How to Turn Chicken Manure into Black Gold Soil 🐓♻️💩, by The Trent Dunn on YouTube. 1 min 19 s.
- Video length
- 1 min 19 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes to set up, 3 to 6 m
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 7
What you need
Steps
Scoop out the soiled bedding and droppings from the coop with a fork. Keep the fresh manure separate from the clean nesting material.
Build your pile by layering the manure and bedding with dry carbon material like straw, leaves or wood shavings. Aim for roughly one part manure to two or three parts carbon.
Add water as you layer until the pile feels like a wrung-out sponge. Too dry slows the break down and too wet makes it smell.
Turn the pile with your fork every week or two to add air. Move the outside material into the middle so it all heats up.
Check the heat by pushing your hand into the center. A warm pile is working. If it stays cold, add more manure and turn it again.
Let the pile cure for three to six months until it turns dark, crumbly and smells earthy. Turn it now and then during this time.
Spread the finished compost on garden beds a few weeks before planting. Mix it into the top few inches of soil or use it as a mulch.
Tips and common mistakes
Never put fresh chicken manure straight on growing vegetables because it can burn plants and carry germs.
Keep the pile covered or turned so it heats up enough to kill weed seeds and pathogens.
Wear gloves and wash your hands after handling manure or compost.
Keep the compost pile away from wells, streams and your coop door so runoff stays out of the water.
Questions
How long does chicken manure take to compost?
A well-turned pile usually finishes in three to six months. Cold piles can take a year, so turn it often and keep it moist.
Can I put chicken manure straight on my garden?
No. Fresh manure is too strong and can burn roots. Compost it first and let it cure until it is dark and earthy.
What is the best bedding to compost with chicken manure?
Straw, dry leaves and wood shavings all work well as carbon material. Avoid glossy paper or anything treated with chemicals.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
