Many homesteaders keep chickens for one obvious benefit – fresh eggs! But have you thought about other ways you can benefit from your backyard chickens? There is one commonly overlooked benefit to keeping chickens – Manure! One chicken will produce approximately 130 lbs of manure in one year. Chicken manure is rich in nitrogen which is essential for plant growth in your garden. There are a few ways to utilize chicken manure in your garden:
Composting
Chicken manure is a great addition to any compost pile. Ensure your compost pile is being balanced out with carbon rich ingredients as well – such as dried fallen leaves, sticks, or bark. Compost should be ready to use in 6-12 months depending on the size of your pile and how often you turn the compost. If you have questions about starting your own compost pile then check out our previous post:
Apply Directly to Garden (In the Off Season!)
Chicken manure is very acidic and produces ammonia which will burn plant roots. Fresh manure can also contain bacteria and pathogens that you do not want to introduce to your growing vegetable plants. For these reasons you must apply chicken manure in the off season so that the soil has time to absorb and break down the manure and convert it into nutrients. We always apply a layer of chicken manure to our garden after the final Fall harvest so that it has time to rest over the winter. After 3-4 months (or once Spring arrives) you can till the soil and plant your garden again.
Manure “Tea”
If you want immediate results or don’t have time to wait until your chicken manure breaks down in your garden or compost pile, then manure “tea” is the way to go! By diluting the manure in water you can make your manure safe for immediate use. Here’s how:
First, fill up a burlap bag or pillowcase with fresh manure (This is your “tea bag”). Place your “tea bag” in a large container (I use a large plastic garbage bin) and add twice as much water, making sure your manure sack is completely submerged. You will need to agitate the mixture a few times a day so that pathogens and bacteria don’t grow (You can do this by dunking the “tea bag” up and down). After approximately 2 weeks your manure “tea” should be done and resemble the color of iced tea. You can remove the bag of manure and toss the contents into your regular compost pile. You will need to dilute your tea one more time before using it – One part tea to four parts water. It is now ready to be used to fertilize your garden. Keep in mind that you always want to water your plants at the roots so that you are not burning the sensitive leaves and flowers.
