North Carolina

[Katieboosmama]

Hello All, I live in the Raleigh Area, and Im relatively new to raising back yard chickens, and when I say relatively new I mean new to raising them in the city.. (cities are way different then the mountains) Do any of you use your chicken poop for fertilizer on plants? when would you put it in flower beds? in the fall?

Welcome Sapphirenight13!, I haven't got my chickens yet, but I think you need to compost the manure first as it has too much nitrogen and will burn plants. I am not sure how long that process takes, but I am sure someone with more experience will chime in soon!

 

[SemperChicken]

Hello All, I live in the Raleigh Area, and Im relatively new to raising back yard chickens, and when I say relatively new I mean new to raising them in the city.. (cities are way different then the mountains)  Do any of you use your chicken poop for fertilizer on plants?  when would you put it in flower beds? in the fall?

Welcome! I'm also in the Raleigh area. I haven't started using the poop as fertilizer, but just wanted to say welcome =)

 

[Gremores]

It might help people if you said how old and how many birds you are talking about, and are your Marans blue or black?
Scott

Thanks,

I have 4 black French copper Marans, around 12 weeks old

And 1 Australorp that is around 20 weeks old

 

[rainbowchick]

Hello All, I live in the Raleigh Area, and Im relatively new to raising back yard chickens, and when I say relatively new I mean new to raising them in the city.. (cities are way different then the mountains)  Do any of you use your chicken poop for fertilizer on plants?  when would you put it in flower beds? in the fall?

Chicken manure (or any manure) is considered "hot" with nitrogen when it is first produced. With larger livestock, you have to let it sit for a year or more before using it. For chickens, however, a few months usually suffices. You have a few options: 1) put it in your compost or in a heap for a few months before using or 2) you can use fresh manure on an empty bed right away (as in: garden that is done for the season, bulb flowers that have lost their greenery, new bed you'd like to start in the spring, etc). The key is that the bed doesn't have any plant growth above ground. The fresh manure will "burn" any leaves with the high nitrogen content, and they will die.

 

[sapphirenight13]

Chicken manure (or any manure) is considered "hot" with nitrogen when it is first produced. With larger livestock, you have to let it sit for a year or more before using it. For chickens, however, a few months usually suffices. You have a few options: 1) put it in your compost or in a heap for a few months before using or 2) you can use fresh manure on an empty bed right away (as in: garden that is done for the season, bulb flowers that have lost their greenery, new bed you'd like to start in the spring, etc). The key is that the bed doesn't have any plant growth above ground. The fresh manure will "burn" any leaves with the high nitrogen content, and they will die.

OK i figured that I would have to wait until all of my beds have been dormant for the winter. Would it be good for me to use it on veggie beds? my veggies beds are going to empty this winter so I think that the veggies that I plant in the spring should be fine. I am trying to make my home plot in Raleigh into a premaculture area. But it is a little harder then I thought. But thank you for the information.

 

[TurnerEGGZ]

Chicken manure (or any manure) is considered "hot" with nitrogen when it is first produced. With larger livestock, you have to let it sit for a year or more before using it. For chickens, however, a few months usually suffices. You have a few options: 1) put it in your compost or in a heap for a few months before using or 2) you can use fresh manure on an empty bed right away (as in: garden that is done for the season, bulb flowers that have lost their greenery, new bed you'd like to start in the spring, etc). The key is that the bed doesn't have any plant growth above ground. The fresh manure will "burn" any leaves with the high nitrogen content, and they will die.

This is great info! I was just wondering myself how to go about using is for the garden beds! Thank you for posting what seems to be the key facts to get started! I feel like I can actually commit to it now! thank you!

 

[rainbowchick]

OK i figured that I would have to wait until all of my beds have been dormant for the winter. Would it be good for me to use it on veggie beds? my veggies beds are going to empty this winter so I think that the veggies that I plant in the spring should be fine. I am trying to make my home plot in Raleigh into a premaculture area. But it is a little harder then I thought. But thank you for the information.

Yes, if you let it sit in the empty bed then till/work it in in the spring, it'll be perfect.

If anyone ever has gardening questions, feel free to PM me. I actually teach gardening classes as a part time job to adults and children.

 

[crazyhen]

Remember if you use the manure from the chickens to take into account the additives you may use. Example is the wood chips that steal nitrogen from the soil as they break down. Another is diamotous earth that is exceedingly dry. Pdz if used in the poop tray seems to interfer too.

 

[TurnerEGGZ]

Remember if you use the manure from the chickens to take into account the additives you may use. Example is the wood chips that steal nitrogen from the soil as they break down. Another is diamotous earth that is exceedingly dry. Pdz if used in the poop tray seems to interfer too.

Well shoot, I use all those! Do I just have to then throw in more green waste to keep it moist then??

 

[Hollowoakfarm]

Welcome to the new folks!!

There are lots of composting groups out there that can help you sort it out. And if you get rabbits down the road, their poop doesn't need composting. Rabbit, goat, sheep, and other pelleted poop can be used directly in the garden without risk of burn. So nice.

Haven't been on; been starting up the new semester. WooHoo!