How to compost chicken manure

Chicken manure is rich in nutrients that can benefit the plants in your garden. It’s high in nitrogen and directly applying it to plants can burn their roots. It has to be properly aged before it can be used in the garden. Aged manure is manure that is simply set aside for a period of 4 to 5 months. Besides nitrogen other nutrients chicken manure consists of are potassium, phosphorous and calcium. Fresh chicken manure contains harmful pathogens that can affect the plants. Time and high temperatures can kill these harmful pathogens. Fresh chicken manure can be turned into aged manure in two ways before it can be used for plants.

Ways to compost chicken manure:

1. Hot composting

In this process, fresh chicken manure is piled up, water is added and the manure is turned. The internal heat generated can increase manure ageing and kill harmful pathogens. Manure that is prepared from hot composting can be used within 5 to 6 weeks.

2. Cold composting

Cold composting is where the manure is piled up and kept aside without any disturbance. It takes about 8 months for this manure to be used in the garden.

While cleaning your chicken coop, you end up collecting straws, eggshells, wood shavings etc. You can also compost them along with chicken manure. They end up adding nutrients to your plants. 

Liquid fertiliser from chicken manure:

If you want to make liquid fertiliser from chicken manure. Take a large bucket and add 25% chicken manure and 75% water. Allow the manure to soak for 2 to 3 days. Then strain the liquid and use it on your plants. Add the solid manure to the compost pile. You can then use the liquid fertiliser for your plants. But this fertiliser is not suitable for acid-loving plants as it has an alkaline ph.

Vegetables that are grown from using chicken manure must be washed properly before they are consumed.