What I've Learned About Quality Pasture-part V

I have read in the past that chicken litter was very good for your pasture. What I have done the last couple of years is to kind of stock pile the litter from the coops for use on the pastures. By "stock piling" I really mean that I was too lazy to clean the coops for a few months. But once I did, it went strait to the pasture. The wood shavings provide carbon for the soil and the chicken litter provides the N boost, which appears to be almost immediate.

Not only that, the litter provides a good amount of Phosphorus and Potassium (P and K) and helps us move toward that higher pH. What I have learned this time is that care should be taken not to spread too much as that can set grass growth back. This is not a problem here as we are talking amounts exceeding four tons per acre. We don't have enough chickens to worry about that. Our goal is to use what we have without spending a fortune on outside provisions. But if any of you would consider buying turkey manure or chicken manure for you pasture, keep this in mind.

Also, it should be said that a ton of chicken litter has been found to equal $50 worth of N, P, and K at recent fertilizer prices. If you would buy it from an outside source, it is recommended that no more than four tons should be spread per acre once a year. This is due to the slow release of nutrients. (However, our land must be totally starving because the results seem much quicker than this book would indicate.) This should also be done during the growing season to prevent nutrient leaching.

Chicken litter is found to be very high in potassium and can result in animal health problems and it is recommended to keep clover in the pastures where the chicken litter is used to prevent grass tetany.

Again, on our farm, we use what we get out of the coops. Our layers free-range and roost in the coops at night. It is amazing how much they poop at night. In my opinion, from observation, you get a quick boost. Maybe because the manure is more soluble? The Phosphorus and Potassium may be what they are talking about in regard to the slow release of nutrients. Heck, no matter what, it won't hurt to throw a bit on the pastures.