First season on our little farm and I wanted to use the litter from the hen house to build up our garden soil but as I'm spreading it in the garden today I begin to wonder about eColi.....it seems rotted--dry and crumbly, not smelly. Is it safe for us on our veggies? Thanks!!
I dunno, but personally I don't like to put coop litter on my garden anywhere near harvest time. I compost it in the late spring, summer, and early fall, then when the garden is done producing for the year I pile it all on.
You want to put dry coop litter on the garden, which shouldn't be any problem. Never put fresh on the garden for it will burn the plants. Chicken manure is WAY to HOT to apply fresh. I use all the animal manure horse, cow, chicken, rabbit and llama, never had a problem. Llama is the best, you can put it on as it comes out. Great for flowers too.
I plan on using the chicken manure. Currently I am using cow manure. The old old piles that are made when DH cleanes the corrals. The old piles have had time to break down.! I have the prettiest flowers.
I've always been under the impression that you have to compost it first. Now, if you can use it when it dries out, but before composting, that would make life a lot easier for me... I've never heard of getting e coli from chickens -- salmonella, yes, but e coli is mostly a beef thing, isn't it?
It is a fairly simple thing . . . if you aren't using the 130 degree method, treat the manure as tho' it is fresh. What, aren't you going to have a garden in 2009? The American Organic Standards for compost production: 1. the compost must reach a temperature of at least 130 degrees for a period of several days 2. thoroughly mix the compost 3. let the compost get to 130 degrees again If fresh (uncomposted) manure is to be used . . . it must be applied at least 120 days prior to harvest of products likely to be eaten raw. If the 120-day waiting period is not feasible, such as for short season crops like lettuce or leafy greens, apply only properly composted manure. WSU food safety Simple, simple . . . the most important ingredient is patience. Steve