Do droppings need to sit a year before they can be used as fertilizer?

[Carrie Lynn]

Can I work this winter's chicken poop/wood shavings into the soil in the spring, or, do I need to let it sit for 12 months?

What is the concern...too much nitrogen or internal parasites getting into food chain?

Thanks in advance,
Carrie Lynn

 

[Lesa]

The concern is too much nitrogen- too hot, especially for seedlings. I put poop on my garden in the fall and throughout the winter. By the time I am planting- by the end of May- all is good. We have a ton of snow, so it all kind of gets watered down, and then the spring rains take care of the rest. Happy Gardening!

 

[UrbanGrower]

I use mine as a protective mulch over the winter after the last harvest. Then as soon as I can, I till it in (about a month before the last frost). The spring clean could be used in your compost pile, it will be a great nitrogen boost which will help your whole pile decompose faster, and the bedding can supply your carbon layer, making a perfect mix would then only require table scraps and some clean/healthy native soil.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

I put mine straight into my garden then turn it under.

Now how long I'll wait after I have turned it in before I'll plant depends on what I'm sowing. For anything that is to be eaten raw, particularly if it's grown close to or in the ground, I try to work it out that it will have been at least four months since I put the manure down before the crop is ready to harvest. Thus if you've got radishes that take thirty days from planting to harvest I'll put the manure down three months before I plant. For other things like sweet potatoes and such that have a ninety to hundred twenty day growing period then a week to a month before I plant.

A second consideration is how much manure you use. As you probably know chicken flickin's have a lot of nitrogen in them as manure goes. Some things are heavy feeders, some things don't need so much. Until you have a good feel for how much to use it's better to use less rather than more. If it's mostly bedding though go heavier than you would if it were pure manure because the bedding is going to need the extra nitrogen to break down as it rots.

This weekend I've got a brooder full of shavings, manure, spilled feed that I'll be spreading around my blueberry bushes. It did wonders for them last winter.

 

[Carrie Lynn]

A.T. Hagan HA!

chicken flickin's---I never heard that before

 

[Germaine_11.20]

I've been wondering the same thing, thanks all.

 

[dirtsaver]

I've got a pile of coop cleanings that I started back in June. I figure that as long as it's been sitting and with the monthly cleanout additions(we do a total cleaning monthly and add it to the pile) it should be blended enough to spread on the garden in late March and till in. By our planting time here in Kentucky(mid-May) I don't think it will be a problem.

There are so many different ways to do these things and I always enjoy seeing how others manage their manure and compost systems. Even at 55 and farming/gardening most of those years I still learn a lot and incorporate many of them into my systems. I'm sure to watch this thread for more good ideas!

Larry

 

[renart]

Now I'm sure chicken "flickins"

are somewhat different than goat berries, but, when we clean the barns the manure/straw/alfalfa leavins are composted in a pile in the field, then when the ground is solid enough I can drive on it, March'ish, it is moved to the field. Between the composting while in the pile, and then tilled under in the field, we have ne'er had any issues. Just adding my 2 pence.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I have a 55 gallon of chicken poop that has been "aging" for about about 7 months now. I will be using it in my garden in about 2 months once it warms up.

 

[LindsayB]

I was reading on the organic gardening section of 'Mother Earth News' and it had a whole thing about making your own liquid fertilizer out of chicken poop. your supposed to get a 5 gallon bucket and fill it about a quarter full of poop with or without shavings. then fill the bucket up with water and let it sit for 2 days, no longer than 3 or else it will start to stink and ferment. After 2 days you strain out the solids and use all of the liquid in your garden. I'm actually in the process of doing this now. It should be ready tomorrow!