Chicken waste

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Chicken waste

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Foghorn

Joined: 23 Nov 2004
Posts: 49
Location: Barcombe, E Sussex

Posted: Tue Nov 23, 04 8:48 pm Post subject: Chicken waste
I want to know how to turn the manure of my three hens into compost - can it be added to a regular compost heap, or does it need some kind of special treatment? Many thanks

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Tue Nov 23, 04 8:59 pm Post subject:

I tend to add the straw, chicken droppings and wood shavings direct to our compost bins. I also add a large amount of other garden and kitchen waste and the whole thing rots down quite well. I've never had any problems with the compost. If you don't have other stuff to add it could be a little rich for some plants, but then you can buy pelleted manure.

Don't let your hens rummage through the heap and if they go onto the veg patch which has had the compost one it make sure the hens are wormed with a good wormer like Flubenvet when necessary.

Foghorn

Joined: 23 Nov 2004
Posts: 49
Location: Barcombe, E Sussex

Posted: Tue Nov 23, 04 10:03 pm Post subject:
Thanks

Sarah D

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 2584

Posted: Wed Nov 24, 04 1:16 am Post subject:
I put the cleanings from the hen and duck houses on to the raised beds for over winter as a sheet mulch; otherwise it goes on the compost heap. There is a lot of nitrogen in fresh chicken manure which can "burn" some plants.

scarecrow

Joined: 15 Dec 2004
Posts: 115
Location: Manchester, Up North

Posted: Thu Dec 16, 04 3:40 pm Post subject:
I used to do the same, all the bedding and faeces straight into the composter with any other household waste. When I sold my birds and the house etc I threw a load of wild flower seeds down on the bare soil in the hope that something would grow and make it look a bit more presentable. Within weeks it was carpeted! And the sunflower seeds which i just poked into the earth came up a treat too!

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