Chicken manure is often sold in dried and pelleted form and is a good organic fertilizer option. However, dried, pelleted and powdered forms differ from unprocessed poultry manure, which is best used after composting in a compost pile.
In order to grow properly, plants need a wide range of nutrients in varying amounts, depending on the individual plant and its stage of growth. The three key nutrients usually obtained from the soil are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, while carbon, oxygen and hydrogen are absorbed from the air.
Other vital soil nutrients include magnesium, calcium, and sulfur. Gardeners can add nutrients by applying fertilizers (either artificial or natural) to encourage plant growth and improve flowering and fruiting.
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Advantages and disadvantages of using chicken manure
Poultry manure is one of the most commonly available organic fertilizers on the market. It is an excellent source of nitrogen, the main nutrient that plants need to grow green leaves. It also contains smaller amounts of other important nutrients. His flaw is that he doesn’t have enough of it.
However, chicken manure is low in nutrients compared to mineral fertilizers and releases nutrients more slowly, some of which will not be available until the soil warms in late spring and summer, even if the product is applied in late winter or early spring.
Typical composition of dried and pelletized poultry manure:
N (nitrogen) 4%
P (phosphorus) 2%
K (potassium) 1%
Typical composition of mineral fertilizer:
N (nitrogen) 7%
P (phosphorus) 7%
K (potassium) 7%
Chicken manure – use
Fresh manure from commercial poultry farms is rarely available to ordinary gardeners, because it is unpleasant to transport and use. If you do have a way to get it, then it can be used as a spring top dressing for crops that require a lot of nitrogen, such as black currants, vegetables and plum trees.
It can also be placed on a compost pile, adding a 5cm layer for every 15cm of other material.
Fresh and composted manure can contain bacteria that are harmful to humans. Avoid breathing the fumes of these products, wear gloves when handling them, and avoid eating and smoking while working with them.
Dried and processed poultry manure products, such as pellets and powder, are often sterilized during production, so they pose less risk.
Dried poultry manure can be used on vegetable and fruit crops, although additional potassium fertilizer may be needed (eg potassium sulfate or potassium-rich organic fertilizers obtained from sugar beet processing).
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Poultry manure and acidity
The pH (acidity or alkalinity) of poultry manure varies depending on its age, the diet the poultry is fed, the age of the poultry and the material used.
Most poultry manure is in the pH range of 6.5-8.0, neutral to moderately alkaline. Due to its tendency towards alkalinity, poultry manure is unsuitable for plants that hate lime, such as rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, blueberries and heathers.
Using chicken manure
The average dose for top dressing with chicken manure is 150 g per square meter for most crops. However, it is better to underdose than to overdose, as more can always be added later. For less hungry crops or lawns at risk of burns, 100 g per square meter is a better measure.
For “hungry” vegetable crops, use 200g per square metre, but split this into two doses with four weeks between applications.
Caution
Domestic chickens and other poultry are usually kept in chicken coops with a shallow layer of sawdust bedding. The litter is usually wet and smelly, and there is often a layer of newspaper underneath.
Fresh poultry manure is very alkaline compared to dried manure. While the deep litter produced by poultry farms might be suitable for direct use in the garden, domestic poultry droppings are generally unsuitable for this purpose.
Used fresh, it could burn plant roots, attract pests and foxes, and would also be unattractive in appearance. However, it is an excellent compost activator, and gardeners are advised to compost poultry litter with other garden waste.
Gardeners should be aware that fresh, moist poultry droppings can scorch both lawns and garden plants, and have far fewer nutrients (by weight) than dried or composted poultry manure products.
Source: RHS
Source: www.agromedia.rs
