Using Chicken Manure as Garden Fertilizer (by Joshua Duvy)
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Take a few minutes to read this article on using your poultry and chicken manure as a garden soil fertilizer and amendment, then join our online community of poultry hobbyists.
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Do you have a garden? I do. There's something almost...magical...about harvesting your very own ripe tomatoes, corn, lettuce, radishes, and a personal favorite of mine: swiss chard. :) Plus, having your own garden guarantees you a supply of fresh, healthy, organic fruits and vegetables. It also saves you money!
In the spirit of financial conservation, save your hard-earned egg money and increase the value of your soil by using your poultry manure and chicken manure as a garden/yard fertilizer! Smart, eco-wise poultry farmers don't view poultry waste as...well, waste. In many gardeners' eyes, poop is good! Just look at it as a wonderful soil amendment that can do much to increase the value of your soil and generate revenue in the form of fresh vegetables and fruits.
More info on using chicken manure as garden fertilizer below this ad:
"What's the makeup of common chicken manure, and how do I use it?" you ask. The combined average percentages (per total weight) of aged manure and litter is about 1.8 nitrogen, 1.5 phosphate, and 0.8 for potash. A yearly application of 45 pounds, or more, per year for every 100 square feet will work wonders in your garden and increase the fertility of your dirt. This is especially useful if you or someone you know is a gardener. 45 pounds is the approximate amount that one hen produces on a yearly basis, so a small flock of 5-10 should be enough to take care of your entire yard.
Here are a few general pointers and tips:
1) Never feed young, maturing plants fresh chicken manure! Fresh chicken manure is very high in nitrogen and is hot enough to "burn" the growing plants. Too much nitrogen can also produce negative plant growth.
2) Manure makes a great addition to compost! I recently received an "Earth Machine" composting bin as part of my local county's initiative to reduce green waste in the landfills. Although you do not need a "real" composter to compost, it can save you time. Whether or not you use an actual composter, composting converts nitrogen into a form that a plant can use
without burning. Composting also destroys coccidia, bacteria, worm eggs, and
viruses, and stabilizes potash and nitrogen levels. Any composter will do, from the fancy type you see in "Organic Gardening" magazine, to simple homemade bins made of 2x4s and chicken wire.
Important note: Manure that is composted without carbon-based material (such
as dry grass clippings) will overheat.
3) Give chicken manure time to age by spreading fresh poultry manure over your soil and turning the dirt at the end of the growing season to allow it time to decompose over the winter. However, you'll be required to keep your birds out of the area for at least a year, preferably more.
You can also try making "tea". Sounds delicious, eh? The manure is placed in a burlap bag, a rock is thrown in so the bag doesn't float, and the whole thing is put in a 35-gallon garbage can filled with water. Let it sit for a while (three weeks or so) and then you use it to water your plants. Yummy!
Your plants will love you for it. Here's to bigger tomatoes!
