Use of dry chicken manure as a fertilizer. Chicken manure: the right application for the garden and vegetable garden

Waste of birds and animals has always been considered an excellent top dressing, since it contains many of the nutrients needed by plants. In addition, the forms in which they enter the soil allow the culture to immediately use them. Mineral fertilizers are often washed out of the soil into deep layers or turn into hard-to-reach forms during one season, while the litter nourishes the flora for 4 years. And if most species have a maximum effect for 2-3 years, then chicken manure as a fertilizer works in a week.
It includes such elements as:

  • Nitrogen, the most accessible forms for plants: ammonium and nitrate - up to 4%;
  • Easily digestible phosphorus - 2.5%;
  • Potassium - 2%;
  • Iron and magnesium - up to 0.3% each;
  • Calcium - 1%
  • Manganese - 300 mg / kg;
  • Sulfur - 41 mg / kg;
  • Copper and cobalt - 3 mg / kg of each element;
  • Zinc - 22 mg / kg.

To store the fertilizer, it is best to dry it first. This also allows you to save the maximum amount of nitrogen in the litter. Drying is carried out with free access of air, good results are achieved when pouring manure with peat, because. it absorbs moisture and encloses rapidly degradable elements inside. For long-term storage, prepared dry chicken manure is placed in plastic barrels or boxes with holes made for better ventilation.


The value of chicken manure

Among the faecal waste of all birds, preference is usually given to chicken. The reason for this is the effect on plants and soil:

  1. The acceleration of the ripening of fruits and vegetables compared with unfertilized crops was noted by an average of a week.
  2. Provision of plants with the most important elements contributes to an increase in yield up to 40%.
  3. The content of copper and iron in the composition of the litter increases the resistance of crops to diseases of a bacterial and fungal nature, including late blight, root rot, fusarium, scab, etc.
  4. The slightly alkaline reaction of chicken manure is very good when used on acidified soils, as well as on acid-sensitive crops. The pH can vary from 6 to 8, depending on the degree of decomposition of the fertilizer, as well as on the diet of the poultry. If you need a more alkaline composition, it is worth waiting for its maximum overheating.
  5. Plants respond to feeding on the basis of chicken manure with enhanced growth, abundant flowering, and a high percentage of fruit set.
  6. Short-term droughts are more easily tolerated by crops.
  7. The physical properties of the soil improve, the content of humus in it increases.
  8. The ratio of nutrients allows you to fertilize almost all plants grown in the garden with chicken manure.

However, among the advantages there is also a negative feature that makes the use of chicken manure dangerous if certain rules are not followed. This manure is one of the most saturated with nitrogen in the ammonium form. When the fertilizer decomposes, a large amount of ammonia and methane is released, which have a detrimental effect on plants. Therefore, in its pure fresh form, it can only be used in the fall after harvest. Even the prepared solution can burn the leaves, so handling the droppings must be extremely careful.

In addition, a large amount of ammonia nitrogen, sulfur and other compounds that quickly evaporate during decomposition are the cause of a very specific smell, a mixture of ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and methane. Therefore, when making fertilizer with your own hands on your own site, it is better to immediately take it a corner away from the windows of living rooms. Try to cover compost heaps and concentrate containers more tightly. Don't neglect safety precautions.

How to make chicken manure fertilizer

High concentration, burning plants, has led to the development various ways how to use chicken manure as fertilizer:

  • First of all, manure is used to make compost. This can be an addition to enrich the bulk or a 2-component pile from the base (peat, sawdust, chopped straw) and litter directly, you can also add ash. In the second case, the base and fertilizer are laid alternately in layers of 15-20 cm to a total height of 1-1.5 m. 1.5 months are enough to rot such compost, and if you cover it with a film to maintain optimal humidity, the process will go faster, yes and the unpleasant smell can be muffled.
  • Chicken manure has proven itself well as the main fertilizer introduced in the fall. In this case, the soil does not need to be dug up immediately, it is better to do this in the spring before planting or sowing. Here you can use clean manure, but pre-dried. This facilitates both storage and dosage. Fertilizer is applied to the selected area in the norm up to 1 kg per 1 m2, followed by uniform distribution over the surface.
  • The safest way is to use a liquid fertilizer based on bird feces. To do this, you need to breed chicken manure at the rate of 1 part of dry manure, 15 (up to 20) parts of water. This is the case when it is better not to report, because. if there is more fertilizer, there is a real risk of burning the seedlings. For the same reason, top dressing should not be carried out on dry soil, only after rain or preliminary watering. Also, the solution should not fall on the plants themselves. The consumption rate is from 0.5 to 1 liter per plant.
  • Among summer residents, the preparation of concentrated infusion is popular, which can later be used for dilution with water and top dressing. To do this, 1: 1 chicken manure and water are mixed and infused in a tightly closed container in warmth for several days (2-3 is enough). This is required condition so that the manure gives all the nutrients to the water, and minimize the loss of especially volatile compounds. The high concentration of the resulting composition allows you to store it for 1 season. For top dressing, 1 liter of such a solution is mixed in 10 liters of water, and introduced into the aisles from a watering can without a divider. After that, it is recommended to water the plants from above with clean water to wash off accidental splashes from the leaves.
  • If it is not possible to prepare fertilizer from chicken manure with your own hands, you can use its ready-made granular type, purchased at a specialized store. Such manure has already undergone microbiological processing, during which possible pest eggs and weed seeds are removed. The granules do not have a caustic specific smell, they are stored longer and are easy to use due to their compactness. The consumption rate is from 0.1 to 0.3 kg per 1 m2, provided there is no contact of fertilizer with plants. After making it, it must be sprinkled with a layer of soil and moistened.

