coop manure to garden

[nctoni]

So, who can tell me simplest. The droppings I pull from the coop each morning is about a pie pan full. I put that in a rubber trash can with holes in it outside the coop. What needs to happen to that collection until I can safely put it in my garden?
Then when I clean out my deep litter out of the coop a few times a year. It has shredded wood chips along with the manure. What would I do with that to be able to use it in the garden? How would that change the ph of the garden and what would I use to counteract all of that? I would really appreciate some guidance on this. I sure don't want to burn my plants. Thanks in advance!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

It just needs to compost for a bit. Doesn't take that long. I'm not familiar with pure manure. We clean out the pine shavings three times a year and depending on time of year goes straight to garden as the bulk of it is composed already. Other times of year it goes in a pile waiting for next spring. If you've a compost bin just add there and mix all together. Easy compost bin is using 4 pallets. You can get pallets free then use screws and metal plate brackets to hold three sides together and use hook and eyes to hold the front on. Unhook and till or shovel out and hook back for not too unsightly compost bin. Have two bins, middle pallet is shared. That way one side is composting and other side ready for use. Use it up in spring and start putting compost that side as other side is still composting. Thinking of going to three bins this year. We compost a lot of yard waste, garden waste and used shavings.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

That probably didn't help much. As you've got pure poop I'd mix it with dirt to thin out and make applying to garden or side dressing plants easier. It's potent stuff, though composted is still extremely high in nitrogen so should be thinned some with a medium. Use dirt.

 

[Hokum Coco]

So, who can tell me simplest. The droppings I pull from the coop each morning is about a pie pan full. . What needs to happen to that collection until I can safely put it in my garden? Wait a year.

I would put some manure in a nylon mesh bag (about 3 pie pans full) fill a 45 gal drum with water and then place the bag in the drum and water your plants with the tea the manure makes.

 

[BruceAZ]

most of the cities around here will have composting program available

some will give out compost bin for free (limit 1 per household) and others will charge you a small fee (like $5)

the compost bin they provided is pretty much your trash can that got cut in half with 2-3 in holes around the bin

keep the compost bin in the shade-- spray some water and turn it every few days.

when you turn it you can feel the heat from the pile

I put the manure i cleaned out each day in the bin instead of the garden. Compost will take time

https://www.epa.gov/recycle/composting-home

 

[aart]

Depends on what kind of garden.
Flowers and ornamentals...just be careful of the very high nitrogen content of pure poop.....it will burn the heck out of your plants.

Vegetable garden...same goes for high nitrogen plant burn,
but it should also be composted for a good long time to avoid contaminating your food with e coli and salmonella, especially root veggies and leafy greens.

Wood shavings that are not fully broken down/composted can actually suck the nitrogen out of the soil(it wants it to decompose-why it works good for chicken poops) if mixed into it....leaving less for your plants.

 

[BruceAZ]

fresh manure is too strong for most veggie garden out there.

personally, i would also worry about Salmonella with fresh manure so close to my veggies/plants.

I'll use the compose bin + fresh manure will attract flies

 

[Rock Home Isle]

I clean out my coop twice a year. I put all the wood shavings and 6 months of manure in the garden and turn the girls loose on it.

It takes 4 adult chickens about 11 days to get it all incorporated into the garden soil.

It's best to do this about mid April, so that the manure has time to compost and make the nutrients available for plants. I'll be planting my garden this week.