Organic Approaches to Getting Feces Less Messy

[centrarchid]

We are looking into doing something benefit backyard poultry keepers, especially those using organic approaches. I have an idea that could result in feces that is easier to "harvest" from flat surfaces like below roost. Anyone here use the feces for gardening / composting? A particular fiber source I think makes for better feces, but do not know what is the range of amounts that provides benefits with causing troubles. Most interest here is in meat birds (Cornish cross) but I could likely swing some effort towards "free-range" laying hens.

I also have access to biochar, but do not know if it can be classified as organic.

 

[Trish1974]

Anyone here use the feces for gardening / composting?

Yes, I compost my chicken poop for gardening. I prefer horse manure, though. It seemed to have more nutritional value but on the down side it always made for a weedy garden.

 

[Acre4Me]

We are looking into doing something benefit backyard poultry keepers, especially those using organic approaches. I have an idea that could result in feces that is easier to "harvest" from flat surfaces like below roost. Anyone here use the feces for gardening / composting? A particular fiber source I think makes for better feces, but do not know what is the range of amounts that provides benefits with causing troubles. Most interest here is in meat birds (Cornish cross) but I could likely swing some effort towards "free-range" laying hens.

I also have access to biochar, but do not know if it can be classified as organic.

Are you going to be doing a study to see what works best or do you already know?

We raised 12 meat birds last year, and they certainly poop A LOT!

 

[centrarchid]

Are you going to be doing a study to see what works best or do you already know?

We raised 12 meat birds last year, and they certainly poop A LOT!

I do not know what works best. I have not even tried approach that might with with meat birds, unless you count my heritage birds that take 12 weeks to mature and operate much more free-range that Cornish cross can do.

 

[centrarchid]

It is a given we will be trying to round up locally available organic feed stuffs. I hope to mill feeds ourselves to give students some experience with that process. Most milling to date has been for fish feed which is not widely practiced in the Midwest. Going to be converting some tree-huggers!

 

[Melky]

I compost to garden from two compost bins. I do not have weed problems and do not spray for weeds since organic. I just throw it in in the fall to winter over in the garden for next season.

 

[centrarchid]

An idea bouncing in my head has feed mixture adjusted so as to impact soil density, IEC and organic content of compost. We have done similar before without impacting performance on fish but had no way to test material in a practical setting.

 

[centrarchid]

We settled on using Speckled Sussex for this project. They were obtained through pickup on June 27, 2019 from Cackle Hatchery of Lebanon, Missouri. We ordered 28 pullets, but they stuffed about four more in.

They were stocked as roughly equal sized groups into two brooders with continuous supply of water and organic feed. Expensive feed relative to what I am used. Brooders are in a secure out building with thermostat control over temperature. Students doe most of daily care. I just come in early in morning to check on things.
Day of stocking.
Group 1

Group 2

Day 10 (July 7, 2019)
Chicks with bilateral Jiffy wing bands. Starting to get some wing feathers and even a few on the body.
Group 1

Group 2

Group 2 coming out where I can see them.

At this point the chicks are scared of me, and people in general. Maybe better to say they do not have interest in our presence. Later I want them to do some activities for for us but otherwise stay out from under foot. Training begins today to get them to come when called.

They have a lot of growing to do. A Coopers hawk family is working area they are to be free-ranged hard. Dogs (two pups) already in training but main job will be only to provide detourance. Dogs are Great Pyrenees x some other LGD breed.

Study area on the George Washington Carver Memorial Farm was previously used for mine (as in explosives) research in a collaboration with Fort Leonard Wood. What makes setup ideal is the chain link fence perimeter. Outside of perimeter we have to additional Ackbash LGD's used to protect goat herds. When nobody is looking I am working to get so the Ackbash have reduced interest in chickens using my trained birds from home. Male dog doing real well. Female and I need to come to an understanding first which starting to occur. Adult dogs are easier to work with.

 

[Henriettamom919]

I compost straight to compost pile from a collection bucket then from there to garden and what I've seen so far has resulted in an obvious increase in production of plant (used established blueberry bushes with added chicken poo the only variant this year.)

I harvest and feed grass seed this time of year from tall grasses naturally occurring in the area. I've noticed firmer, less wet poop and less of it but mine are eating a lot of new growth grass from the yard this time of year, too.

 

[centrarchid]

I compost straight to compost pile from a collection bucket then from there to garden and what I've seen so far has resulted in an obvious increase in production of plant (used established blueberry bushes with added chicken poo the only variant this year.)

I harvest and feed grass seed this time of year from tall grasses naturally occurring in the area. I've noticed firmer, less wet poop and less of it but mine are eating a lot of new growth grass from the yard this time of year, too.

Stuff I want to look at can be packaged dry as part of a nutritionally complete organic formulation. I have seen the grass option and used it, but it does not package well. Alfalfa meal can get you there too but the birds do not always get excited over that as part of their feed mixture.