Once you dive into the world of chicken keeping, its not long before you realise they poo, and a lot! Chickens produce huge amounts of manure and on average about a quarter of a pound per day! You are going to need to get rid of this manure somehow and there really isn’t any better way than making compost. I can honestly say that until we got chickens we didn’t compost and I think this is because a failed attempt many years ago just put us off. That slimy mess was not good. But no more. The fruit and veg’ peelings, mixed with garden rubbish (beware of seedy weeds), chicken manure and the bedding from the coup on clean out days is the perfect combination. Chicken manure is also approximately 75% water so this helps keep the compost at the correct moisture level. Don’t forget that crushed eggs shells can go into the compost bin as well.
Chicken manure can not simply be thrown around your treasured plants as it’s too strong and will just burn them. Its also smells awful! However it does contain vital nutrients your plants will love when applied as a compost. Chicken manure contains Nitrogen, Phosphorous & Potassium, all essential for plant growth & health.
Get yourself a couple of compost bins if you aren’t wanting to make your own, which by the way is really easy by using old pallets. We started with two & have now moved onto three. The compost will take about 6-9 months to make so if you’ve got a few chickens it won’t take long to fill one. The idea is that you fill one, then once it’s full, transfer this into the second one and start again. And before long you will have what has been called Black Gold.
So once your compost is made, wheel barrow it to where you need it and if you are fertilising an area where the chooks can help, you may as well enlist their help. Why do all that work when by emptying wheel barrows of rotting compost onto the ground will be your chickens best day ever. They will make quick work of turning it over and working it into the soil, and they’ll love doing it too!
And if you have too much, bag it and sell it – Maybe that’s why it’s called Black Gold!
https://www.crawfordsfeed.co.uk
Sarah Crawford
