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 sulfide

Ammonia

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!