Application of fertilizer based on chicken manure

One of distinguishing features chicken manure is its versatility. This fertilizer, due to the balanced content of the most valuable nutrients for plants, can be used on almost any crop grown on your site. It is especially readily used on fruit trees and shrubs, because. the risk of burning the organs of these plants is minimal.

If the site has its own poultry house, then you can use bedding manure after cleaning. On average, an adult tree needs up to 1 bucket of chicken manure per season, i.e. application to the near-stem circles several times (3-4) after cleaning the house will fully satisfy the plant's need for fertilizer. At the same time, it is not recommended to carry out watering from above the mass, it is better to lay it on pre-moistened soil.
Shrubs consume less fertilizer, in each case it depends on the fertility of the soil and the removal of elements by the crop with the crop. Therefore, before introducing chicken manure under berry bushes, it is worth studying their needs, taking into account your conditions, as well as the age of the plant. The ratio of crops to the acidity of the environment must be taken into account, for example, for blueberry bushes this is not the best fertilizer, since it prefers physiologically acidic top dressing.

Under leaf crops, litter is not applied during planting. It is better to do this in the fall or a few weeks before sowing. Seedlings should not be watered with fertilizer infusion, because. young organs are most vulnerable to burns. Adult plants are fed strictly between the rows, followed by a strait of plantings with clean water. The best period for this is May-June. It is not recommended to lay out bedding fertilizer for top dressing of vegetative plants, because. in this case, you run the risk of infecting vegetables and berries close to the soil with pathogenic organisms living in fresh manure.

With great care, litter is introduced for decorative and flower crops. The basic rules are the same as when feeding vegetables and fruit plants. The dosages for them are minimal, it is better to make it in a mixture with other organic matter that has rotted in the compost heap.

The application rate for vegetables depends on the specific crop and the availability of litter:

  1. For white cabbage, up to 3 kg/m2 of litter or 2 kg of non-litter manure is applied to the main tillage. During the growing season, 2-3 top dressings are carried out at a rate of 1 liter per plant.
  2. For tomatoes and the Pumpkin family, more manure is consumed in the main application in early spring: in its pure form up to 4 kg / m2, in a mixture with litter - 1.5 times more. Top dressing is carried out at a rate of 5 l / m2, it should be borne in mind that these crops are very sensitive to burns.
  3. Under root crops, the main fertilizer is applied only in the fall. With litter, 3 kg / m2 is consumed, without it - 2. During the growing season, plants can be fed with 4 l / m2 of liquid fertilizer.
  4. Onions and garlic react worse to a high concentration of chicken manure, so from autumn you can apply 3 kg of bedding and 2 kg/m2 of bedding-free fertilizer. For top dressing, 1 l / m2 is enough.
  5. Green crops are not fed during the season with this fertilizer, because. otherwise, a large amount of nitrates accumulates in the leaves, which adversely affects the human body. To provide plants with nutrients, only the main fertilizer is applied in the fall at a rate of 3.5 kg / m2 with litter and 2 kg without it.
  6. On potatoes, chicken manure is used with caution, only bedding manure at a rate of 4 kg / m2 is suitable for autumn application, top dressing is not carried out.
  7. Strawberries respond well to the introduction of chicken manure 3-3.5 months before planting or immediately after the snow melts every 3-4 years. The frequency is associated with the prolonged action of the fertilizer. The advance use will protect the root system and young leaves from the aggressive effects of methane and ammonia.

organic fertilizers are very good remedy, allowing you to immediately solve the problem of general soil fertility on the site and provide plants with nutrients for a long time. However, any animal and poultry waste should be used with caution, because. any fresh manure will do more harm than good. BUT special care should be observed with concentrated fertilizers such as chicken manure.

Each farmer tries to take care of the crop, for this, various fertilizers and top dressings are used. Chicken manure is considered the most affordable remedy, because many villagers breed this bird in the household.

In view of the fact that chicken manure fertilizer is incredibly useful for the garden, every gardener should know how to prepare the infusion to get a good harvest.

