Chicken Manure Compost

[Katiefoss]

Is this chicken manure composted enough for me to use in my vegetable garden? I'm not sure how to tell.

 

[WingItRanch]

Hmm I think it needs a little more time. Mine breaks down and looks like dirt before I use it in the garden.

Interested in what others think, though. I composted my deep litter for the first time this year so I don't have the years of experience others might.

 

[C Siena]

We just spread it in the garden a couple of weeks ago and tilled it in the soil. The feces were from 9 months to 2 months old.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I put wood chips, grass clippings, and leaves along with any materials that come out of my coop (hay from the nest boxes, pelleted bedding when it gets changed out) into my run and let my chickens do the work. When I'm ready to use it, Spring and Fall, I rake off the top layer and shovel out the black gold, it looks just like dark rich dirt. Is that in your run, or a pile? How long?

 

[TLCMidMichigan]

Once I clean all the old chips and manure out, I usually take it out away from the coupe and dump it out beyond the garden. In the summer the chickens will scratch in it and spread it out.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Mine looks like straight up compost when ready, so very dark and crumbly, though it's mixed in with composted leaves and garden scraps too.

The compost collected from my run isn't as dark since there's composted wood in there.

 

[Katiefoss]

I put wood chips, grass clippings, and leaves along with any materials that come out of my coop (hay from the nest boxes, pelleted bedding when it gets changed out) into my run and let my chickens do the work. When I'm ready to use it, Spring and Fall, I rake off the top layer and shovel out the black gold, it looks just like dark rich dirt. Is that in your run, or a pile? How long?

It's in a pile sitting by my garden. It's from my old chicken coop and they haven't been in there for about 6 months.

 

[Katiefoss]

Mine looks like straight up compost when ready, so very dark and crumbly, though it's mixed in with composted leaves and garden scraps too.

The compost collected from my run isn't as dark since there's composted wood in there.
View attachment 4087788

I used sawdust as a bedding. So that might explain why mine is a lighter color

 

[Auntiejessi3]

It's in a pile sitting by my garden. It's from my old chicken coop and they haven't been in there for about 6 months.

It's probably good to go then