Hey everyone! I started raising chickens back in March, and I've been collecting their poop along with the bedding in a big compost pile. I'm curious about the best ways to use chicken poop in my garden. Should I leave it to compost, mix it with other materials, or just spread it directly on my plant beds? I'd love to hear your suggestions!
3 Answers
I gather up the bedding along with the droppings and use that as 'browns' in my compost bins, supplementing it with 'greens' from kitchen scraps. It's essential to balance the two; you’ll need a good amount of browns to complement the greens. This mix makes for a rich compost that can be slightly alkaline, which is great for gardening!
My compost pile is huge! I’ve built it over 22 years with dead leaves and 14 years of chicken poop. I stir it around with a tractor to keep it fresh. When I layer it on my garden, I just do a light covering. It's packed with rich compost from all those years!
One solid approach is to mix chicken poop into your compost early in the process. Just make sure not to add more when the compost is almost done, save it for the next batch. This ensures that it’s safe to use in your garden later. Always be cautious with animal droppings when composting!