The benefits and composition of the litter

Chicken manure is considered the most popular among other products of food processing by birds and animals in terms of the amount of nitrogen, without which plants will not develop and grow.

It contains many useful minerals, the amount of which is 3 times more than in cow and horse manure. Making an infusion of chicken manure and fertilizing plants with it ensures good soil fertility for two years.

Chicken manure is used in dry, liquid, granular forms, it all depends on the soil and the variety of crops. After the first application to the ground, the results will be visible in a few weeks. Numerous ovaries will begin to appear in plants, and the growth process will increase significantly.

The use of infusion of chicken manure


To achieve the maximum result, you need to know how to prepare an infusion of chicken manure with application features. It is not recommended to apply dry chicken manure in large quantities. This feature lies in the fact that the plant can get burned, especially at high positive temperatures.

In addition, in its pure form, this fertilizer is able to accumulate a large amount of nitrates in plants. It is necessary to dry chicken feces in the fresh air with the addition of peat to it, because in the process of evaporation, chicken manure releases more ammonia.

Every gardener should know how to prepare an infusion of chicken manure, because the fertility and health of the future crop depend on the right consistency.

For potatoes


Chicken manure infusion - how to cook for potatoes:

Compound

  • chicken manure - 3 kg;
  • potassium chloride - 100 g;
  • water - 4 l.

Cooking

  1. Place the litter in the barrel.
  2. To fill with water.
  3. Add hay.
  4. Infuse for 4 days in a closed barrel, stirring the infusion from time to time.
  5. Add potassium.
  6. Dilute the infusion with water in a ratio of 1:1.
  7. Water the land where the planting will take place.
  8. Pour the soil with infusion in the ratio of 1 liter per 1 square meter.

Preparation of infusions from chicken manure


Feeding with infusion of chicken manure is becoming increasingly popular among farmers. After all, the tool is quickly absorbed into the soil, thereby enriching it with nitrogen. The result of top dressing is visible after a few weeks.

How to insist chicken manure for feeding

Compound

  • 3 kg of litter;
  • 3 buckets of water.

Cooking

  1. Place the manure in a deep container.
  2. To fill with water.
  3. To stir thoroughly.
  4. Insist 3 days.
  5. Dilute with water before use.

Infusion with a minimum amount of acid

Compound

  • 1 bucket of manure;
  • 2 buckets of water for soaking;
  • 2 buckets of water for infusion.

Cooking

  1. Fill manure with water.
  2. Insist 2 days.
  3. Drain the water.
  4. Re-fill the litter with clean water.
  5. Insist 3 days.
  6. The infusion can be used for top dressing and fertilizer under the root of plants.

Precautions when preparing infusions


To avoid negative impact chemical elements of manure on the human body and plants, you need to know how much to insist chicken manure, how to cook it correctly.

Chicken feces contain a large amount of helminths, ammonia, methane, so all manipulations with this product should be carried out in a protective suit and gloves.

The preparation of infusions should be carried out in a protective mask, because chicken manure contains many pathogens that adversely affect human health.

Use for fertilizer, plant nutrition, you need a small amount of infusion or in a weakly concentrated form. A large amount of minerals can burn, weaken the development of the plant.

Methods for preparing infusions


How to insist chicken manure for feeding in the fall

Compound

  • rotted manure - 2 kg;
  • hay - 0.5 kg;
  • water - 4 l.

Cooking

  1. Mix manure with hay.
  2. To fill with water.
  3. Insist 2 days.
  4. Apply to plowed soil at the rate of 1 kg per 1 square meter.

Not concentrated infusion

Compound

  • dry manure - 1 kg;
  • 4 liters of water.

Cooking

  1. Place litter in the barrel.
  2. To fill with water.
  3. Infuse for 4 days.
  4. Thoroughly water the soil with water.
  5. Fertilize at the rate of: 0.5 l of infusion per 1 plant.
  6. The infusion should not fall on the plant itself.

Infusion for fertilizer, top dressing

Compound

  • 2 kg of dry litter;
  • 2 liters of water.

Cooking

  1. Mix litter with water in a deep container.
  2. Mix thoroughly until smooth.
  3. Insist in a closed container in a warm place.
  4. The infusion process does not exceed three days.
  5. Before feeding, dilute the infusion with water 1:10.
  6. Bring in the aisles from the watering can.
  7. After top dressing, water the plants with clean water.

For which plants is it better to use chicken manure


Any experienced farmer will tell you how to insist chicken manure for fertilizer. In addition to the cooking process, you need to know which plants are suitable for feeding with chicken manure:

  1. White cabbage. Use 1 liter of infusion for 1 plant.
  2. Tomatoes are plants of the gourd family. Used 5 liters per 1 square meter.
  3. Roots. Apply 3-4 kg per 1 square meter.
  4. Garlic, onion. Feeding requires only 1 liter of fertilizer per 1 square meter.
  5. For green crops, use fertilizer only in the fall before planting at the rate of 2 kg of infusion per 1 square meter.
  6. For potatoes, only bedding manure should be used, without any top dressing.
  7. Strawberries must be fertilized 3 months before planting and every 3 years after the snow melts.

