Chicken pellets: Where and when to use them

[Herbsandveg]

I've been toying with the idea of trying out some chicken manure pellets on my veg plot as the one's I've spotted in one of my local stores are quite cheap and labelled up as being organic. I have two or three questions on these that I could do with having answering before I proceed, and wondered if any of my friends on the Forum could help me out with the following questions.

1. I might have dreamt this, but I'm sure I read somewhere that chicken manure can somehow 'scorch' young plants. Is this the case and, if so, which plants should I avoid using them on?

2. How exactly should they be applied to the veg plot, and when, and should they then be dug in?

3. How do they rate against Comfrey pellets in delivering the mojo into the soil?

[Linzy]

I always use mine as a top dressing when preparing for sowing in a bed of planting out. Apply a thin sprinkle on the surface then plant or sow seeds as you usally would.

[out in the cold]

If you have dogs, use it as a tea instead of scattering them.

Our two dogs seem fascinated by the smell and tried to eat them (yuk).

Used as a tea mea.s they still have a sniff, but can't pick up the pellets to eat

[alldigging]

What does the label say on the container?

I always assumed 'chicken muck scorching things' meant fresh chicken muck, not the nice pellets.

Hadn't thought about making a tea with them though!

Sprinkled some on around my fruit bushes and then mulched them the other day.

[darcyvuqua]

I started a thread on this a few weeks ago didnt get many answers but after googling it for a number of hours seems the best place to use them is on squshes/pumpkins/courgettes add them to the soil about 3 weeks before planting and then plant the plant straight into the prepared soil.

[out in the cold]

Thanks Darcy!

Do you know if my tea idea would be suitable to keep using it as a feed throughout the year? Planning on using with squashes and courgettes

[darcyvuqua]

Im a total novice but cant really see why it would not work all the pellets would break down and with alot of stirring im assuming it would then just become a liquid feed

[Feral007]

Our german shepherd looked on them as dog treats........he used to get diarrhoea when I put them on the lawn, so I had to stop. I find manure tea doesn't get the dogs as excited as the actual manure

[out in the cold]

Yeah, it does.

I actually got the idea off the tub they came in which said "suitable for dilution" or something like that and also "may attract animals". They weren't kidding about that bit - one of my pooches was never out of my garlic bed...

[out in the cold]

Slightly off topic but just watched you videos Darcy. Your plot is looking great now. Fantastic views. You are gonna have a fantastic summer up there if the weather is nice

[rustylady]

1. I might have dreamt this, but I'm sure I read somewhere that chicken manure can somehow 'scorch' young plants. Is this the case and, if so, which plants should I avoid using them on? This only applies to fresh chicken manure, or indeed any fresh animal manure

2. How exactly should they be applied to the veg plot, and when, and should they then be dug in? Instructions should be on the pack - normally just scattered and hoed into the surface

3. How do they rate against Comfrey pellets in delivering the mojo into the soil?

No idea, but neither of them feed the soil, they feed the plants

[SarzWix]

Chicken manure pellets are quite high in nitrogen, nitrogen is needed for leafy growth, so good for the early stages of most plants, and the longer term growth of leafy plants such as salads and brassicas like cabbage, kale etc. Comfrey is a source of potash, which fruiting plants need to make fruit, so good for the later stages of tomatoes, cucumbers, squashes, peas and beans etc. Both types of pellet will introduce a small amount of organic matter to the soil as well, unlike Growmore..,

[zazen999]

Problem with chicken pellets, if you are trying to be organic - is that they are usually from intensive farming of chickens. That's why they are so cheap. And an organic gardener tries to limit using some animal manures where possible.

Perhaps you could download the organic guidelines and read them? Many of your questions might be answered if you did so.

Garden Organic Guidelines contents

[Herbsandveg]

No idea, but neither of them feed the soil, they feed the plants

Concise, clear, informative. Thank you.

[bert666]

I started a thread on this a few weeks ago didnt get many answers but after googling it for a number of hours seems the best place to use them is on squshes/pumpkins/courgettes add them to the soil about 3 weeks before planting and then plant the plant straight into the prepared soil.

just watched your video good stuff