Handling Manure and Growing Feed for Urban Chickens Nick Schneider
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Transcript of Handling Manure and Growing Feed for Urban Chickens Nick Schneider
Handling Manure and Growing Feed
for Urban Chickens
Nick SchneiderWinnebago County Agriculture AgentMarch 26, 2011
What will endanger the urban chicken movement?
What will endanger the urban chicken movement?
- Neighbors upset about odor- Perceptions of poor animal care- Public health concerns from bacteria- Noise - Pest/Flies- Environment- What else?
How to handle chicken manure? • Salmonella, Campylobacter or others• Clean nest boxes once per week to remove
dirty litter• Remove and bed regularly when moist• Wash hands and/or wear gloves when
cleaning pens• Anticipate around 75 pounds per year per hen
Manure Nutrient Content - SolidFirst-year available nutrient content averages.1
SPECIES N P2O5 K - - - - - - - - - - - lbs/ton - - - - - - - - - - -
Dairy 3 (4)2 3 7Beef 4 (5) 5 9Horse 3 (4) 48Swine 7 (9) 6 7Chicken 20 (24) 30 24
1 Source: Wisconsin soil test labs.
2 Use values in parenthesis for incorporated manure.
Manure Gases• May or may not have odor. • Two gases are lighter than air and two gases
are heavier than air. Methane
Hydrogen sulfideAmmonia
Carbon Dioxide
Manure
How to dispose of chicken manure? Fresh Disposal or Compost?
• Cattle manure rate: aprx ¾ to 1 lb per 1 ft2• Poultry manure rate: aprx 0.1 to 0.2 lb per 1 ft2 • Flower beds preferred – watch for ammonia and
salt burn. • Bury to reduce odor and burn, and save N.• Vegetable garden: 120 days from harvest if soil
contact or 90 days without soil contact.
How to dispose of chicken manure? Fresh Disposal or Compost?
• Sealed bin.• Turning the compost generates heat.• Heat kills weed seed and many insects, diseases,
and bacteria. • Reduces volume. • Finished compost can then be spread on the
garden, flowerbed, or lawn.
What is Composting?• A system that speeds
up natural process of decay
• Living microbes and other organisms do the work
Compost
Changes organic matter into a humus-rich soil amendment
From UW Master Gardener Program
Wisconsin’s Recycling Law
• In January 1993, Wisconsin’s Recycling Law banned yard waste from landfills & most incinerators.
• No leaves, grass clippings, garden debris or twigs, brush & branches smaller than 6 inches in diameter can go to landfills.
From UW Master Gardener Program
Compost Basics
• Bacteria• Carbon• Nitrogen• Oxygen• Water• Macroorganisms
Temperature
From UW Master Gardener Program
Achieving Balance
• Proper carbon : nitrogen ratio
By Volume: 2-3 parts Brown to one part Green
By Weight: Equal weightsBrown Green
From UW Master Gardener Program
When is it Done?• Most plant parts are indistinguishable• Has an earthy smell• Is crumbly• Doesn’t reheat after turning
End up with about 1/3 original volume
From UW Master Gardener Program
Bins• Commercial
– Many styles– Usually plastic, often
recycled material• Home-built
– Don’t use lumber treated with CCA
Hot Pile Method• Thin layer of coarse materials• Equal weights of brown and green• Water layers as it is built• Finish with brown• Turn at least 2 times during the first 7-10 days• Then turn every week or two• Water when turning; keep as damp as a wrung-
out sponge
Grow Your Own Feed
• 50 pounds of conventional chicken feed $12-$15• Organic chicken feed: $20-$30 per 50 pounds• Using 4 oz feed per day, a 50 pound bag can last
200 days per bird
What does it take to grow 50 pounds of feed?
Grow Your Own Feed
What does it take to grow 50 pounds of feed?100 bu/acre corn = 400 ft260 bu/acre oats = 1050 ft22000 pounds/acre sunflower = 1090 ft2Barley and wheat have awns – very itchyWill these be a balanced meal? Not enough protein
or minerals like calcium.
Summer Foraging
Chapter 9 Biological weed managementIntegrated Weed Management: “One Year’s Seeding . . . .”
Chicken tractor
Chapter 9 Biological weed managementIntegrated Weed Management: “One Year’s Seeding . . . .”
Eradication of yellow nutsedge by pasture chickens. Source: Mayton
Thank you!