Fertilizer infusion of chicken manure


How to insist chicken manure for light soil:

Compound

  • dry litter - 1 kg;
  • water - 10 l.

Cooking

  1. Fill manure with water.
  2. Insist 3 days.
  3. Apply to dug up soil.
  4. Water the area first.

Infusion for feeding strawberries

Compound

  • 1 kg of fresh manure;
  • 20 liters of water.

Cooking

  1. Place the manure in the barrel.
  2. To fill with water.
  3. Infuse in an open barrel for 10 days.
  4. Water the strawberry aisles with infusion.
  5. Watering should be done after rain or a pre-watered area.

Infusion of chicken manure for fertilizing tomatoes

Compound

  • 1 kg of fresh litter;
  • 20 liters of water.

Cooking

  1. Fill the litter with water.
  2. To stir thoroughly.
  3. Insist 3 hours.
  4. Pour into a watering can.
  5. Water at the rate of 10 liters of infusion for 24 plants.
  6. After the soil is dry, loosen the soil.
  7. Before feeding, be sure to water the tomatoes.
  8. Feed once a month.

The preparation of infusion of chicken manure for tomato seedlings has the following recipe:

Compound

  • 1 kg of dry litter;
  • 10 liters of water.

Cooking

  1. Fill manure with water.
  2. Mix well.
  3. Insist 1 hour.
  4. Prepare holes for planting tomatoes.
  5. Pour water.
  6. Make an infusion at the rate of 1.5 buckets for 24 plants.

Chicken manure is especially effective for feeding cucumbers. If you know how to properly infuse chicken manure, then the harvest of cucumbers will be incredibly pleasing.

Compound

  • 2 kg of dry litter;
  • 10 liters of water.

Cooking

  1. Pour manure into a deep container.
  2. To fill with water.
  3. Insist 2 weeks.
  4. Thoroughly water the bed with water.
  5. Add another 10 liters of water to the infusion.
  6. Mix well.
  7. Pour cucumbers with a watering can.
  8. When watering, you need to watch so that the infusion does not get on the plant.
  9. If the infusion has got on the cucumbers, then it can be washed off with clean water.

Infusion for constant watering cucumbers

Compound

  • 0.5 kg of fresh manure;
  • 10 liters of water.

Cooking

  1. In a deep container, mix water with manure.
  2. Mix until a homogeneous mass is formed.
  3. Insist 1 day.
  4. Water the cucumbers with a watering can.
  5. After feeding, be sure to fill the plant with plain clean water.

Pay special attention to the leaves, if the infusion remains on them, then be sure to wash it off.

Feeding infusions, chicken manure fertilizers are considered very effective. If you know how to make an infusion of chicken manure, use it correctly, then you can collect a good, healthy, tasty crop to the envy of your neighbors.

Before starting the preparation of infusions, you should learn about the precautions, because manure is a strong poison, so all manipulations should take place in a protective suit. Watering plants should be done with a non-concentrated infusion, so as not to harm the crop.

Many gardeners want to learn more about chicken manure, how to apply it, and for which plants to use. This is understandable, because this top dressing is affordable. There is poultry in almost every suburban private yard and in summer cottages, so it is not difficult to obtain and apply chicken manure.

Composition of chicken manure

What is in bird droppings? Its components are compounds of organic and inorganic type: water, ammonia, ammonium, copper, potassium, zinc, calcium phosphorus, manganese, proteins, amino acids, peptides, glycerols, lipids, fatty acids, carbohydrates, fiber, sugars, alcohols, volatile acids , sulfur. It should be borne in mind that the chemical structure of bird droppings largely depends on the conditions in which the chicken was kept.

Chicken manure - pros and cons

A common practice is to use chicken manure in the spring to feed the plants. To achieve high plant yield results, you should know the rules for how to apply bird manure. Feeding has its pros and cons. Among the first, the following factors can be noted:

  • improvement of soil quality;
  • high yield;
  • resistance of plants against wireworm.

At the same time, you should be aware that if this fertilizer is incorrectly processed, the summer resident may lose part of the planted crops. Top dressing should be applied and administered in moderation. Its excess content in the soil will lead to a slowdown in the growth of the underground part of the plants (while the above-ground part will grow very quickly). Such uneven development can give the summer resident only tops. Given the vulnerability of poultry to infection with worms, there is a risk of salmonellosis.


What can be fertilized with chicken manure?

