How to use chicken manure in your garden as a fertilizer
Growing up in Central Florida, I was lucky to have good growing conditions year-round. My grandparents were avid gardeners, and I remember the large jar painted white that sat on the counter to collect food for the compost pile. Once it was full, my grandfather would take it out to the compost bin and turn it over, creating rich soil. Although he did compost, I wasn’t introduced to chicken poop fertilizer until I was much older.
I was lucky enough to grow up knowledgeable about composting, and once I moved out and started my own garden, I had to research composting and fertilizing on my own, including chicken manure fertilizer. I’ve gone through quite a few plants that I “buried” instead of seeding, since I didn’t take the time to invest in the proper soil.
After a friend told me about chicken poop fertilizer being a great organic compound, I had to research HOW, of all things, to use chicken poop! I had never heard of such a thing from my city grandparents as ours was all converted food products mixed with dirt.
By reading, I found that chicken manure fertilizer is the most nutrient-dense of animal manures. Due to the high nutrient content, it is called “hot manure”. This means it will burn your plants if you just spray it on. It is best to compost this manure before using it.
I had to learn how to compost chicken poop fertilizer. It only took me a few weeks to realize what “burnt” plants looked like from too much chicken manure fertilizer without enough other organics.
To prepare the soil with the chicken poop, add it to other organic ingredients. It can be the remains of vegetables and fruits, eggshells, coffee grounds, leaves and sticks. If you start in the fall and continue to turn it, it will turn into rich soil. Turn this into soil when you garden, and the results with your chicken manure fertilizer will be amazing!
Experienced gardeners will tell you to use it when it’s dry, not wet. Harvest chicken poop yourself or buy it from local farmers. If you raise chickens anyway, you might as well reap the benefits of chicken poop.
On the other hand, chickens also provide a great natural form of pest control and are very nice as pets. So if you’ve thought about using chicken poop fertilizer, there are more reasons than just the droppings to start a brood.
Now that I’ve incorporated chicken poop into my gardening, my potted plants and outdoor gardens have thrived. Try chicken manure fertilizer, just do it wisely for the best results. Get the best possible vegetable and flower production from your plants, all while going “green” and using organic fertilizers.