What to do with those old shavings?

[imthedude]

Looking for suggestions on what to do with those old shavings that are emptied out of the brooder. Anyone have any creative ideas? I don't want to landfill them. Composting would take too long. Any other things I'm missing?

 

[Lil_Miss_Farmer_Chick]

If you have a wood stove or fire pick, pack them in brick molds, let dry in sun, pop out and stack. Manure burns great and no smell once dried.

here is a link to how it works:
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/hooker87.html

 

[RAWR]

make a bon fire?

 

[math ace]

You don't have to compost them. You could put a then layer directly around you plants. Part of the reason to compost is to kill grass and weed seeds. That shouldn't be an issue with chickens. With the mix of shavings and manure - - it is not like putting straight manure down. It serves to purposes - mulch and fertilizer.

Now, if you just don't want to deal with it - - - MAKE a big pile of it and advertise on Craigs list. FREE CHICKEN MANURE . . . and your local gardeners will come and get it !

Good Luck !

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

What Math Ace said. I put my brooder and coop chavings directly on the beds all winter and it has been fine. In summer I dump them on the compost heap as they burn tender plants, but probably around trees and shrubs they would be fine.

Gardeners and composters will happily haul it off for you though.

 

[allenlighthouse]

I put mine around plants in the garden, but dont let it touch the stalks of plants because it might burn them .

Allen

 

[mayberrychickens]

Myself and sister-in-law are going to make a compost pile for next years garden. I will use only chicken stuff in this composter as I have a roll composter for everthing else.

 

[MagsC]

I have also been putting them into a compost pile. Should make some great garden fertilizer.

 

[nanawendy]

I was putting them into the big garden... Now that it's getting close to turning the soil, I've decided to throw into the big girls second run. They like to scratch around and it does have a little DE.

 

[felidaet]

I have been spreading them very thinly on my garden all winter. It is too close to planting time to spread any more. I will start putting them in a pile now until fall. I will spread them as soon as some areas of my garden are done for the year.

I am looking forward to having more chickens this year in part for the additional fertilizer.

As other people mentioned, if you don't want to mess with it put a listing on Craigs list. Gardeners love chicken manure. We even have one person around here offering to clean your chicken coop if he can take the manure with him.