Experienced summer residents can tell beginner gardeners what chicken manure is as a fertilizer, how to apply this top dressing in spring, and for which plants it is suitable. The fact is that such recharge is not universal, and some cultures may not like it at all. For example, it should be used with caution, because in large quantities fertilizer can make the fruits of the vegetable dense and sinewy.

Bird manure has a positive effect on the growth and productivity of nightshade plants - and others. It is desirable to apply this top dressing for these crops in the spring. Good growth gives chicken manure melons - cabbage, cucumbers, strawberries, and if you use this fertilizer for onions and garlic, this will subsequently have a beneficial effect on the quality of the fruit.

There are different ways to use chicken manure for plant nutrition. Beginners should be aware that fresh, dry and granular versions of this fertilizer can be used for this purpose. If it is available fresh, then you should give it the opportunity to overheat, and then apply. The use of dry fertilizer will bring less trouble to the owner of the cottage, the granular version has a long shelf life, because the product is obtained as a result of industrial processing. When comparing types of litter, it is ultimately advantageous to use a granular version.


How to use chicken manure to fertilize vegetables

It is advisable to apply dry poultry manure for garden crops in an amount not exceeding 50 g per 1 sq. m. It is even better to apply fertilizer in liquid form. Cooking top dressing will not take much time and effort. If the solution is made from dry manure, then much more water will be required than to dilute fresh manure. It is not recommended to store the prepared mixture for more than two days. Feeding vegetables with chicken manure is applied under plants, 1 bucket per 1 sq. m.

How to fertilize trees with chicken manure?

Feeding trees with chicken manure is carried out different ways. For these purposes, the fertilizer can be used in the form of an infusion, mother or secondary solution as follows:

  1. To prepare an infusion of fresh chicken manure, it is added in a volume of 1 bucket to a barrel and diluted with 10 buckets of water. After mixing, leave to brew for a day. Pour the infusion into the trunk circle. One bucket is enough for a tree, and if seedlings are processed, then the applied volume must be reduced to 1/3 of a bucket.
  2. The mother solution of fresh manure is obtained by diluting the fertilizer with water in a ratio of 1 to 2. It is necessary to mix the mass well and leave for 3-4 days, then furrows 2-3 m long are treated on different sides of the tree.
  3. The secondary fertilizer solution is prepared from organic matter that has undergone a fermentation process. For every sq.m. the cultivated area under the tree contribute one bucket of solution.

Chicken manure for flowers

Chicken manure as a fertilizer is used not only in the garden or vegetable garden. You can use it as a top dressing for indoor flowers. For these purposes, litter in granules is used. After soaking the fertilizer in water, you should water the plant with it, or you can simply put the top dressing undiluted in the pot at the time of planting. The growth rate of roses will noticeably improve if they are fed with chicken droppings.

Using chicken manure as a fertilizer

In order to feed potatoes, this fertilizer is best applied in the spring, before the planting process, the same applies to carrots. Feeding currant chicken manure has a slightly different character. It is not fertilized in the first year after planting - for the first time, chicken manure should be applied in the spring. Complete the procedure in a year in the same period. Together with humus, it is recommended to use nitrogen fertilizer.

How to insist chicken manure for feeding?

Those who wish to know how to properly prepare an infusion of chicken manure should use the following sequence of actions (the proportions are taken for processing potatoes. For feeding other plants, they may differ up or down):

  1. We place 3 kg of fertilizer in a barrel and pour water in a volume of 4 liters.
  2. We add hay.
  3. Leave the mixture for 4 days. Periodic stirring is required.
  4. After 4 days, add 100 g of potassium chloride, and then dilute the infusion with water in proportions of 1: 1.
  5. We water the cultivated area at the rate of 1 liter per 1 sq. m.

Preparing food is easy. The main rule here: this procedure is carried out immediately before fertilizing the soil. You should also know the proportions of chicken manure for feeding - 20 parts of water are taken for one part of bird manure, approximately 1 liter of finished feeding should be poured onto one bush. If young crops are fertilized, then the proportions should be halved. To obtain a thick concentrate, the ratio of manure and water will be 1:1. The mass is insisted for a week, and before being introduced into the soil, it is diluted with 1 liter in 10 liters of water. It is good to apply between rows, without watering the beds.


How to apply chicken manure to the soil?

Beginners should not only know what chicken manure is as a fertilizer, how to apply it, but also be aware of all the intricacies of each of the stages of its use. One of the important actions when feeding plants is the introduction of chicken manure into the soil. This must also be done correctly, otherwise all efforts will be in vain, and the summer resident will not get the desired results. The basic rules for applying fertilizer are as follows:

  1. Fruit trees are fertilized by introducing a small amount of diluted litter into the soil, this should be done before planting in the hole. In another period, it is allowed to simply sprinkle dry chicken fertilizer nearby. Do not worry that the top dressing is not diluted with water - it will receive the moisture necessary to penetrate the soil during periods of rain or watering the garden.
  2. When fertilizing for tomato crops, from 6 to 8 kilograms of fresh manure per 1 sq. m. Then produce watering the garden.
  3. For fertilizing strawberries, it is recommended to scatter dry manure between rows. This procedure is carried out in the fall. Subsequently, during the winter season, the earth will absorb all the useful substances, and the strawberry rhizomes will be safe. In the same way, top dressing is applied to raspberries, only it is important to ensure that the fertilizer does not get on the roots.

