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

[92Pony]

Last year I got a pickup load from a local chicken house that was pretty fresh, and put it in the garden in Feb. I spread it out and tilled it in within a couple of days. I planted 6-8 weeks or so later, and had some monstrous bean and pea plants.

Unfortunately, the weeds loved the extra nitrogen as much as the crops did. BUT, then the chooks loved all the extra weeds I pulled out of the garden, so.....

 

[dmiravalle]

Quote:
That is the best expression EVER!!! Gonna have to steal that one.

 

[Fred's Hens]

I haul chicken manure all late fall and winter to the gardens, and will up to March 1, ceasing manure application because I am then within 30 days of beginning to plant. Of course, it is worked in well.

The only time I stockpile manure on a compost pile is April through September, while the gardens are in operation. Most state university ag depts recommend cessation of manure applications 90 days before harvest or 30 days before planting.

You can compost it at all times, if you wish. Either methods works well.

 

[dawn0326]

Great thread...I've been wondering about this as my chicken tractor has been in my garden area this winter. I was hoping that was ok and that moving it now was soon enough.

 

[CathyM]

Thanks for all the comments - I have let my hens range through the garden over the (mild) winter, but have fenced them out now, to let any droppings settle into the soil. I've put the coop clean-out onto the compost heap, where it has done an amazing job of composting down! I've never seen my pile of leaves, kitchen scraps and weeds shrink down that fast! I'm excited to be able to use that aged compost this spring on the garden!

 

[spartacus_63]

Twice a year, I flick the chicken flickens out of the coop.

Spring, I flick them in the orchard and brambles, fall I flick them into the garden. After three years of flicken, there is nothing that won't grow in a once clay garden.

 

[Royd]

I fill 30 gallon trashcans half full and fill with water. It usually sits for about 3 months, being stirred, occasionally. Then, I can use it as a tea, making it as strong or weak as I choose.
And yes, it does stink, when stirred or used, but so does fish emulsion.

 

[darkmatter]

I clean out the Deep litter that has been composting all winter in the Coop and till it in the Garden in the spring. I also add it to the base of my tomato cages and vine cages. I load several wheelbarrows full, it looks like dark brown crumbly dirt. It started out as grass clippings, pine needles, pine cones, fall leaves------basically anything and everything the lawnmower can suck up into the bagger. I also rake up the pine needle mulch under the pine trees by hand to add. I've never had any fertilizer "burn" problems. I use the deep litter method in a sub-ground level dirt floor in a coop built on a brick foundation I hand laid up. (Looks like it to, see my BYC page for pics of the Coop/Run). The chickens also have access to the Garden from fall till spring, so they've been scratching and direct fertilizing too. My Garden was thin weedy clay to start out with many years ago, now its a rich dark loam a foot deep or more. (thanks to the chickens)

 

[dmiravalle]

I am sorry, but I think "Chicken Flickens" should go in the BYC Glossary!!!

 

[kuntrygirl]

Quote:
Yup. I agree.