Anyone use chicken litter on their pasture or hay ground? Neighbor will be cleaning his barns out in a couple months and I might be able to get some. Any experience in using this? He is having it tested.
Chicken litter?
- Thread starter tom4018
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hillrancher
Well-known member
Yes, we have used it for the past 8 years. I like it better than commercial fertilizer. The ground does not get as hard, it is more organic and last more than 40 days. You don't have to lime as much or none. It will produce more weeds and smell bad and neighbors complain.
novatech
Well-known member
I would call this morning to be the first in line. You cannot beat free fert., especially organic.
Jogeephus
Well-known member
With the exception of the smell, it is good stuff. Has lots of micro nutrients and seems to give your grass more body. I normally apply 2 tons/acre. Prefer to get it from the egg houses but beggers can't be chosers and I'll settle for any rather than none. Would suggest that you do not use it on a regular basis as it does contain some heavy metals and micros that can build up and hurt your fertility if used all the time.
Get in the truck right now and go pay him for two tons to the acre on every acre you have in grass. Then get all your equipment you left in the fild out before the grass grows over it hides it. Chicken litter is great stuff. I here it will grow grass on a rock.
bigbull338
Well-known member
pay him for the chicken litter now.an buy all he has for sale.itll be the best money you ever spent.3 tons litter to ac is $75 to $90 an ac.where as fert will cost you $210 an ac.you can spead 3 tons to the ac of litter.
DOC HARRIS
Well-known member
I agree with all of the above comments! It is Fantastic stuff, as it is concentrated organic fertilizer, smell or not, AND, which no one has mentioned yet, it adds terrific organic material which 'opens up' hard packed soil and blots up water like a sponge! Contract for as much as you can get. If you lightly 'spring-tooth harrow' it in, you will minimize the odor, and make the mulch more effective as well. Manage the weed production as you normally would! Also prepare for more hay and grass production!
DOC HARRIS
DOC HARRIS
First time using it here this year. Never been able to get it in this area until the price of litter went up and it's gone up more since I purchased back in Jan.
I have fields that were used for tobacco up until 99. All of that tobacco land was less than 2% organic matter by the soil test. On the worst soil I put down4.5-5 tons per acre. The rest got 2.5 tons. It greened up fast and looks better than it has since I seeded it in grass. Plan to buy double next year.
I made soil correction for the last two years and haven't bought a dust of fertilizer (P&K) this time. I had 3 tons of 34% N left over from last year because we never got enough rain for stockpile in the fall. Bought 2 tons of 34% in Jan. and all that will go on what didn't get litter. I haven't even grazed or cut hay from the litter fields yet but am already sold on it. Buy all you can. I like layer litter the best so far. Only had one load of broiler litter and can already see the difference in the two.
I have fields that were used for tobacco up until 99. All of that tobacco land was less than 2% organic matter by the soil test. On the worst soil I put down4.5-5 tons per acre. The rest got 2.5 tons. It greened up fast and looks better than it has since I seeded it in grass. Plan to buy double next year.
I made soil correction for the last two years and haven't bought a dust of fertilizer (P&K) this time. I had 3 tons of 34% N left over from last year because we never got enough rain for stockpile in the fall. Bought 2 tons of 34% in Jan. and all that will go on what didn't get litter. I haven't even grazed or cut hay from the litter fields yet but am already sold on it. Buy all you can. I like layer litter the best so far. Only had one load of broiler litter and can already see the difference in the two.
SkinMan
Well-known member
5 years ago, you couldn't give chicken litter away. Now, everybody and their momma wants it. So many corn and cotton farmers want it now, the price has jumped from $3 a ton to $7 a ton here. Us chicken farmers aren't raising the prices, the corn and cotton farmers are offering more per ton just to get it. Plus they are hauling it 75 to 125 miles one way.
mtncows
Well-known member
They should have taken that into account when they moved the city out to the country.Although I haven't used litter,I guess you might cut down on the smell if you lime on top of it.Seems like a good rain helps some,too
DOC HARRIS
Well-known member
Pharmer20":322bbydb said:
How about Grade School Kids??
DOC HARRIS
Pharmer20":1io5mvn7 said:
The man we buy it from comes back with his spreader truck (I think it's an Intl S1900) and spreads it. Think his body is a Chandler but it's similar to the ones below:
http://www.bbispreaders.com/product...k-mount-wide-swath-litter---lime-spreader.php
Farmer Z
Well-known member
There's seems to be too much concern about the smell. It's organic matter and will break down and stop smellin' after a few days. I read one post that quotes a price of $7 ton. The boys around here are asking about $10 now! Prices have gone up about 75% over the past 5 years. It's still worth it.
