Chicken manure is the best form of fertilizer that is adequate for your vegetable garden to improve the yield. It provides essential nutrients to your plants.
Chicken Manure As Soil Amendment
Chicken not only produces eggs and needs but they also give you manure that is beneficial for your plans. Chicken waste should not be wasted because it turns into valuable compost to make your soil more fertilized.
After 1 month the manure is ready to use for your plants. It is not good to use fresh manure because it can be harmful as it has high levels of pathogens. If you apply raw manure then it can burn the plants and all your hard work goes to waste.
Nutritional Content Of Chicken Manure
Chicken manure is a big source of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium, and other minerals. The other nutrients are calcium, magnesium, sulfur, manganese, copper, zinc, boron, chlorine iron, and molybdenum.
These nutrients fulfill all the requirements of the plants that’s why it is best to use them. Chickens consume feed, supplement medication, and water which turn into manure.
The application of chicken manure in your garden improves the physical and biological fertility of soil.
Effect Of Chicken Manures On The Plant Growth
A combination of beneficial microbes and organic matter plays an important role in soil health. Their interaction accelerated the breakdown of organic matter and the speed of the decomposition process.
As a big source of nutrients chicken manure improves the quality of your crops. It is proven that organic material such as chicken manure enhances microbial diversity. The beneficial microorganisms present in that’s why increase and help in controlling soil-borne diseases.
When you use chemical fertilizer it will disturb soil’s ecological balance. In such a situation, the soil becomes less favorable for nourishing growth.
It will become more susceptible to diseases and pests. As a result the production decrease and quality too. When you grow your favorite vegetables in such soil fare organic matter such as poultry manure Incorporated improves the quality and yield of your plants.
Chicken manure contains a high level of macronutrients that’s why it is preferred to use in garden soil.
How To Harvest Manure From Your Chicken Coop?
If you are raising chicken at your home then it is the best way of getting chicken waste. Some people get chicken manure from poultry farms they use feed so the manure from the chickens is not organic.
For better results, you should also consider using the manure of those chickens that have been raised at home and eat organic feed.
Make sure the coop where you are getting chicken manure is clean and free of any food scraps. Because the presence of food scraps can contaminate the manure.
It is not advisable to use fresh manure in the soil. It is better to compost it for the best consequences. take a compost pain and feel it with chicken manure.
Difference Between Bagged And Fresh Manure
Now we will discuss the difference between commercially processed and fresh chicken manure. If you don’t have any source where you get fresh chicken manure then you can buy bags of dried chicken manure from a local gardening centre. Following are the differences between bagged and fresh manure.
- The main difference between dried chicken manure and fresh chicken manure is that it is more concentrated. Fresh manure contains 76% of water that’s why it is dilute.
- Dry manure is odor-free on the other hand fresh chicken droppings have a strong odor.
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How To Apply Chicken Manure To Plants?
Chicken manure is a good source of nutrients as it contains nitrogen and phosphorus more than cow manure. These nutrients present in the manure boost the growth of plants when your soil becomes rich.
The quality of the chicken manure depends upon the age of the chicken and how you raised them.
If you are using bagged chicken manure then you can apply it anytime. The best time for the application is in spring for your favorite trees, flower beds, vegetable plants, and shrubs.
There are instructions and tips on the label of dry chicken manure. You should follow them for better results.
In case you are using composted chicken manure then you can apply it 90 days before harvest for trellised or staked crops such as tomatoes or beans.
For other plants such as strawberries vegetables and leafy vegetables, you should apply composted manure 120 days before harvest. The 100 square feet area needed 45 pounds of aged manure.
It doesn’t matter what type of chicken manure you are using, make sure you apply it evenly into the soil.
Before doing this task you must wear gloves so you can easily handle the manure. You can apply the chicken menu in the garden as well as for potted plants.
IN POTS
When you grow plants in the pots there is no need to worry about the fertility of the soil. You can fill the pots with high-quality porting makes that contain all the nutrients.
