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Will this be okay to spread on my raised beds? About to go and give the run a good scrape up then put some easibed on it in case we get more snow.

It is just poop and mud but not sure if it should maybe go into the compost bin for a while first though I don't think it is much different from the farmer spreading slurry on the fields at this time of year?

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

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I think I'd compost it for a few months first..may be a bit rich at the moment???

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"Nicos, Queen of Gooooogle" and... GYO's own Miss Marple

It's pretty powerful stuff and needs time to rot down - I think it's very acid.

The back of my hen house is right next to my compost bay 1, so I clean out into it, like wise with muddy matter from run, I too think it might be a bit strong, I treat it in the same way as my horse manure although it probably isn't!!

Throw it straight on the raised beds and dig it in. It will be well rotted and warming the soil by the end of April so you can plant your own plugs out. Thats what I do with mine and it seems to work well.
Good Luck

James

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My new personal website and photo gallery that now includes my garden, radio and my now world famous Food Diary of an Average English Man Blog

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Hi nicos
Chicken manure is high in alkaline ph ,and I wouldnt just dig it in../. It needs a min of about 1 year ( the norm is about 2 to 3 with wood chips /straw ) just digging it in, your be doing more harm then good IMO

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Hythe kent allotments

It is alkaline and goes straight on my brassica beds, sometimes actually around the brassicas ,without touching them, I'm afraid to say!

I found when I was composting it, it got very maggoty so now it goes straight on the beds.

Doesn't seem to be detrimental up til now but no idea of the long term effect?

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

that's what i reckoned, hence why doing like horse poo, havn't had the hens long so no experience of maggots, yukkk!! my horse manure turns to 'soil' over two years, no maggots but some incredibly sized parasol mushrooms sometimes!!

snadger you will find you get just as much maggots putting it fresh in the ground then in the compost bin, Out of site out of mind ,Maybe You may think you don't have any problems growing but you will do ... new roots will die/slow down when they come into contact with new chicken poo . Your plants may look fine and grow to your satisfaction,but as us ,plants need the right balance too .I'm 100% sure if you get your manure to the right levels ( By manuring ( testing over time ) your crop will be massively improved

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Hythe kent allotments

Well to be honest, time and energy (distance to haul said mud) meant it got chucked on the bed I have grown onions in for two years. The bed is in poor shape and I have decided to try brassicas in there this year. Will see how Snadger's method goes It was just mud and slurry from the run - mostly soil and such with a few cauliflower remains. We will see what happens I guess.

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

Can you help a friend raise money for British Heart Foundation please. He is climbing Machu Pichu later in the year and needs to make all the dosh he can for a good cause. www.justgiving.com/simonquinn2010

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk

Oh lucky you to get parasols. Aren't they delicious!