composting chicken manure

[yotetrapper]

I have an abundance of chicken manure. It is mixed in with straw and has been in the coops since last fall. Some of it is dry and powdery, other areas are wetter... I know chicken manure is hot. I also have never bothered composting, and have only a basic idea of how to do it. I know I dont want to be one of those composters stirring their bins 3 times a day, though, lol. So, how long do I compost it, and also what should I add into the compost with the manure to make up the green/brown balance I keep reading about....

[AlchemyAcres]

I have an abundance of chicken manure. It is mixed in with straw and has been in the coops since last fall. Some of it is dry and powdery, other areas are wetter... I know chicken manure is hot. I also have never bothered composting, and have only a basic idea of how to do it. I know I dont want to be one of those composters stirring their bins 3 times a day, though, lol. So, how long do I compost it, and also what should I add into the compost with the manure to make up the green/brown balance I keep reading about....

The experts (ex is a has been.... spurt is a drip under pressure) will tell you that 30:1 is the magic ratio.
I don't get that fancy schmancy.

I'd mix it with a good volume of something that's high in carbon, wets easily and breaks down rapidly.

Dry fallen leaves (not green leaves) are perfect.

The challenge will be to get the chicken manure wet enough so that it doesn't mold (it won't likely absorb moisture well)...you may need to turn it a few times the first couple days to make sure it's properly moist.

After that...I'd turn it every 3 days (or whatever is convenient) until it cools down.


~Martin

[yotetrapper]

So mold is bad? Some of may already have mold on it....... that matters?

[AlchemyAcres]

A bit of mold isn't going to hurt.....but to get the most out of your compost it's best to avoid volumes of mold.

If you see a lot of white mold after you start your compost pile, you definitely want to up the moisture.



~Martin

[Oblio13]

I don't bother composting mine. When I clean out the coop I just spread it around the fruit trees. As long as you don't dig it in, it doesn't seem too hot.

[DM]

I have an abundance of chicken manure. It is mixed in with straw and has been in the coops since last fall. Some of it is dry and powdery, other areas are wetter... I know chicken manure is hot. I also have never bothered composting, and have only a basic idea of how to do it. I know I dont want to be one of those composters stirring their bins 3 times a day, though, lol. So, how long do I compost it, and also what should I add into the compost with the manure to make up the green/brown balance I keep reading about....

I put it between the rows in my gardens that are already planted, sweet corn especially can use quite a bit of it, right out of the coop.

DM

[bee_pipes]

We use it in the compost bins. Straw gets thrown down on the floor of the chicken house to cover the manure. Every spring and fall the chicken house is cleaned out. In the spring the manure tops off the current bin and is used to start the new bin. In the fall it is just piled into the current bin. Sure heats things up.

I could see it for dressing rows of corn. That stuff really can suck down nitrogen. I've also used poultry manure to prepare a plot for planting. So long as it has a little while before planting, tilling it right into the ground does wonders for barren dirt. The only problem with this would be the occasional corn stalk or other plant growing from missed scratch seed.

Regards,
Pat

[yotetrapper]

Thanks guys, I do it the same as you bee pipes as far as coop cleaning goes. Spring and Fall. And I'm in the process of doing the spring cleaning now, as I can't stand the nastiness anymore. I have a large coop, as well as the quail pen. The quail pen manure is mixed probably 30% manure to 70% spilled meatbird food. I'm shovelling below it this morning, and I thought after it sitting out all winter it might be okay to use, but judging from the smell of it I'd think not, it smells ripe!

The chicken coop is 30' x 10', just the coops, not the runs. Thats quite a bit of manure, lol. I'm wondering wherever will I stash it all to compost it? lol. It's mixed with straw.

[AlchemyAcres]

Thats quite a bit of manure, lol.


Lucky you!!!

Perfect opportunity to convert a bunch of additional organic matter into something that's readily beneficial to plants!! :D


~Martin

[bee_pipes]

...I'm wondering wherever will I stash it all to compost it? lol. It's mixed with straw...


We built bins out of old pallets. The volume collapses surprisingly quick. Everything biodegradable goes into the bin - offal and feathers from butchering, garden waste, kitchen waste, etc. Still doesn't make much compost, but it had tremendously reduced out garbage volume.

As a matter of fact, it's getting to be time to harvest last year's compost and start a new active pile... got onion sets and potatoes into the garden, time to start thinking about the rest of the garden and getting that compost spread around.

Regards,
Pat