Quick question about DLM

[Cajunrose]

I think I want to try the Deep litter method for our coop/run. The problem I'm having problem to wrap my mind around is when you remove it in a year or so...is it completely broken down so that I can use it as 'dirt' compost? I was planning on using pine shavings for this method. It seems like there would be very wood chippy still. I know that I would probably have to let it sit for a bit after we pull it out because there is still 'green' poop in there.

I've researched this until I'm blue in the face..I just can't figure this out.

Thanks
Stephenie

 

[nivtup]

As is all things it depends

If left for a long enough period, it does break down to the point that the chips are pretty much gone.

I would not use it straight in the garden without further composting, it is not really compost at that point, but well started.


I hope that helped.

 

[KimberlyJ]

I asked this same question a few months ago and got mixed answers. I started with pine shavings in September. I stirred, DE'd and added throughout the winter. Now it looks very broken down and not like shavings at all. But there is green poo in there. Some people say put it in the garden, some say compost for 6 months more. The one point I didn't think about is, as it composts the rest of the way it will pull nutrients out of your soil. So I am going out in a few minutes to do my spring cleaning and I have decided to compost until fall, them add to my garden. Besides I have an asparagus bed in the garden--I don't really want chicken poo on/in it!

If I had a great way of tilling it all into the garden soil I think I would add it in there now AND add some lime too, but I don't have a tiller.

 

[Judy]

It's true, as I understand it, that pine shavings which are not yet broken down will leach nitrogen from the soil as they break down. So we compost further, as what we remove from the coop of course varies in age and freshness of both shavings and poop. One good way around all this without a tiller is to spread it on the garden in the fall. Hopefully by spring it will be broken down enough.

I've read the poop itself must be composted, and I've read of people who have been putting it on their garden fresh for years with out a problem. I compromise, dump fresh poop in a bucket with water, set in the sun a few days, then feed plants with the mix. I've side dressed many tomatoes, etc. with fresh chicken or quail poop, then watered in.

The asparagus bed is one of the first places I'd put good compost, or manure tea. It needs lots of fertilizer. It's not like it's absorbed into the plant as poop.

 

[Cajunrose]

Thanks for the help. One problem I'm having is that I turned my compost 'bed' into a flower garden right before I got chickens. The flower garden is for my daughter. Now I have nothing to put compost in..lol I'm a little lost as to what to do now. I thought about the chicken manure tea too...I might do that but I would think it would be nasty here in South Louisiana by the end of several days..lol What to do what to do..hmmm

Stephenie