Chicken manure is an excellent product but should be used with caution. Carry out the following:
- Wear gloves when handling the manure and also a mask if it’s dry (especially if it’s fresh or you’re cleaning out the chook house).
- Chicken manure is a nutritious product but highly concentrated (high in nitrogen especially), so it needs to be well composted beforehand to avoid burning plant foliage and roots.
- When composting chicken manure, add a minimum of three parts carbon materials (such as straw) to one part manure to help it break down effectively. Turn at least twice per week and keep moist.
- Once composted, you can apply the manure to the veg patch annually at a rate of approximately 20kg per 30sqm. Keep moist and covered with organic mulch, to prevent manure getting dusty. You can apply the manure to non-phosphorous sensitive ornamental crops at one third this rate.
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