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elliebear
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Location: UK

How Long Before Chicken Poo Safe to Use as Fertilizer?

Hello,

I was just wondering if anybody knows how long you should leave chicken poo to rot before you can use it on the veggies?

I have 4 chickens and they produce copious amounts of poo and it seems to rot down really quickly but I'm not sure how long I should leave it before I put it on my veggies or how much?

Thanks

Ellie :)
SOB
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Location: Radnor, OH

EDIT: provided incorrect info...please continue reading...
Last edited by SOB on Wed Jun 20, 2012 3:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
elliebear
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Location: UK

Thank you.

I did do a search but I couldn't find anything specific... It rots so quickly and looks good... I feed my chickens on fresh veg, fruit etc so I don't see that it can be too bad? Its not like horse poo that has to be well rotted I guess! I will try on my potatoes and see what happens! :D

Ellie
cynthia_h
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Location: El Cerrito, CA

Chicken manure is HOT HOT HOT. Very high in nitrogen/ammonia, as can usually be discerned from its odor.

"Safe without composting" manures are pretty much limited to those of rabbits, guinea pigs, and hamsters. We've had some painful experiences related here at the forum by people who found out about other manures by stunting, killing, or in some other way negatively affecting their gardens. :(

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
SOB
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Location: Radnor, OH

Sorry for the wrong info...I was actually thinking about rabbit manure. I was thinking rabbit manure was high in N and the chicken was safe to put on fresh. Gimme a break the post WAS before 8am! :roll:

I edited my first post to make sure someone browsing along doesn't get the wrong info.
Heatherdasino
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This is great. I was wondering about rabbit manure anyways!
elliebear
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Location: UK

Wow thanks for all the info x My chickens are 'egg laying pets' too :)

They are actually called The pink Ladies... have a pink shed to live in... I don't have a Knicky though!

(bit off topic.. sorry )

Ellie :oops:
baconfiend
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Location: midwest

We have 10 hens in a coop that is 10'x12'. The floor is covered with pine bedding, as it needs to be replaced about every other month.

We compost it along with weeds and other things from around the garden, and after a few months it is great compost. (It does take longer to break down in the winter simply because it is colder outside.) It makes great compost!
GardenerEvan
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Marlingardener wrote:We have chickens also (actually egg-laying pets) and I use their manure on the garden, AFTER it has been composted for at least 4 months if it is going on the fallow part of the garden, and six months if it goes on the planted part.
Chicken manure is very high in nitrogen, no matter what the chickens eat, and can burn plants if used fresh. About the only fresh manure that goes right into the garden is rabbit manure.
Thank you for that information, I have a rabbit that is constantly eating and poops a mountain.

I just have one question. Would it be a smart decision to put rabbit poop and composted chicken poop on plants that are flowering and growing fruit and vegetables?
cynthia_h
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Location: El Cerrito, CA

GardenerEvan wrote: I just have one question. Would it be a smart decision to put rabbit poop and composted chicken poop on plants that are flowering and growing fruit and vegetables?
Sure!

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9


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