You can make your potting mix more rich in nutrients by adding composted manure. Mix the manure well in the soil. Make sure you are using less than 50% of it.
IN THE GARDEN
The application of chicken manure in the garden is very easy. You can apply 1 to 2 inches of thick layer of composted manure in your garden every year in the fall.
Fall is the best time for its application after harvesting. Soil microorganisms and nutrients present in the composted manure work together to improve the structure of the soil during the winter.
When spring comes, your soil is ready to grow your favorite plants. Your plants get all the essential nutrients and produce higher yields.
4 Great Ways To Use Chicken Manure In The Garden
Following are the four best ways of using chicken manure in your garden.
1- CHICKEN MANURE AS A SOIL BUILDER
Chicken manure works as a soil builder. You must use it in the fall for best results. When you apply chicken manure in the fall the structure of the soil improves slowly till the start of the growing season in the spring.
When the growing season ends then after the last harvest apply a few inches of fresh chicken manure. You can use fresh chicken manure as you will plant the new crop after 3 months.
This time will also give a chance to chicken manure to reduce its acidic nature and your plants will be safe. This is enough time for setting the soil for new crops.
You need 1 pound of chicken manure for every one square foot of growing area. The total amount of manure depends upon the area you have. After the application of chicken manure mix it in the soil.
2- CHICKEN MANURE COMPOST
It is recommended that you use composted chicken manure because it will directly mix in the soil and give a boost to your plants. Composting chicken manure is a simple process.
You have to make an entire pile of chicken manure in a composting bin. After some time when this nutritious compost is ready, you can apply it in your growing area.
For making a perfect composted manure, you need shavings straws, and chicken manure. The ideal ratio of these ingredients is about one-third manure and two-thirds of bedding or straws. When you use the right ratio then you will succeed in making a great compost for your plants.
When you are piling in the composted bin then make sure you alternate layers of manure, bedding straws, or grass clippings. When you do this then the heat will be generated quickly and compost will be ready soon. Make sure your pile is not too high.
3- CHICKEN MANURE AS A SIDE DRESSING
A slightly aged chicken manure can be used as a side dressing for vegetable plants. There is no need for composting when chicken manure is used as a side dressing.
Make sure you do not use the fresh chicken manure in the vegetable garden. The presence of bacteria in the fresh manure is very harmful to your plants. Aged manure is preferred for side dressing.
In this method of using the chicken manure, you have to place it 8 to 12 inches away from the plants. If your plants are arranged in rows then you can place chicken manure beside them.
For other plants, you can place it in a ring around plants. This is the best way of absorbing all the nutrients present in the manure by the plants.
Partially aged manure can also burn your vegetable plants so you must avoid piling up around the plants. Never place chicken manure near the plants and make sure there must be a distance of 8 to 12 inches between the manure and the plants.
4- CHICKEN MANURE TEA
This is another way of using a chicken menu in your garden. Aged manure is used to make this magical tea for healthy crops. A liquid form of nutrient solution is best for your plants as it can easily absorb in the soil and make it rich inorganic material for your plants. The things you need for making manure tea are as follows
- Aged chicken manure
- 5-gallon bucket
- Stirring stick
- Water
- Colander
Take a five-gallon bucket and fill ⅓ of it with aged manure. Now fill the remaining part of the bucket with water. With the help of a stirring stick mix the water and manure.
Leave this mixture for 3 days and you have to stir this solution every day. After 3 days strain this solution in an old colander. All the solids in the solution will be removed from it.
Your compost tea is ready for use. The leftover solids can be used in your compost pile to make it more nutritious. The liquid fertilizer you gain will boost your plants.
Mix this liquid fertilizer in water to make it more dilute. The presence of all the essential nutrients such as Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium is easily absorbed in the soil because it is in liquid form.
You must pour this tea around the base of the plant to make sure this liquid will not touch the leaves. This liquid can burn the leaves so you must be careful when you are using compost tea.
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