" Equipment

To grow a good crop of crops, it is necessary to constantly replenish the soil with the reserves of nutrients that it gives away with the crop. Otherwise, the upper fertile layer will be depleted. To take something, you must first give something. In this case, endlessly harvesting without saturating the soil with substances is a thoughtless and mismanagement of our land-breadwinner.

Both mineral and organic fertilizers can be applied to the soil. It is better to do it comprehensively. However, mineral fertilizers are expensive. As a way out, you can use organics prepared in a certain way. Excrement of domestic animals acts as organic nutrients- manure and, for example, chicken manure. If you keep chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys in your backyard or in your country house, you won’t find a better fertilizer than the droppings from this poultry for plant nutrition.

The main constituents of chicken manure are:

  • nitrogen compounds;
  • phosphorus;
  • potassium;
  • calcium;
  • various macro- and microelements;
  • lime;
  • phosphoric acid;
  • magnesium;
  • sulfur;
  • potassium oxide;
  • biologically active compounds;
  • other elements.

Bird droppings contain several times more phosphorus than cow dung. in its composition it has nitrogen up to 2%, which is three to four times more than in the above organic fertilizer. Ammonia compounds in it are so concentrated that it is impossible to introduce this organic matter into the soil directly for plant nutrition in its pure form.

How to collect and store

Due to the fact that chicken manure contains a large amount of gases (methane, ammonia), there are special methods for its preparation, storage and application to the soil.

As a rule, chicken manure is collected from the chicken coop along with a small amount of bedding (straw). If the chickens are kept free-range in an open-air aviary, then you can rake it along with a small layer of earth. We do not perform any special cleaning. The most common storage methods:

  • in a heap in bulk;
  • compost heaps or pits;
  • Dry granules or powder.

The first storage method is the easiest, common, but it gives the least effect. With this method, when cleaning the chicken coop, chicken manure is simply raked into a pile and put in a corner of a garden or garden plot. At best, cover with a film until it is introduced into the soil. Main disadvantage: litter dries quickly, forming clods and layers. In addition, during the drying process, we lose most of the nitrogen in the form of ammonia.


Heap of chicken manure

The most acceptable and reasonable way to store litter at home is preparing compost heaps or pits. This is done in the following way: a small layer of manure (10-15 cm) is spread on a straw bedding 15-20 cm thick. Next, alternate layers from what is at hand. It can be peat, earth, cow dung, straw again, etc. All this is formed in the form of a heap or folded into a pit, hermetically covered with a film on top to enhance anaerobic processes and increase the temperature inside the heap or pit. After three or four months, you can check the contents. If the compost is ready, it is applied in certain proportions, which we will discuss below. To speed up fermentation and processing processes You can use EM preparations that contain bacteria in a concentrated form.

The third way to store litter(dry granules or powder) is used mainly in the factory. Dried at a temperature of about 600 ° C, the litter is freed from pathogens and weed seeds. In addition, the dry mix does not have a specific odor. You can buy fertilizer made in this way in stores. Packaging is convenient - from several hundred grams to several tens of kilograms.

What plants are suitable for

Chicken litter as a fertilizer is suitable for almost all crops: cereals, vegetables, berries, fruit trees. The exception is onions, garlic, and other herbs during active growth. From vegetables, cabbage, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants respond well to the introduction of litter. Berry and fruit trees have no exceptions in the positive effect of their use.


Table of fertilizer application rates for different crops, t/ha

Name of culture litter
dry litter natural humidity from compost heaps or pits
cereals 3-4 8-12 7-9 18-22
potato 3-4 9-13 8-10 20-24
fodder root crops 5-6 12-16 9-12 25-30
vegetable crops 6-8 20-25 12-17 30-40
berry 8-10 20-25 17-20 40-50
fruit 10-12 25-30 20-25 45-55

The consumption rate can vary from 1 to 50% depending on the culture, stage of plant growth.

The use of chicken manure in granules, how to breed


To apply dry manure in granules, it is first diluted in any container with water(barrel, bucket). The proportion is maintained at 1:25, unless otherwise written on the packaging when buying fertilizer. Be sure to insist for 50-70 hours. Fruit trees are fertilized in tree trunks. Vegetables are watered directly on the beds. It is advisable to wash the leaves of plants if the solution gets on them. Approximate application rates are shown in the table above. Watered with this solution 2 or 3 times per season.

