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Putnam Ct.

I recieved 4 yards of composted chicken manure and it had half decomposed chicken parts mixed in. I'm not sure if i can use this manure? It has been sitting sence September of 2006 at the local chicken farm. When I unloaded it, I noticed the chicken parts. Is this a good thing? or a bad thing? I only found like three pieces of chicken so far. Any help or sugguestions?
Thanks Gene

2/5/2008 2:24:08 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Gene, I have read several times, not to put animal parts in yer compost pile!!! No expert here, and bettin them parts aint from KY!!! LOL Hopefully someone in the know will respond!!! Peace, Wayne

2/5/2008 2:58:56 PM

yuck

2/5/2008 3:56:43 PM

Carrollton, Ga.

Some of the chicken farmers compost the dead chickens now. It keeps them from having to put them in pits or burning them. From what I have heard they put a layer of chickens and then a layer of chicken litter and so forth and so on.
Then they turn it ever so often. They use it on the pastures around here.
Doug
Jn. 3:16

2/5/2008 4:15:38 PM

Mt Vernon Ky

I know some guys that fight roosters and if they don't win they compost them and when the state picks up dead deer they take them to the compost pile but I wouldn't use it at all but some people use it Vic

2/5/2008 5:02:37 PM

Ont (jjb22hornet@hotmail.com)

Just more of the good stuff!
I don't see how it could hert if it is a few years old. If it has broken down into soil and all you find is a rare bone I would use it.

2/5/2008 7:41:24 PM

Adams County

don,t forget the cats,dogs and other critters out there smelling for goodies, Bill

2/5/2008 8:18:40 PM

Carrollton, Ga.

Hi,
This is a link to composting chickens.

http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/B1266.htm

Read under compost use, there are a couple of warnings there.

Take care,
Doug
Jn. 3;16

2/6/2008 5:50:23 AM

southwest MO

Why dont you ask who ever you got the "manure" from why there are chicken parts in it. Its kind of like compost from a land fill. Be more selective on what you purchases, except or otherwise.

2/6/2008 11:03:59 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

When he says pieces of chicken is he talking skeletons..or a whole thigh and a breast. A lot of the companies are required to compost the dead animals now. They are scraped off the floor with the manure and litter. You don't think some one actually walks through and picks up the dead ones..Composting done right would be a perfectly safe method of disposal. Bone takes along time to compost. I am not sure why some of the growers are so alarmed of this. If you look at the ingredients on your organic fertilzer you will see blood meal and bone meal.

2/6/2008 2:01:39 PM

Midwest

Can e-coli grow on animal remains? danger?

2/6/2008 2:50:41 PM

Sparks, NV

yuck

2/6/2008 9:58:59 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

e-coli shouldn't be an issue with poultry parts. It's a beef thing.

Dead chicken parts would be fine once they're broken down. Feather meal, bone meal, blood meal....The meat is just another protein that will turn to available Nitrogen in time. Some of the finest organic fertilizers are coming from rendering plants. Just be happy they do it so we don't have to.

2/6/2008 11:24:49 PM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

Farm operations can make excellent compost from dead animals as long as they "cook" it hot enough to kill pathogens and keep the odors down. Using the right mix of manure (nitrogen) organic matter (carbon), proper moisture and proper mixing will do the job. Farmers in Iowa are successfully composting chickens and pigs. The larger animals have to be chopped up (yuuck!) About the only problem that they seem to have is a few larger bones that don't break down.

Gene, it sounds like your stuff just wasn't composted fully. If I had that stuff I would mix it up with some other stuff and try to get it broken down better.

2/9/2008 12:24:04 AM

Bethlehem CT

I raise chickens for meat and when I butcher them all the parts I don't eat get buried deep within the compost pile. (Keeps the critters away) Make sure there is enough carbon in your pile and it should not stink.(Joel Salatin describes the process he uses to make compost in his book on raising pastured poultry.) It makes excellent compost. Bones show up for years in the garden soil. Eventually it all nourishes the soil/plants.

2/14/2008 8:50:51 PM