Using Chicken poo as nitrogen fertilizer for straw bale gardening???

[Percheron chick]

Start small the first year especially if you are working with crap soil. Spend the time improving the soil for 2024. Pick up every bag of leaves, pine needles and grass clippings you find out on the curb and put them to good use. Tomatoes and squash are the easiest for me and prolific. Chickens love the extras. Tomatoes and peppers can easily be grown in 5 gallon and larger tubs so easy to come up with just 10-15 gallons of decent dirt. You can also sow directly into your compost pile. Vining plants like squash and pumpkin usually do fine there.
You are going to spend $$ to get a productive garden. But the money isn't wasted. You will keep getting value out of it for years to come. Keep your eyes peeled for supplies like tools, fencing, compost materials, lumber... on CL, FB marketplace, Restore, end of season sales or even dumpster diving (I have pulled out enough lumber to build 4 12' raised beds). Go with the straw bales. Anything that's left after the season will be a great start towards the 2023 garden.

 

[Chicken love to infinity]

I just found this and I think I'm going to try it! What do you think?
@Percheron chick- I've already started picking up leaves, grass clipping, old straw, etc.
https://www.anitasarbor.com/references-resources/straw-bale-gardening/
I love how organic it is! i just wish it had reviews or something, so I could see if it works

 

[Percheron chick]

I just found this and I think I'm going to try it! What do you think?
@Percheron chick- I've already started picking up leaves, grass clipping, old straw, etc.
https://www.anitasarbor.com/references-resources/straw-bale-gardening/
I love how organic it is! i just wish it had reviews or something, so I could see if it works

That's a nice simple to follow plan. I don't see why it wouldn't work. It is basically the same blueprint for straw bale gardening of every other one. I would set up the straw bales where you eventually want to build some raised beds. Build a frame around the bale, cut the strings, add some finished compost and you're ready for next year. Try all 3 ways if you can. Straw bale, containers and compost pile just in case. You will probably have a favorite over time as well as one that produces better.

 

[Chicken love to infinity]

That's a nice simple to follow plan. I don't see why it wouldn't work. It is basically the same blueprint for straw bale gardening of every other one. I would set up the straw bales where you eventually want to build some raised beds. Build a frame around the bale, cut the strings, add some finished compost and you're ready for next year. Try all 3 ways if you can. Straw bale, containers and compost pile just in case. You will probably have a favorite over time as well as one that produces better.

Thanks sooooo much!!!!
You are very helpful!

 

[gtaus]

https://www.anitasarbor.com/references-resources/straw-bale-gardening/
I love how organic it is! i just wish it had reviews or something, so I could see if it works

Straw is too expensive where I live, but I would love to see how this works out for you.

I turned my entire chicken run into a chicken run composting system, where I dump all my leaves, grass clippings, wood chips, anything organic from yard cleanup, etc... The chickens are outside all day in the non-snow months scratching and pecking in the run compost, turning it over and breaking it down. I also toss all their old coop deep bedding litter in the chicken run for composting. All those ingredients, plus the chicken poo, of course, makes black gold compost.

After your straw bales break down into compost, you might want to consider building some raised garden beds. Last summer I built some new pallet wood raised garden beds for only the cost of the nails/screws.

Here is a picture of one of the pallet wood raised beds before it was completed. You can see that I use the huglekulture method of logs, stick, and twigs for the bottom 8-10 inches, then a thin layer of organics (grass clippings, for example), then I top off the raised bed with 6-8 inches of soil and chicken run compost mixed 1:1. Makes a wonderful garden. In your case, you could probably put the composted straw bales on top and just plant directly into that.

Anyways, if you are interested in building raised beds or planters out of pallet wood, you can check out my thread Show Me Your Pallet Projects! for more details and pictures. Lots of other good pallet projects shared as well.

Some pictures of pallet wood planters...

I live on a lake, and my ground soil is terrible. So, I have moved all my gardening to raised beds and planters where I can use good soil and compost and not break the bank.

As others mentioned, I would let any chicken compost age 3-4 months before use. I don't know if diluting it in water would work, or not. I have always just let the compost age out before use.

Rabbit manure and worm castings could be used immediately. But I don't have access to those resources, and worm castings are extremely expensive to buy at the store. So, I will wait for my compost and be happy with that. Over the past couple of years, I have made so much chicken run compost that I can now harvest as much as I need anytime I want. I have not had to purchase bagged compost or fertilizer for over 3 years now. Works for me!