The Poultry Keeper

Viv · Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 264 Location: Northumberland

Hi, Right at the bottom of my garden is an area fenched off where I throw all poo collected in old cat litter container. Once in a while I'll dig it over so my qu is as a complete novice to fruit and veg WHAT veg would be suitable to plant here and when. It's an area shaded by large oak trees so not much sun and fairly windy even with a fench up ?? Thank you in advance Wink

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1316 Location: Leicestershire

You'd be best to let it rot completely - 2 years or more, before you use it as chicken manure is very high in ammonia and will burn (acid burn) if it isn't well rotted, and the acid content will be too high for most fruit & veg.

If it's possible, start a new heap so you're not constantly adding fresh to the old, you could buy some plastic containers and just keep on dumping in them till full and then move onto the next if you see what I mean. Once you've had the faf of waiting 2 years for the first you will have a constant supply.

Put in kitchen waste as well or any other manure you can get your hands on which might speed it up a bit.

Itsybitsy

Viv · Joined: 13 Aug 2006 Posts: 264 Location: Northumberland

Thanks Itsybitsy I live between farms and can get my hands ( er yuk ) on Cow/Sheep/Shire Horse manure (from one of the last remaining working horse farms in UK "The last horseman" No machinery - such hard work I admire them so much!!!! Which out of the 3 is best ?? I have the room so patience required Smile

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1316 Location: Leicestershire

Probably cow or horse, (sheep won't be easy to get hold of in quantity as it's more likely to be in straw* and winter only) I'd go for whatever your weight of poultry - equal quantities, layered & if you use containers don't let too much rain in.

After a couple of years it should be a nice friable tilth and all the heat gone from it, heat is good as it destroys any undigested weed seeds that could otherwise germinate when the compost gets used.

If you make enough you may be able to sell some as well.

If you have the space then it would be best to build with corrugated sheets a pit (above ground) slowly fill it and then when it's full start the next.

I'm doing that at the moment as I also have a pony, mine's really hot when you dig into it.

* Some straw is good but it takes ages to break down so try and get neat manure if you can.

Itsybitsy

CW · Joined: 24 Oct 2007 Posts: 4 Location: Buckingham

Only just joined today, so rather a late response...

If you want to use any muck on your garden, ideally you should change the conditions of it from anaerobic to aerobic. (Anaerobic = no oxygen and aerobic = with oxygen)

This will mean it composts rather than rots. You do not want rotting muck because as indicated by Itsybitsy, it has strong acids which scorch plants. It also produces a nasty odour - you will be familiar with it... ammonia. Additional gases produced include methane, hydrogen sulphide and nitrous oxide, plus many others. Rotting = anaerobic...

It is also worth noting that anaerobic rotting muck attracts pests and disease into the soil and ultimately to your plants.

The reverse is true if you aerobically decompose your muck. It will, in 3-4 months become good quality, friable composted manure, which is easier and more pleasant to handle. It will be more fertile and hygienic and have a much higher humus content.

Commercial composting companies turn their compost weekly or ventilate constantly - huge expense and not terribly efficient.

We are starting to advise UK farmers that they should be using Plocher products to make better use of the muck they have on-farm. This means they will be able to reduce the use of chemical fertilisers and sprays on their fields.

It is dead easy to use, you simply spray some onto the bedding in the housing, or over the muck heap.

CW

stephen · Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 6:26 am Post subject:

In the interests of fairness, it should be pointed out that CW is linked to the product.

Parrot · Joined: 24 Oct 2007 Posts: 89 Location: Norwich

Try growing Marrows and Pumpkins in your new or newish compi heap.
The ammonia or heat does not seem to bother them. And the growing of plants breaks down the heap. So you will not have to wait a year or two to start using it. Very Happy

Richie · Joined: 27 Nov 2007 Posts: 10

Does it really take 2 years to process chicken poo?
I thought about composting it but I guess it won't be worth the effort!

vanessa · Joined: 24 Sep 2005 Posts: 1163 Location: Correze

A lot depends on how thickly you use the chicken poo. A "scattering" will be fine, even "hot" (i.e. fresh). After all, HUGE numbers of smallholders have chooks that freerange the veggie plot (myself included) with no ill effects.

Also, if you use a wood-based mulch on your garden at all (I do, I use shredded hedge trimmings), you need the high nitrogen content of the chicken poo to counteract the leaching-of-nitrogen effect of the decomposing wood.

If, on the other hand, I was going to be using a deep layer of chicken poo, I would make sure I'd composted it well first.

Eyren · Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 10 Location: Cambridge

Woodburner · Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2008 1:45 pm Post subject:

Eyren · Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 10 Location: Cambridge

le gallois · Posted: Sun May 11, 2008 10:25 am Post subject:

Must agree with parrot, each year i make a mound in veg plot when i empty sheep shed in spring.I also use the manure from the chickens.Always to many marrows&pumpkins

barncat · Joined: 12 May 2008 Posts: 4

Anything in the squash family wil love it! I find winter squashes grow best on the compost heap - easier too as zucchini / courgettes need constant picking unless you want marrows, whereas winter squahes you can leave to it and only clamber over the compost heap once to crop rather than every few days in glut season!