When in doubt about how much fertilizer to apply for a particular crop, it is better to give the plant less than more. In the first case, the situation can be corrected due to the frequency of application, and in the second, the plant may die.

How to use dry bird droppings as fertilizer

Dry litter can be used in two ways:

  • If it is very fine fraction or powdery, it can be scatter on the soil in deep autumn before winter in moderate amounts(about one and a half to two times more than would be required for growing plants). In this form, dry manure can also be applied to holes for vegetables, shrubs or trees. The consumption rate is indicated in the table.
  • Fertilize with a solution. Just as in the case of the use of granules, it is first diluted in any container with water. The proportion is maintained at 1:25, unless otherwise written on the package. Insist for two or three days.

How to apply manure from compost heaps

Before applying the fertilizer stored in the above way, you need to dilute in containers. A bucket is not suitable for this purpose. You need to choose a vessel with a volume of 20 liters or more. Bedding manure should ferment longer. This will take more time. Manure from compost heaps is almost ready for use. It is enough to insist on water for several hours.


You can also apply the technique of spreading it over the site. This is done in the fall after harvesting all crops. In the spring, with melt water, the main part of the nutrients will enter the soil. The remaining solid mass will serve as an excellent tool for structuring the soil itself.

Advantages and disadvantages

The use of chicken manure in the cultivation of crops has positive action:

  • On the structure and properties of the soil: is an excellent leavening agent. In addition, it saturates the fertile layer with nutrients for microflora and plants. Due to the introduction of manure into the soil, aerobic and anaerobic processes are enhanced;
  • For the plants themselves: they take additional nutrients in a digestible form for building green, tuber or fruit mass (depending on the crop);
  • For fruit ripening: we get an earlier harvest;
  • In terms of duration of use it as a fertilizer applied to the soil for two to three years;
  • On the medium pH recovery soil;
  • For promotion plant disease resistance.

In addition, chicken manure is cheaper than mineral fertilizers. Therefore, in part, it can replace them.

However, this substance has one drawback. Since litter contains many elements in a concentrated amount, its excess in the soil negatively affects the growth and development of plants, up to their death. Therefore very it is important not to overfeed vegetables, berries and other crops.

Like any substance, it can be both a medicine and a poison. The same applies to chicken manure as a fertilizer.

Nature itself gives us the means and ways for its own provision. It is not necessary to use "chemistry", to invent genetically mutated organisms for our life and development. It is important to rationally use the available wealth, not forgetting about their replenishment through reproduction.

If you have chickens, then do not rush to get rid of bird droppings, because this is an excellent fertilizer option for the garden and garden. And, although today the chemical industry is doing great, producing modern and easy-to-use fertilizers, many farmers still prefer to use natural organic manure. Just in this case, chicken manure is perfect. If you are just planning to start laying hens, then you will definitely be interested in knowing about the use of their manure. Moreover, our article will be useful to all gardeners and gardeners who every year are puzzled by how to get a good harvest and not harm the plants.

Chicken manure as a fertilizer is perfect in its composition for both the garden and the garden. Among all types of litter from poultry, chicken contains the largest amount of nitrogenous substances, therefore it is considered very valuable. Except a large number nitrogen, chicken manure contains a lot of trace elements that are important for maintaining good soil condition. According to its properties, such a fertilizer acts on the crop in the same way as complex purchased mineral supplements.

Chemical composition

If we consider chemical composition chicken manure, you should immediately notice that it is rich in nutrients. The concentration of chemical elements in it is three, and sometimes four times higher than in other popular types of animal fertilizers. So, in addition to the already mentioned nitrogen, chicken manure contains potassium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, sulfur, cobalt, boron and many other trace elements. In addition, there is a large supply of biologically active substances that contribute to the growth and rapid development of plants. These include, for example, auxins.

Chicken manure is a very strong and fast-acting fertilizer with an increased dose of potassium, nitrogen, phosphorus and magnesium. That is why it should be dosed very correctly and follow the rules of use. Otherwise, you can only harm the soil and burn the plants.

Table Physical and chemical composition of fertilizer

How does it affect the soil?

Chicken manure as a fertilizer can be used for any kind of soil. According to its properties, it is much more effective than other types of manure, and after application it retains a pronounced effect for several more years. This is due to the fact that all microelements and substances from the basis of chicken droppings are released slowly and gradually. However, we must not forget one "but" - the nitrogen contained in chicken manure quickly loses its properties and, if stored improperly, turns into ammonia. That is, such a fertilizer turns into a poison and a toxic compound for the soil.

In order for chicken manure to benefit your garden and vegetable garden, it is important not only to store and apply it correctly, but even to cook it. So, for example, to prevent its rapid drying and the release of ammonia, peat chips should be used as bedding for chickens. It helps to preserve nitrogen-containing compounds even during long storage periods.

