Deep-litter chicken poop ???

[warmfuzzies]

I have my chicken manure mixed in with a LOT of straw, and I have some fresh and some about a month old.

So, I know I cant put it in my garden. But, can I put it on top, not to close to the plants? I would put it under or on top of my sawdust mulch. I figure it would compost slowly, and it would soaK INTO THE SOIL WHEN IT WAS READY.

sorry, typing with one hand while I hold a sick baby.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I haven't tried it so I can't say it will not work. I think I'd rather compost it first myself.

Straw with chicken droppings normally still needs additional nitrogen to compost well. If you add it to sawdust mulch in the garden, which also needs additional nitrogen to compost well, it probably will not get hot and cook the seeds. It will just rot, which is still great for the soil but may add grass seeds. It also may not be thick enough to heat up. My wheat straw used as mulch acts the same way. That's partly why I have a pile of wood chips partially rotting to be used as mulch instead of wheat straw.

I'd have some concerns that the chicken poop would burn certain plants if you failed to keep it between the rows. After a couple of rains, that probably would not be so important. You are probably more delicate in your mulching than I sometimes am.

No experience doing this with chicken manure and straw directly in the garden, just my thoughts. Take it for what it is worth.

Editted as I needed one more cup of coffee!

 

[Hattie the Hen]

Hi ! I wouldn't for three reasons !

1. It might burn any leaves that touch it.
2. It will attract flies etc.
3. I think the rain if it was very heavy would splash back the poo onto low plants -- YUCK

However if you dug a deep hole & put the deep litter into this then cover with the earth you dug out, plus a bit more, you could grow your courgettes, melons or any other veg they refer to as "gross-feeders" on top. When I do this I put a ring of stones or empty glass bottles,neck end down, round the topsoil to hold it in place. The bottles also keep the plant warmer -- important here in the chilly UK

Happy Gardening :watering :tools :coolsun
:rose Hattie :rose

 

[robbobbin]

Using the deep litter method gives you a head start on "cooking" your compost.
I use deep litter method, but still add to compost pile for at least 6 months before using. Sometimes not until the next season. But deep litter method gives you bedding that wont stay "hot" as long-if that makes sense.

I have an early 1900's family farm magazine that explains the benefit and use of deep litter method and composting/gardening.

Guess it really depends on how deep you go in your litter. Mine is always a good 2 ft deep and at least a yr old before I remove from the coop. But year before last it was two yrs old-because I had surgery in the spring-which is best time to clean deep litter and start over.
Deep litter-good for gardening and keeps my chickens warmer in the cold winters. 2 big pluses in my life.

Sounds like your on the right track...have fun.

 

[CARS]

The only time I use bedding/manure straight out of the coop is after my harvest. I pile it up a couple inches in all my beds and let it decompose all winter long. In the spring (well, right now actually. Late April/early May) I turn it into the soil and go about my normal (or abnormal) routine.

During the growing season or when I need additional soil I use my composted bedding from the previous year.

 

[Beekissed]

I've used it right on top of my mulch with good results. The rain lets the nutrients sink in slowly and it works even better if you put a light layer of mulch on top of it. That way it doesn't splash up onto your plants, isn't actually touching plants, but still gives them the nitrogen from the manure. I've not had any bad results, only good.

Heck, the farmers spread that stuff directly on the fields here and it doesn't kill anything. The rains soak it in and within two weeks you can see the darker stripes in the fields where the manure spreaders have been driven. Green and lush!

Squash plants with chicken manure spread straight from the coop to the mulch~fortunately this part of the garden was out of the dog's boundaries or they would have eaten all my "fertilizer"!

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[aquarose]

I am wondering about this too. I dumped the contents of the coop (pine shavings and lots of poo) into my three new raised beds, thinking I would not be planting until next year. Now my dh is actually excited about planting and he wants it to be this year. We are going to get some topsoil and municipal compost to fill the beds the rest of the way up and I hope it becomes similar to what Hattie described. The litter is already covered by shredded oak leaves and a thin layer of soil. I am going to try it and see what happens.

 

[Hattie the Hen]

aquarose I thinkyou will be fine! Just mound the bought in soil up as high as you can on top of the shavings & poo mixture, You could cut the bottom of a plastic bucket to hold it in place, pushing it into the top of the hill (like ring cuture in greenhouses) The roots will soon find their way down when they are up to coping with the "goodness" Then they will grow away like crazy. You will also get wonderful soil for next year.

robbobbin -- I also use the deep litter method especially in one of my coops where it's very difficlt to clean out. It is a very old one I inherited when I bought the house, from the first World War. I have to bend right over to get in there. The 2nd one I built myself & I designed it so you can lift the whole front off & scrub it out. That one I empty more often but I never use that litter fresh as when I tried it years ago my veggies turned black & wilted very fast.

I do think that the temperature affects things radically, If you live in a very warm area it breaks down the poo & shavings/ straw much faster & then you can safely use it sooner. I have noticed that in very hot summers. Not that we have too many of these in the UK

So Good Luck everyone: may your veggies thrive!!! row
:rose Hattie :rose

 

[warmfuzzies]

After talking to my DH, who thinks I always over-complicate things, I have decided to try it on top of the mulch. It is really dry here, and I have to mulch it anyway. And this manure is all I have to use. I dont have much so it wont be thick on there. It is a first year garden and I am sure it really needs it.

DH is a farmer, and yes, they spread it right on top. not only cow manure, but also human manure from NYC. And I know that my chicken manure can't be that bad.... He was like, well duh, of course it will be fine.

 

[CARS]

Heck, the farmers spread that stuff directly on the fields here and it doesn't kill anything. The rains soak it in and within two weeks you can see the darker stripes in the fields where the manure spreaders have been driven. Green and lush!

Yes but they do it weeks before they plant. And between the spreading and planting they are tilling it into the ground from 8" to 10" depending on the equipment. A half inch layer of poo incorporated with 8" of soil is really not that hot of a application.

The bad side... if the rains don't come the fields are BURNED! All of my neighbors have irrigation systems. A couple years ago we didn't get any rain all summer long. They irrigated and everything was fine except for the corners where the system couldn't reach. It was burned off. Dead.