benefits and use of droppings in the garden

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Hen manure

The term “chicken manure” refers to the litter on which the hens deposit their droppings. When you change this litter, keep it away from moisture, because this mixture of straw, droppings and feathers will be very useful in your garden and in your vegetable patch. In fact, feathers contain a significant amount nitrogenwhile droppings are rich in mineralsin trace elementsin nitrogenin phosphorusin potassium and in calcium. All this mixed with the straw constitutes very rich manure which has several advantages:

  • Due to its high calcium content, this fertilizer is feeding and promotes plant development. In addition, since the nitrogen contained in chicken manure is readily available, the plants can absorb it without delay.
  • It allows to fertilize the soil and to offer it a better drainage, because it improves the structure of this one.
  • It allows to reduce soil erosion and increase its water retention capacity.

As an indication, a hen produces approximately 70 kg of droppings every year.

Proper use of chicken manure

Certainly, chicken manure has considerable advantages, as we have just seen, but to avoid an adverse effect, it must be used correctly. We tell you everything!

Brown gold that asks to remain vigilant

Proper use of chicken manure means taking certain precautions:

  • Since chicken droppings may contain E. Coli bacteria, salmonella or other dangerous pathogens, you should wait between 4 and 6 months before you can use it as is.
  • If you want to prepare crop beds with your fresh chicken manure, it is recommended to spread it 4 months before harvest for plants whose consumed part is in direct contact with the manure, such as beets, carrots, lettuce, strawberries, etc. For other plants whose consumed part does not touch the ground, a period of 3 months is enough.
  • Since the nitrogen content of hen manure is very high, it is important to do not use more than 1 kg per square meter. Beyond this amount, you risk burning your plants and their roots. It is better to small frequent contributions than a massive contribution in one go.

Compost chicken manure

To circumvent these overdose problems, of pathogens and high nitrogen content, you can put the litter of your hens in your composter with green waste. Then you just have to water it about every 10 days, then let it sit. If you turn your compost regularly, it can be ready to use after 4 to 6 months. Otherwise, you will have to wait between 6 and 12 months.

To know if the manure can be used, just smell it to check if the unpleasant odor has faded. Another sign of its good decomposition, visual this one, is when the straw of the litter is totally integrated and therefore impossible to differentiate from the rest. If you don’t have a compost bin, you can simply store chicken manure in a protected place where it can age. It is important that neither animals nor children can access it. In this case, it will take a year.

Use hen manure without composting

If you want to use your chicken manure without having to go through the composting or aging stage, just spread it in the fall in your vegetable patch, then till the soil to incorporate it into the soil. By doing so, you will allow a gradual release of nutrients, but again, moderation is in order.

A nitrogen supply, but not for all your plantations

We’ve said it over and over again, chicken manure is very rich in nitrogen. This means that it is not suitable for plants capable of capturing nitrogen from the air, such as legumes, i.e. peas, beans, etc. Likewise, this type of manure should be avoided for fruiting vegetables, such as tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, peppers, etc., because you will have more leaves than fruit.

On the other hand, it is ideal for plants that require a lot of nitrogen, such as leafy vegetables, such as salads, spinach, etc., root vegetables, such as carrots, potatoes, radishes, etc. ., perennials, shrubs, fruit trees, lawns.

Hen manure to increase soil pH

It is possible to use chicken manure when you want increase soil pH. It is then sufficient to incorporate the manure into the soil, preferably in autumn.


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