Chicken litter compost?

[KlaHaYa Gardens]

@savilcr @RaZ I did request such a forum (sub-forum).

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=487499

RaZ, I also posted a thread asking if there were Master Gardeners in this forum. I am very interested in having conversation with people who keep chickens and garden (masterfully) MUCH more than I am interested in having conversations with people who are primarily gardeners that incidentally keep a bird or two or three. I am interested in more sophistication with the gardening with birds from the bird keepers perspective.

I grew up in a Master Gardener's yard, and the nursery that he and a horticulturist ran from our property. We always kept birds. The emphasis was on gardening.

I have a stronger emphasis on keeping birds, and I would like to be as productive with them as possible gardening-wise.


I hope that makes sense. I was somewhat rebuffed and told to go to the gardening site, but I don't want to go there, I want to be here discussing gardening from this perspective. Maybe the line sounds fine, but it is approach and perspective that make a difference, and thus I think can bring forth new ideas or re-fine old ones.

Someone, please tell me you understand the distinction and difference I am trying to clarify in spite of my bumbled efforts.

 

[KlaHaYa Gardens]

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I would love it, too!

 

[RaZ]

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I hope I can bridge the apparent gap here. In my case, I garden to preserve as much native habitat as I can. I don't really garden for vegetables although that may change some to support my new flock. My garden plots are mainly for supporting native wildlife and I do it organically without any pesticides or chemicals. So I thought chickens and ducks would be great for pest control and provide some compost material for the gardens. Plus I want the eggs.

I think your emphasis on keeping birds is great. It is certainly compatible with gardening. It makes sense to me but some of my fellow MGs don't seem to get it. They go to the store and buy stuff to make their plants grow while I'm getting it for free right here in the yard.

I think I get your distinction, I'm not sure I helped in clarifying the difference. To me it's all closely connected.

 

[KlaHaYa Gardens]

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I hope I can bridge the apparent gap here. In my case, I garden to preserve as much native habitat as I can. I don't really garden for vegetables although that may change some to support my new flock. My garden plots are mainly for supporting native wildlife and I do it organically without any pesticides or chemicals. So I thought chickens and ducks would be great for pest control and provide some compost material for the gardens. Plus I want the eggs.

I think your emphasis on keeping birds is great. It is certainly compatible with gardening. It makes sense to me but some of my fellow MGs don't seem to get it. They go to the store and buy stuff to make their plants grow while I'm getting it for free right here in the yard.

I think I get your distinction, I'm not sure I helped in clarifying the difference. To me it's all closely connected.

It is closely connected, you are correct! I think you stated it well.

I have a "park" that my family has worked on for over 50 years, preserving native habitat as well as a vegetable garden, fruit trees and berries.

I have been considering how to to develop (materialize) a concept as a pseudo demonstration garden (geared a bit for city-dwellers) where the coop, garden, compost, vermicompost are all connected and in a very usable, efficient space. I think a master gardener in-put would be great. I want to incorporate principles such as "simplicity" and maximizing "everyday steps". There is a concept behind that, if it is not obvious.

I don't subscribe to the belief that anyone, especially city dwellers must purchase a chicken coop, materials for a raised bed, a separate $100+ vermicompost bin, a separate compost "bin", and a rain barrel to water the raised beds. I think these things can be combined in space, finances, materials, and life energy, meaning not duplicating work.

Gardening with birds:

I bought ducks to kill the snails/slugs that were killing my grafted Japanese maples. Done!

I bought geese to guard my other birds and they eat and fertilize my grass. I can pen them up a day or two before expecting company to play yard games. A little water on the lawn and no poop to spoil bocce ball or badminton.

I bought guineas to eat bugs and to alarm.

The chickens I use to keep weeds out of garden beds when they are not planted.

You won't see me thatching or mowing. (Or buying gas for the mower or repairing the mower.)

I use the chickens to thatch moss. I scatter scratch over any lawn area that has gotten moss and voila! the chickens have it gone. hey have loosened the soil enough to accept the seed. TThey have fertilized it of course (along with any left over feed) so that re-seeding is successful. (Of course the birds have to be kept away from the re-seeded area until it is established.

(Shh, don't share this with anyone on BYC, but I think Turkeys are useless.)

I also have chickens, and usually peafowl. They all amuse me and amuse those who visit.

I can sell the manure from the birds; I have excess. It goes toward their feed bill. Likewise excess eggs or offspring.

I don't need to ever buy manure, naturally.


So, there are a few "gardening with birds" from the bird keeper's perspective. I would love to hear from a Master Gardener how he/she would improve on those tricks I use, or how to extend them.

 

[Anianna]

I'm actually surprised not to find a gardening section on this forum. It seems only natural that there would be one, since even though the forum is largely dedicated to chickens everything here is extremely pertinent to homesteading. There are already subsections dedicated to other livestock birds and even pets and non-bird livestock. One purpose of keeping chickens is to manage bugs in the garden or to fertilize the garden or both, as well. A section dedicated to gardening is entirely reasonable as far as I can see.

 

[KlaHaYa Gardens]

Maybe we can all cooperate and work toward that when it fits with the admin's next upgrade/improvement.

 

[Anianna]

KlaHaYa Gardens, I never thought to use birds for mowing, thought I have heard that enclosed chickens will scratch it all away. Do you find geese do an equivalent or better job at keeping the grass mowed than goats or other grazing four-legged livestock?

 

[littlegorb]

i have acquired a large supply of chicken manure that is atleast 10 years old. it is very dry, being in an abandoned house used as a brooder. i know it is not "hot", so i'm thinking it should not burn anything should i blend it in to garden soil. as old as it is, it should work just fine for amending the soil with organic matter. so far i have added it to my tomatoes i put in the wall o waters. they are taking off.

 

[KlaHaYa Gardens]

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1) Chickens will scratch it away IF, there is something in the grass to scratch AND it is thin or wimpy grass (which chicken poop can cure) AND if there are too many birds and too little of a grass area.

I killed some grass by chicken, inadvertently, because I was feeding the chickens there, thus the scratching. Big mistake. Now, I feed the chickens on the lawn that I want "thatched". (I have mossy areas at times.)

2) I've kept goats. I would much prefer chickens OR ducks OR geese to mow the grass. They do a good job and their poop is easy to hose the day before if I want to use the grass for company or yard games. (If I kept one type of bird to mow the lawn, ducks would be my first choice.)


So, let the birds mow, whichever birds you have/like, but DON'T feed them where you don't want them ton scratch. Their manure will cause the grass to be green and lush.

 

[savilcr]

so would it be benefical to take compost from my pile and spread it around my plants in the garden? it has been siting there for about 3 weeks.