Chicken Manure for Garden

[Friendthechicken]

Hi,
I am confused and looking for advice on the best way to use chicken manure to better my four raised beds. I have ten birds. Inside the coop, they have a deep litter of wood shavings that I add to semi-regularly. The run is dirt. I add shavings, leaves, etc occasionally so they don’t dig a whole pit. I have a regular compost going with kitchen scraps and garden debris, etc. What is the best way to use the chicken “gold” to my raised beds? Last year, I cleaned out the shavings from the coop and spread them on all four beds in early spring because I understand it can’t be too “hot” and needs curing time. Come planting time, there was still a ton of uncomposted shavings but I turned them in and it seemed to work fine. Should I just add the shavings to my regular compost pile and use that? Should I be raking the layer of dirt with fewer shavings from the run? What time of year do folks apply the manure? I’m in zone 8.
Thanks!!

 

[NatJ]

Last year, I cleaned out the shavings from the coop and spread them on all four beds in early spring because I understand it can’t be too “hot” and needs curing time. Come planting time, there was still a ton of uncomposted shavings but I turned them in and it seemed to work fine.

That method works fine. You can also put the shavings & manure on the garden in the fall so it has more time to break down. You can turn it in immediately (which will probably help it break down faster), or leave it on the surface for a while and turn it in later (like you did before.)

Should I just add the shavings to my regular compost pile and use that? Should I be raking the layer of dirt with fewer shavings from the run?

If you want to do either of those, that should be fine too.

What time of year do folks apply the manure? I’m in zone 8.

Personal preference: whenever the manure needs to come out of the chicken pen, preferably at least a week before I want to plant something

I have been known to put fresh manure & bedding directly around established plants (like asparagus or berry bushes), and it worked fine. I probably put it 1/2" to 1" thick around the plants, leaving a bit of bare space right by the stem, and it did not seem to burn them or cause any trouble. (The ratio of droppings to bedding would make a difference, and applying small amounts will generally be safer than large amounts. A single fresh chicken dropping would probably be enough to kill a new seedling, but is fine in a grassy lawn or near most other plants that are already growing nicely.)

 

[Penpal]

Years and years ago when my father in law was a science professor at Central Michigan University, he had a special project each year for the students. One was on composting. Sawdust and cow manure will be full composted in 72 hours as long as it is kept suitably moist and turned every 90 seconds. He accomplished this by measuring out the sawdust 1/3, and the cow manure 2/3 into a medium sized bin and setting up an automatic turning system. He didn't turn the whole bin, but had an internal paddle that went around (like a clothes dryer, farmer's milk tank, or a batter paddle in your mixer)

You need a minimum amount of manure and plant material in order to maintain the correct temperature as well as aerobic bacteria. It would seem that you are getting enough material to begin and maintain a good compost.

Horse manure takes longer than 72 hours (cows are super good at breaking down grass). Chicken manure may be faster because it is "hot".

Those systems you see where you put organic waste into a bin and turn it once a day are based on this research, but you would have to fill it to get enough volume.

 

[Friendthechicken]

Interesting! All super helpful, thank you everyone.

 

[ElfenLied89]

I am curious now as I am starting a garden in the spring. I live in SC which is zone 8 as well I think. Please throw more tips in here so I can garden with "gold" too!

 

[Penpal]

ElfinLied89, tip:

Compost needs air to get hot enough to kill the seeds that are in the compost, as well as the bacteria. This is why a tumbling barrel is so efficient. My FIL didn't turn the barrel, it would have been quite heavy. He had an internal paddle, like a clothes dryer, and that is what was turned.

 

[Tally Ho]

Years and years ago when my father in law was a science professor at Central Michigan University, he had a special project each year for the students. One was on composting. Sawdust and cow manure will be full composted in 72 hours as long as it is kept suitably moist and turned every 90 seconds. He accomplished this by measuring out the sawdust 1/3, and the cow manure 2/3 into a medium sized bin and setting up an automatic turning system. He didn't turn the whole bin, but had an internal paddle that went around (like a clothes dryer, farmer's milk tank, or a batter paddle in your mixer)

You need a minimum amount of manure and plant material in order to maintain the correct temperature as well as aerobic bacteria. It would seem that you are getting enough material to begin and maintain a good compost.

Horse manure takes longer than 72 hours (cows are super good at breaking down grass). Chicken manure may be faster because it is "hot".

Those systems you see where you put organic waste into a bin and turn it once a day are based on this research, but you would have to fill it to get enough volume.

Thanks