Search
Latest topics
» New from AZby Scorpio Rising Yesterday at 11:18 pm
» N&C Midwest October 2023
by OhioGardener Yesterday at 8:47 pm
» Tomato Fruitworm
by sanderson Yesterday at 4:39 pm
» Ohio Gardener's Greenhouse
by sanderson Yesterday at 4:14 pm
» Plan for a raised bed off ground?
by OhioGardener Yesterday at 8:24 am
» Beds not holding moisture?
by MrBooker Yesterday at 6:36 am
» Stevia
by markqz 9/28/2023, 12:11 pm
» Mark's first SFG
by markqz 9/28/2023, 11:53 am
» N&C Midwest September 2023
by Scorpio Rising 9/27/2023, 6:55 am
» Walking stick kale
by markqz 9/26/2023, 11:52 pm
» Butternut squash sets world record at the State Fair of Virginia
by markqz 9/25/2023, 5:13 pm
» Closing beds for winter
by plantoid 9/25/2023, 4:25 pm
» Famous Gardening Quotes
by OhioGardener 9/23/2023, 12:51 pm
» Foodbank’s composting program creates food from food
by OhioGardener 9/22/2023, 8:29 am
» What Have You Picked From Your Garden Today
by OhioGardener 9/21/2023, 1:15 pm
» Turning existing garden beds into SFG
by jemm 9/20/2023, 7:35 am
» updating my mix - what should I add
by sanderson 9/18/2023, 5:04 am
» Senseless Banter...
by sanderson 9/16/2023, 11:37 pm
» Lumber and measuring for SFG boxes
by sanderson 9/16/2023, 12:21 am
» Avatar issues
by Guinevere 9/14/2023, 7:53 pm
» Happy Birthday!!
by sanderson 9/11/2023, 4:40 pm
» When to harvest? / Watermelon seedlings
by sanderson 9/9/2023, 6:07 pm
» Hornets Nest
by sanderson 9/8/2023, 8:15 pm
» Tropical Storm Hilary
by jennyjo37 9/5/2023, 5:31 pm
» A square foot garden in a round bed.
by alicej 9/4/2023, 3:39 am
» Determinate Cherry Tomato for Greenhouse
by OhioGardener 9/2/2023, 6:52 pm
» N&C Midwest August 2023
by Scorpio Rising 8/31/2023, 9:01 am
» Hurricane
by Scorpio Rising 8/30/2023, 7:25 am
» No-Fail Zucchini Bread
by OhioGardener 8/28/2023, 11:11 am
» buying compost small town SW Pennsylvania
by sanderson 8/27/2023, 6:41 pm
Google
Using Aged Chicken Manure?
3 posters
Page 1 of 1
Using Aged Chicken Manure?
I have tons of aged chicken manure on the ground in our chicken area. If I scrape off the top 2" - 3", could I use the aged stuff underneath directly in my garden? How far down would I have to go before it could be considered "composted"?
I may have already found my answer.
I'm going back over to the chicken yard to dig down and see what it's like. Fingers crossed.
I may have already found my answer.
Hunker wrote:Once the compost has decomposed and is a dark crumbly substance that smells like soil it is safe to use in the garden, even on vegetables.
I'm going back over to the chicken yard to dig down and see what it's like. Fingers crossed.
Re: Using Aged Chicken Manure?
countrynaturals wrote:I may have already found my answer.Hunker wrote:Once the compost has decomposed and is a dark crumbly substance that smells like soil it is safe to use in the garden, even on vegetables.
The important part of that statement is "if it smells like soil..". If it has strong smell, or a smell of ammonia, it will burn your plants. Composted chicken manure is very good for the gardens, but raw chicken manure is not. Raw chicken manure can be worked into the soil and allowed to set over the winter, though, and it will be good to plant the following spring.
I miss raising chickens, but we now have too many coyotes, fox, raccoons, and possums to make it worthwhile.
"In short, the soil food web feeds everything you eat and helps keep your favorite planet from getting too hot. Be nice to it." ~ Diane Miessler, "Grow Your Soil"
Re: Using Aged Chicken Manure?
OhioGardener wrote:countrynaturals wrote:I may have already found my answer.Hunker wrote:Once the compost has decomposed and is a dark crumbly substance that smells like soil it is safe to use in the garden, even on vegetables.
The important part of that statement is "if it smells like soil..". If it has strong smell, or a smell of ammonia, it will burn your plants. Composted chicken manure is very good for the gardens, but raw chicken manure is not. Raw chicken manure can be worked into the soil and allowed to set over the winter, though, and it will be good to plant the following spring.
I miss raising chickens, but we now have too many coyotes, fox, raccoons, and possums to make it worthwhile.
Thanks again, OG. I forgot about a huge mound of 2-year aged wood chips that I can dig down into, use the really good stuff in the Salad Bar and SFG bed, and let this chicken manure age a few more weeks in my summer BTE garden. I think that will solve the problem. I just hope there's enough of me to go around -- this is gonna be a job!

Re: Using Aged Chicken Manure?
I open a bag of Gardeners composted chicken manure today and it smelled earthy. Some bags smell like there is a chicken in the bag.
Re: Using Aged Chicken Manure?
sanderson wrote:I open a bag of Gardeners composted chicken manure today and it smelled earthy. Some bags smell like there is a chicken in the bag.
EWWWW! Even our chicken yard doesn't smell like there's a chicken in it.

I collected 4 buckets of aged manure and it smells sweet. This is from the side where we keep the chickens that can't run loose for whatever reason. It's a huge area, with only 3 chickens in it right now, so the manure is not that concentrated.
Our compost heap disappeared over the winter, so I've decided to start it over in that back corner. Those confined hens should love it. Also, the ground dips down a little in that corner and that's where all the leaves gravitate in the fall, so it's a perfect spot for it.

» Afraid of my own compost...
» What can I do to fix my Mel's Mix?
» Chicken Manure and cow manure????
» Pelletized Chicken Manure
» Use of Chicken Manure to fertilize vegetables in raised bed.
» What can I do to fix my Mel's Mix?
» Chicken Manure and cow manure????
» Pelletized Chicken Manure
» Use of Chicken Manure to fertilize vegetables in raised bed.
Page 1 of 1
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum