Rabbit Manure Advice Please

[noviceveggrower]

Hi there everyone.
Just wondering if anyone out there uses rabbit manure on their allotments. Have been given the chance to get a whole load of the stuff, it is the rabbits bedding and hutch hay. so am just wondering if it is too late to put it down and if I should cover it up.
My allotment plot is in the bottom right corner so get a lot of water from the top plots. Have been told there is a lot drainage in area but my ground is very ,very boggy so was hoping that adding manure might help with soil structure.
Thanks for any advice

[alldigging]

It'll break down, just how long it takes now it's cold and miserable weather.
Depends what you're planning on planting there in spring. If potatoes then I'd just stick it on a layer now.

[Two_Sheds]

Yes, it's good stuff, but put it on the compost heap not on the soil. It tends to throw up lots of weeds (well mine does, cos the GPs are fed on hay & weeds, and the seeds go straight thru)

[wellywoo]

We mix our rabbit manure with the chickens and pile it up to rot. Our rabbits have lost of hay so as Two_sheds says the seed go straight through. so unfortunately when you spread on the plot you end up with lots of little weed seedlings


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[noviceveggrower]

Hi, thanks for the advice. Am thinking of putting it in a raised bed for first early spuds but then am thinking of moving my strawberries into the raised bed in the autumn.

[noviceveggrower]

Composting the rabbit manure

Hi, thanks for the advice. What I think I might do is put some in my raised bed and cover it over then I have an area covered to try and kill off my buttercup problem. I have hundreds of them both sorts and they just love my plot. Oh and nettles I usually find the little one that have a kick like a mule to them. This area I am thinking of putting my beans in.
Thanks again

[The Cobra]

Think I'm gonna start saving it for the allotment. Don't think it will produce too many weeds as mine uses straw, not hay, so it's just the stalks of the hay and no seeds

[Two_Sheds]

to try and kill off my buttercup problem. I have hundreds of them

Buttercups like acidic, claggy soil. They also survive burying, so covering them up won't work. You really need to get in and cut out each crown, then kill them before they go on the compost heap (I leave mine on a concrete path for a few days (in summer) or weeks (in winter)

[Methe]

Think I'm gonna start saving it for the allotment. Don't think it will produce too many weeds as mine uses straw, not hay, so it's just the stalks of the hay and no seeds

A rabbits diet should be 80% hay to keep their teeth in order and to stop then getting bored out of their minds. Their body is designed to continually graze and unless they are out on grass every day the really need a continual supply of decent hay to keep their bowels working properly.

Guinea Pigs are they same. Hay is not bedding, it's food.

[roitelet]

Got lots a Rabbits = lots a manure. I use the drier bedding as a mulch and the wet stuff goes on the compost. Dont seem to get many weeds.

[taff]

I had some from a firend winter 2012. It grew me some really big garlic this year.....

[Two_Sheds]

A rabbits diet should be 80% hay

Sorry, but I disagree with that. A wild rabbit wouldn't eat hay, it eats grass (hay being dried grass of course).

My GPs only get hay in the winter, when the grass isn't growing, otherwise they're free-ranging on my lawn, with additions of lotty veggies every day, plus a handful of bickies if they want them (the fresh food gets eaten first)

[Methe]

Notice the part in my post where I said "unless they are out on grass all day"

A guinea pigs and rabbits diet should be 80% grass all year round. Hay is obviously grass as you say. The vast majority don't get anywhere near that.

[Two_Sheds]

hahahahaha !

You're right, you did. You're right, I didn't read down that far !