how to not clean up the chicken poop

[dakotasnake]

i put plenty of chicken poop in the garden last fall after harvest. after a long winter in the barn [ deep litter method] i wasnt sure what i wanted to do with this springs massive amount of manure [35 chickens] . i put the word out at work and on the local freecycle for organic fertileizer and compost. i set it up for a sat morn and by noon my barn was clean, four local gardeners were happy. im happy cuzz i never lifted a shovel and the chickens are happy they have fresh straw again, looks like a win win to me.

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Oh yes, chicken manure and soiled shavings is a must have for most hardcore gardeners. Our local organic feed store sells chicken manure by the bag, and every time I see it on the shelf I just laugh because people are paying for that stuff! If they only knew they could pick up 2 to 4 bags every two weeks for free out of my backyard...

 

[spook]

Quote:
DH buys dehydrated cow manure- this makes me scratch my head, but you know, what ever works and it does.

We have not even used the coop cleanings for our own garden due to the acid and shavings- oh yes, the wheat seeds etc that they don't eat.

dakotasnake super idea tho, Kudos to you for recycling!! Its a community service you have invented!

 

[Rhett&SarahsMom]

I dont know if my neighbors are happier about the fresh eggs they have been getting or the fact they have chicken poop this year for their gardens. I know that I am thrilled.
My barn owners garden was literally out of control last year. She spreads the poop on the garden after she cleans the coop. Those veggies she had were crazy

 

[Picky Chicky]

So question about all of this poop use...

Since just starting with chickens this past fall, I settled on using the DLMethod. Is the chicken poop mixed in with pine shavings still considered a good fertilizer? I've just been throwing it out back deep into my woods.

 

[Lesa]

Ahh, chicken poop. I spend way too much time thinking about this subject!! I have a bag of poop- no shavings, taken from the dropping board. I am wondering if I spread it on the garden now, in March, will it be composted enough for late May planting- or will it still be too hot?? I was hoping to just rake it in...

 

[HiDelight]

you guys I am new here and new with chickens ..besides the fact I just adore these guys and they are asthetically beautiful in the garden..and the fresh eggs..but really so I would not have to be one of those folks you laugh at for buying chicken manure

!!!! I am an avid gardener and have used chicken manure for years to grow beautiful plants.. ... and hope I am not taking this off topic or anything ( if so let me know please)...but I have seen folks mention the "deep litter" method

can you tell me please what this is ? I imagine it is what it sounds you make deep litter for them to scratch and poop in? but how does it work to stay clean and does it save work and help you collect the manure in a neater fashion? so far I have tossed straw all over their coop and in the pen ...but no thought went into this yet I am just getting them settled ..

..I need to find a way to collect all this poop they make ..my goodness they are manure making machines aren't they?

and also how long do I compost it before putting it in the garden?

thanks for letting me barge in with my questions

 

[HiDelight]

whoops this board moves so fast I can not keep up and just say this

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=137155
it answers the deep litter method but not the composting time

thanks you guys I will get the hang of it!

 

[dancingbear]

Quote:
WAY too hot for this spring. Nitrogen content still way too high. It needs to fully compost befpre you put it on the garden, about a year, unless you use one of the methods to make compost faster. If you just put it in a pile, or a container of some sort, and turn it every couple of weeks or so, it'll still take several months. When it no longer resembles poo at all, and is just dark, earthy smelling compost, with no whiff of poo or ammonia, it's ready.

I had some spots in the garden where I had put litter from the coop in the late fall, and those spots were pretty bare almost all the way through the following summer. After that, stuff started to grow like gangbusters.

Rabbit poo and sheep poo are both mild enough that you can put them right on a garden, no worries, but most poo has to compost first.

ETA: If you have straight, undiluted poo to compost, you need to mix it with carbon materials, like dry leaves, dry lawn clippings, old straw or hay, etc. About half and half. Layers are fine, it'll get mixed gradually as you turn the pile from time to time.

 

[Akane]

I have huge piles of both chicken and horse manure and I still buy composted cow manure by the bags. However I get it for $1 a 20lb bag from the feedstore so it's not that expensive and much easier than trying to shovel wet horse manure compost to haul to the garden. Not to mention the lack of weed and grain seeds.

You want some shavings or something in with your manure. Straight manure will not work unless your mixing in to certain soils and it's more likely to burn your plants. How long it takes to compost depends on how your composting and what's in your pile.