. A healthy garden full of worms will give plants everything they need.

gssgarden · February 28, 2018

I was so happy to get unlimited horse manure...until I found out it was filled with Bermuda seed!! ugh!! If you go that way, let it sit for a year.

Go Cow!!

zipcode · March 1, 2018

Horse. Unless it's pelleted stuff bought. Otherwise it's full, and I mean full, of all the possible weed seeds. I find cow to be well suited for tomatoes, more so then chicken (nutrient wise).

mensplace · March 1, 2018

Around here it depends upon what pasture the cow manure is out of. Some argue that the number of stomachs a cow has will kill the weeds, but not true of all weed seeds. Same is true of spoiled hay.

charline · March 1, 2018

I do use rat and mice manure in my garden. They are my domestic animals and there is no risk of diseases.
I would be more concerned for diseases in rabbit and chicken manure as they often have coccidiosis. But I use it too and never had any problems.

February 28, 2018	#1
Dvangorp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2018 Location: Southern Iowa Posts: 1	Any manure type you would not use? I have access to chicken/duck, cow, horse and rabbit manure. Does one provide more benefits that the other? What about rat (yes, rat) bedding ... sort of like rabbit pellets. The rats are fed a commercial rodent feed and raised in a very clean environment. Do you think adding the aspen bedding to the compost pile would be a problem? thanks! doug Last edited by Dvangorp; February 28, 2018 at 03:00 PM.

February 28, 2018	#2
Mischka Tomatoville® Administrator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: The Bay State Posts: 3,207	Poultry manure is too hot to use straight from the pen. It is too "hot" (high nitrogen) and must be aged a full season, at minimum. (I raise geese, peafowl and guinea fowl) Horse manure is too full of weed seeds, IMHO. It also should be aged a season and the pile frequently turned, to kill any sprouting weeds. There will be many. Cow is superior to horse manure and can be tilled directly into the garden, as loong as you don't go more than 50/50 with it The finest manure of all is the highly valued rabbit type. It can also be tilled right into the soil or even used as top-dressing, if you rake it in slightly. I would get as much as you can lay your hands on and enjoy a lush garden! __________________ Mischka One last word of farewell, Dear Master and Mistress. Whenever you visit my grave, say to yourselves with regret but also with happiness in your hearts at the remembrance of my long happy life with you: "Here lies one who loved us and whom we loved." No matter how deep my sleep I shall hear you, and not all the power of death can keep my spirit from wagging a grateful tail.

February 28, 2018	#5
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,931	Human. Including composted sewage “biosolids” As they so nicely call it. KarenO Of your list the rabbit would be best, all are ok fully composted provided you KNOW for certain there is no herbicide treated feed being fed to the animals. KarenO Last edited by KarenO; February 28, 2018 at 02:31 PM.

February 28, 2018	#7
pmcgrady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 1,836	Pig/Swine manure, some farmers around here make a slurry and inject into their fields... It stinks for miles. I would never use it in a garden. As stated above rabbit manure is one of the best.

February 28, 2018	#8
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Hog and human never. Worth

February 28, 2018	#9
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,794	Never list: human, dog, cat, rodent. Why? Risk of disease. Yes it's true, ultimately everything animal including manure rots and will turn into plant nutrients. The backyard compost cycle is too short, the temperature is not controlled, and ultimately I would rather be safe than sorry. Pet manures, like animal bones, I would dispose by digging in around trees or shrubs to let them decompose on the long cycle, far away from contact with fresh veggie foods. Cover them well, so flies don't visit them before they come visiting your vegs.

February 28, 2018	#10
ScottinAtlanta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 2,593	I prefer goat manure. Not hot, can be directly used.

February 28, 2018	#11
bjbebs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2014 Location: illinois Posts: 281	The would nots have been covered. One not mentioned is worm castings. When your soils are feed with leaves and other prefered worm foods they will go into action. It's not something that can be readily seen but they are working your soil. A healthy garden full of worms will give plants everything they need.

February 28, 2018	#12
gssgarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: N.C. Posts: 1,827	I was so happy to get unlimited horse manure...until I found out it was filled with Bermuda seed!! ugh!! If you go that way, let it sit for a year. Go Cow!!

March 1, 2018	#13
zipcode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6 Posts: 1,582	Horse. Unless it's pelleted stuff bought. Otherwise it's full, and I mean full, of all the possible weed seeds. I find cow to be well suited for tomatoes, more so then chicken (nutrient wise).

March 1, 2018	#14
mensplace Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: USA Posts: 1,013	Around here it depends upon what pasture the cow manure is out of. Some argue that the number of stomachs a cow has will kill the weeds, but not true of all weed seeds. Same is true of spoiled hay.

March 1, 2018	#15
charline Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: France Posts: 688	I do use rat and mice manure in my garden. They are my domestic animals and there is no risk of diseases. I would be more concerned for diseases in rabbit and chicken manure as they often have coccidiosis. But I use it too and never had any problems.