Using raw / fresh / uncomposted chicken manure can bring about issue with both our plants and soil.
Chicken manure when used as a fertilizer can burn our plants, bring in harmful pathogens and encourage pests and diseases.
It is therefore critical that we properly decompost chicken manure before using them in the field. There are a few ways to do it. We can using some bio enzymes, EMAS, JDAM or IMO to help iniate the decomposting prosess.
In our farm we utilize the use of UREA or 46-0-0 as our Nitrogen source which will bring in the heating component. For our farm practice and requirements the above practice give a the same results in a much faster time.
While it is optional we also use leaf moulding in the process to add in some carbon or bulking component as the leaves encourages micro organism, helps decrease the fowl odor, speed up the decomposting process.
The process is quite simple and straightforward:
1. Line-up the leaf mouldings
2. Put in the chicken manure
3. Put water (30%-40% moisture level is the requirement)
4. Mix the pile and slowly add in the UREA
5. Once thoroughly mixed cover the pile to ensure that it will get wet when it rains
6. Check after 10 days (if the temp is still in the thermophili range, just mix the pile and cover then check after 10 days)
7. If the temperature is steadily going down, cool down the manure to make it ready for the field / plants
8. The pile can be strained as well to separate the uncomposted parts
Yes this is extra work upfront but will lots of benefits and lessens the risks in our farm.
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