Author Topic: Chicken Manure Pellets  (Read 5231 times)

Crystalmoon

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Chicken Manure Pellets
« on: July 13, 2016, 07:46:08 »
Hi everyone, please excuse my recent flurry of questions that probably seem a bit basic but I have a new plot after 4 years away from growing veg & I am experimenting with new things...in the past I have mainly used horse manure to prepare the ground before the growing season & seaweed liquid feed during the growing time. I have also used chicken manure to add to soil after plants have begun growing vigorously...simply spreading around the base of the plant & watering in.

But I was wondering if I could mix the chicken manure pellets into bare soil in raised beds that are empty prior to planting anything in them to add goodness to the soil or would this be a waste of time???? I'm thinking ahead to plan ways to keep the soil in the raised beds nice & rich while waiting for my new compost bins to produce good stuff to add to the beds...with the lack of sunshine this year I am expecting it to take a year longer than I had hoped before I am able to use my own compost.
Thanks for any advice on how best to maximise the use of chicken pellets xJane

ancellsfarmer

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Re: Chicken Manure Pellets
« Reply #1 on: July 13, 2016, 08:05:14 »
You will need to find a means of locking in the nutrient, the chicken pellets are going to break down quickly (thats why they are generally used as a "rooster boost") My thoughts would involve green manures to suit the soil conditions as you will otherwise encourage weeds. Mustard, wheat**, lupins*,all relatively cheap and available sown from now onwards and dug in/mown and left may be beneficial.
*collect/scrounge from friends/family, many gardens will have seeds right now .Colours immaterial!
** available from pet shops/feed suppliers, even 'wild bird food' soak, sprout before sowing to reduce losses.
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Crystalmoon

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Re: Chicken Manure Pellets
« Reply #2 on: July 13, 2016, 08:10:03 »
Thanks so much for your quick reply Ancellsfarmer I will definitely get some green manure seeds sown into my raised beds as they are emptied by harvesting xJane

Vinlander

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Re: Chicken Manure Pellets
« Reply #3 on: July 18, 2016, 11:19:15 »
I can recommend buckwheat as a green manure - especially as the pale de-hulled "groats" can be bought in food shops for £2.50-3 per kilo - and I get 95%+ germination from them (they are probably much fresher than the black-shelled ones the seed companies sell - but check the date anyway).

Cheers.

PS. you can let them flower which is pretty, and you can also collect your own seed (though the plants will add slightly less to your soil if you do).

Putting your own black seeds through the coffee grinder is probably the only way you can get the traditionally battleship-grey buckwheat flour that is so much more delicious.
With a microholding you always get too much or bugger-all. (I'm fed up calling it an allotment garden - it just encourages the tidy-police).

The simple/complex split is more & more important: Simple fertilisers Poor, complex ones Good. Simple (old) poisons predictable, others (new) the opposite.

BarriedaleNick

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Re: Chicken Manure Pellets
« Reply #4 on: July 18, 2016, 13:39:02 »
I often dig some pellets in to the hole am I transplanting onto - esp if it is something in the cabbage family but at this time of year I don't get much use out of them.  I do soak some in water and use as a feed for squash but generally I only use them in the ground when planting stuff out.
Moved to Portugal - ain't going back!

ancellsfarmer

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Re: Chicken Manure Pellets
« Reply #5 on: July 18, 2016, 20:58:46 »
Noticed my local Morrisons has Westland Chicken Pellets at CLEARANCE price, £5 for 10Kg bucket. Would have been rude to refuse some!
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Crystalmoon

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Re: Chicken Manure Pellets
« Reply #6 on: July 19, 2016, 14:55:47 »
Thanks Vinlander I will give buckwheat ago.
Thanks BarriedaleNick I will use some when I plant out my Spring cabbages etc later in the year. Never thought of turning them into liquid feed, I will definitely try this soon.
That was a bargain Ancellsfarmer, sadly I don't have a Morrisons near me...mind you I seem to have loads of them left from the huge tub I bought from Wilkinsons earlier this year but I paid quite a bit more than you. xjane   

johhnyco15

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Re: Chicken Manure Pellets
« Reply #7 on: July 19, 2016, 19:02:11 »
i tend to use them as spring dressing one year growmore the next pigeon poo the next then well rotted horse manure the last in a 4 year cycle and use them again as top dressing in the cut flower bed and as a liquid feed i use pigeon poo and comfry tea mixed with a little molasses
johhnyc015  may the plot be with you

ancellsfarmer

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Re: Chicken Manure Pellets
« Reply #8 on: July 25, 2016, 19:38:09 »
i tend to use them as spring dressing one year growmore the next pigeon poo the next then well rotted horse manure the last in a 4 year cycle and use them again as top dressing in the cut flower bed and as a liquid feed i use pigeon poo and comfry tea mixed with a little molasses
After crop rotation, we now have 'plop' rotation!! This site never fails to amuse.
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johhnyco15

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Re: Chicken Manure Pellets
« Reply #9 on: July 25, 2016, 20:43:14 »
you can never have too much rotation lol :drunken_smilie: :drunken_smilie: :drunken_smilie:
johhnyc015  may the plot be with you

Paulh

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Re: Chicken Manure Pellets
« Reply #10 on: July 25, 2016, 20:57:21 »
"... and as a liquid feed i use pigeon poo and comfry tea mixed with a little molasses".

It's very important in this hot weather to stay well hydrated, Johhny!

ancellsfarmer

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Re: Chicken Manure Pellets
« Reply #11 on: July 26, 2016, 06:28:19 »
"... and as a liquid feed i use pigeon poo and comfry tea mixed with a little molasses".

It's very important in this hot weather to stay well hydrated, Johhny!
Ah, Boddingtons.
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sunloving

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Re: Chicken Manure Pellets
« Reply #12 on: July 26, 2016, 11:00:30 »
Hi jane, I find green manures fiddly in they can be patchy and other weeds and seed can come in whilst it's growing, so my two pee is to cover the beds youre not using and if you have access to horse manure even relatively fresh just put this on. The worms will have a great time under this blanket and no weed seeds can arrive from the air.

I love chicken manure pellets I do a mixed growing mulch of fresh grass clippings and pellets, but agree that they do distinct ingrate quickly- however under a cover this would be slowed as they aren't exposed to rain leeching them out. So it depends on how long your beds will be bare, if it's a month or so then chicken pellets and cover, if it's longer horse manure and cover.
Good luck here's to lovely rich soil and yummy things to eat. X sunloving

Crystalmoon

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Re: Chicken Manure Pellets
« Reply #13 on: July 26, 2016, 11:19:07 »
Thanks Sunloving I will definitely try the chicken manure pellets & grass clippings with cover on a couple of beds plus sow green manure on another 2 so I can see the difference x

johhnyco15

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Re: Chicken Manure Pellets
« Reply #14 on: July 26, 2016, 16:57:17 »
"... and as a liquid feed i use pigeon poo and comfry tea mixed with a little molasses".

It's very important in this hot weather to stay well hydrated, Johhny!
Ah, Boddingtons.
im more of a cider man myself :sunny: :sunny: :sunny: :drunken_smilie: :drunken_smilie: :blob7:
johhnyc015  may the plot be with you

 

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