Chicken poo on veg patch!

[lisa sheikh]

Hi Guys

I have lots of chicken poo and straw and have been told to put this on my patch, I have the shop bought organic compost and was wondering if I need to get a compost heap going? doesnt this take ages? or can I add the poop and hay mixture directly onto the patch. Also do I add it all over or do I have to mix it in?

Sorry if I sound a bit silly but I have never used fertiliser before never mind my own "special" home made chicken poop mess!

[Paulottie]

Yes, It is a good idea to sort out a composting facility. This is a subject in itself ...However when mixed with other stuff the chicken guano will act as an accelerator. On average compost takes about 6 months. But the more you turn and the better the mix and insulation and the bigger the heap....the quicker it is Compost will improve your soil massively and gardening is a long term thing. The sooner you start -the sooner it will be ready hey!

Chicken poo is quite acidic and harsh to spreading around your plants raw.

I

[lisa sheikh]

Thanks! I thought it might be too rich, I really dont have a clue about composting but will have to read up about it. No wonder all the diy places are selling chicken manure pellets must be good stuff! well its not good to clean though! lol

[Mike and Louise]

Chicken poo is very acidic.
We compost our chicken poo and straw before adding it to the veg beds. Then we add some garden lime to the beds to bring the acid levels down.

Personally we wouldn't just add the poo and straw straight on the beds then dig it in.

[nemo]

chicken poo is very high in nitrogen and if you use it straight onto your veg plot you will do more harm than good it will burn you plants. it must be composted in a bin with other material or just cover it with a cover to keep off the rain put it in a pile by itself for 9 months plus then the urea levels will have dropped so it should be safe
when you look at a chicken poo the white part of it is their urine but it comes from the one vent another bit of useless information
this is what i think but i am no expert maybe the statement isn't full right so i am open to correction

[fiveravens]

My chicken houses are on two-foot-high legs, and the detachable fronts are made from weldmesh. The hens (and cocks) can go in and out as they please. The floors are lightly spread with peat each time they're cleaned out (three or four times a year) and with so much air circulating, the droppings are completely dry and friable. There is no offensive smell whatsoever. I sprinkle some of the manure between the onions, where it does nothing but good, but the bulk goes into the compost bins.

[fiveravens]

Forgot to say: you can use it directly (and in quantity) on your comfrey patch, if you have one; comfrey loves it!

[Mike and Louise]

One thing we do with our chicken poo (forgot to say above) is to put some poo into the leg of an unwanted pair of tights (or stockings if ya misses is sexy) .

Then you hang this inside a water butt or other large container of water. We use a small 200lt water butt.

Leave this in the water for about 3-4 weeks giving it a stir now and then.
You can then use this water (watered down by about 50/50) as a foliar feed.

It did wonders for our beans last year.

Warning...... it stinks, so try to keep the water butt out of direct sunlight if poss.

[davefromthechipie]

One thing we do with our chicken poo (forgot to say above) is to put some poo into the leg of an unwanted pair of tights (or stockings if ya misses is sexy) .

Then you hang this inside a water butt or other large container of water. We use a small 200lt water butt.

Leave this in the water for about 3-4 weeks giving it a stir now and then.
You can then use this water (watered down by about 50/50) as a foliar feed.

It did wonders for our beans last year.

Warning...... it stinks, so try to keep the water butt out of direct sunlight if poss.

I do the same thing with horse S&*t as well as comfrey /nettles and my seeding kale in a water butt . And water down too about 40% to 60% water my veg seems to like it

[Sally]

I burn the manure and straw then put it on the compost heap...

[lisa sheikh]

Thanks guys! lots of good tips... who ever thought so much conversation could be based on poo! shame I cant find a good use for dog poo lol

[helly]

oh sh*t ....I've added chuc poo already to my beds,will this be a proble? bearing in mind that I added it over 3 weeks ago and we've had plenty of rain to dilute it.