Consider all the main properties, why is chicken manure so valuable for the soil as a fertilizer:

  • increases the yield of crops by 20-40%;
  • optimizes the whirlpool in the ground;
  • accelerates the ripening of crops by 10-15 days;
  • eliminates the appearance of mold on the surface of the soil;
  • helps plants survive the drought period;
  • helps plants fight fungal and bacterial diseases.

What plants are suitable for?

Chicken manure composition is great for many plants, but still has its limitations. This, of course, is largely due to the acidity and alkalinity of the fertilizer. So, the pH of chicken manure depends on the age and diet of the bird. On average (norm), the acidity of chicken manure is in the range of 6.5-8.0 ph. These indicators indicate a moderate alkaline indicator.

However, due to the increased salinity, chicken manure is not suitable for acid-loving plants such as azaleas, camellias, rhododendrons, as well as heather and blueberries. As a rule, chicken manure is used as a fertilizer for most vegetable and fruit crops. For example, it works great on cabbage, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, fruit trees and bushes. They can be fed with a fresh solution at least twice a season. But greens, garlic and onions do not like fresh infusion during intensive growth, so they can only be fed during the growing season.

How to properly apply chicken manure as a fertilizer and how much, see the table in detail.

When using chicken manure as a fertilizer, farmers manage to obtain environmentally friendly and high-quality products. The volume of dry matter of fruits increases by 5-10%.

Ways to use chicken fertilizer

Chicken manure as a fertilizer for plants can be used in natural and dissolved form to feed many vegetable and horticultural crops. As a rule, in dry form, it is distributed evenly over the entire soil surface in autumn or early spring, long before planting. As such, its norm is calculated as 0.2-1.3 kg per 1 square meter of soil. If you use pure raw manure, then the rate is increased to 0.3-0.4 kg. Freshly bred litter of chickens is also an excellent feeding option.

Fertilizer before planting

garden crops

Fresh and clean chicken manure, due to its special strong composition, cannot be applied to the hole and under the roots before planting, so it is necessary to fertilize the soil with it in advance, best of all in autumn or early spring before digging the ground. It is possible to introduce manure into the soil both in dry form and fresh, but the concentration will depend on its condition. Do not forget that in order to obtain a good dry fertilizer, chicken droppings must be dried using peat. This will prevent the appearance of ammonia and the destruction of nitrogenous compounds in the base. Dry manure can be stored after complete drying in barrels or special plastic containers, but with constant air access.

In autumn, for digging, the soil is fertilized after harvesting, scattering dry manure evenly around the entire perimeter at the rate of approximately one bucket (5-6 kg) per 5 square meters. meters. If you fertilize the garden in the spring before digging, it is best to use compost. It is made in advance by layered composting: alternating 15-20 cm of any dry material (straw, hay, sawdust or peat) with 15-20 cm of manure. So approximately up to a height of 1-1.5 meters, while a layer of dry matter necessarily comes from above. Such compost can be prepared for about 2-3 months (winter), but after processing it is suitable even in its pure form.

Leaf crops and berries

You can fertilize leafy crops with chicken manure a couple of months before planting, that is, in the spring. To do this, manure is introduced into loose soil and a little added. For planting berries, fertilizer can be applied 3 months or in the second half of winter before the plant awakens. For example, it is good to mulch strawberries and wild strawberries with compost. As for planting bushes and trees, the rules are similar to planting berries. We also introduce manure 3 months before planting in a pre-made hole.

Feeding chicken manure

garden crops

Fertilizing garden crops with chicken manure in the form of top dressing is very popular and gives a good result when used correctly. For this, either a pre-prepared concentrate is made, or a fresh infusion at the rate of 1:10. If you have fresh litter, then you need to dilute it with 10 liters of water 500 grams. Apply under crops, based on its type (see table). Feed preferably after watering or rain, when the soil is well moistened. If you dissolve dry litter, then you need to insist it for several days.

It is convenient to make a concentrate and then use it throughout the season. To do this, you need to take a tightly closed container (barrel) and dilute manure in it at the rate of 1: 1. Such an infusion should be prepared for about a week in a warm place until complete fermentation. Then, this concentrate is taken for feeding and diluted with water at the rate of 1:10. It can be used all season long.

Trees and bushes

Trees and bushes are fertilized and fed in a slightly different way than garden plants. The same methods cannot be used both there and there, as this will do more harm than good. According to experts, one tree per season will require about a bucket of litter. Feeding can be done 3-4 times a season, scattering chicken manure around the trunk. But with shrubs, you should be more careful and fertilize, taking into account the type and recommendations on the norms.

Soaked manure is best for feeding shrubs and small fruit trees. To do this, fresh chicken droppings are poured with water, insisted for a couple of days, after which this water is drained. Soaked droppings contain fewer strong concentrated organic matter Plus, uric acid and toxins are gone. After that, the prepared fertilizer is buried in the near-stem grooves or between rows.