Handling Manure,
Growing Feed, and
Rules about Urban
Chickens
Nick Schneider
Winnebago County
Agriculture Agent
June 1, 2011
What will endanger the urban
chicken movement?
What will endanger the urban
chicken movement?
-
Neighbors upset about odor
Perceptions of poor animal care
Public health concerns
Noise
Pest/Flies
Environment
What else?
How to handle chicken manure?
• Fecal-Oral bacteria
Examples: Salmonella and Campylobacter
• Clean nest boxes once per week to remove
dirty litter
• Remove and bed regularly when moist
• Wash hands and/or wear gloves when
cleaning pens
• Anticipate around 75 pounds per year per hen
Manure Nutrient Content - Solid
First-year available nutrient content averages.1
SPECIES
N
P2O5
K
- - - - - - - - - - - lbs/ton - - - - - - - - - - -
Dairy
Beef
Horse
Swine
Chicken
2
3 (4)2
4 (5)
3 (4)
7 (9)
20 (24)
3
5
4
6
30
7
9
8
7
24
Use values in parenthesis for incorporated manure.
1 Source: Wisconsin soil test labs.
Manure Gases
• May or may not have odor.
• Two gases are lighter than air and two gases
are heavier than air.
Methane
Ammonia
Hydrogen sulfide
Carbon Dioxide
Manure
How to dispose of chicken manure?
•
•
•
•
•
Fresh Disposal or Compost?
Cattle manure rate: aprx ¾ to 1 lb per 1 ft2
Poultry manure rate: aprx 0.1 to 0.2 lb per 1 ft2
Flower beds preferred – watch for ammonia
and salt burn.
Bury to reduce odor and burn, and save N.
Vegetable garden: 120 days from harvest if soil
contact or 90 days without soil contact.
How to dispose of chicken manure?
Fresh Disposal or Compost?
• In-vessel or Sealed bin.
• Turning the compost generates heat. 131-170F for 3
days.
• Heat kills weed seed and many insects, diseases, and
bacteria.
• Reduces volume.
• Finished compost can then be spread on the garden,
flowerbed, or lawn.
What is Composting?
• A system that speeds
up natural process of
decay
• Living microbes and
other organisms do
the work
Compost
Changes organic matter into a humusrich soil amendment
From UW Master Gardener Program
Wisconsin’s Recycling Law
• In January 1993, Wisconsin’s Recycling Law
banned yard waste from landfills & most
incinerators.
• No leaves, grass clippings, garden debris or
twigs, brush & branches smaller than 6 inches
in diameter can go to landfills.
From UW Master Gardener Program
Compost Basics
•
•
•
•
•
•
Bacteria
Carbon
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Water
Macroorganisms
Temperature
From UW Master Gardener Program
Achieving Balance
• Proper carbon : nitrogen ratio
By Volume: 2-3 parts Brown to one part Green
By Weight:
Equal weights
Brown
Green
From UW Master Gardener Program
When is it Done?
•
•
•
•
Most plant parts are indistinguishable
Has an earthy smell
Is crumbly
Doesn’t reheat after turning
End up
with about
1/3
original
volume
From UW Master Gardener Program
Bins
• Commercial
– Many styles
– Usually plastic,
recycled material
• Home-built
– Don’t use lumber treated with CCA
often
Hot Pile Method
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Thin layer of coarse materials
Equal weights of brown and green
Water layers as it is built
Finish with brown
Turn at least 2 times during the first 7-10 days
Then turn every week or two
Water when turning; keep as
damp as a
wrung-out sponge
Grow Your Own Feed
• 50 pounds of conventional chicken feed $12-$15
• Organic chicken feed: $20-$30 per 50 pounds
• Using 4 oz feed per day, a 50 pound bag can last
200 days per bird
What does it take to grow 50 pounds of feed?
Grow Your Own Feed
What does it take to grow 50 pounds of feed?
100 bu/acre corn = 400 ft2
60 bu/acre oats = 1050 ft2
2000 pounds/acre sunflower = 1090 ft2
Barley and wheat have awns – very itchy
Will these be a balanced meal? Not enough protein
or minerals like calcium.
Summer Foraging
Chicken tractor
Chapter 9 Biological weed management
Integrated Weed Management: “One Year’s Seeding . . . .”
Eradication of yellow nutsedge by pasture chickens.
Source: Mayton
Chapter 9 Biological weed management
Integrated Weed Management: “One Year’s Seeding . . . .”
Urban Chicken / Poultry
Ordinances
Which municipalities have them?
Common Chicken Ordinance Themes:
• Bird limit (4 is common)
• No roosters
• No slaughter
• Premises registration (state and local)
• Enclosure guidelines
• Set-backs from buildings and lot lines (25 ft)
- Similar to Neenah and Madison
Chicken ordinance themes to
watch for:
• Inspection lacking deadlines and corrective
appeals
• Chicken mansion enclosures
• Permission from neighbors
- Similar to Oshkosh
How do you help create an urban
poultry ordinance?
• Be respectful of all positions
• Refer to poultry as pets, not livestock
• Stay organized
• Be willing to educate neighbors, friends, and
community members
• Be prepared to answer concerns people have
• Do you research
Thank you!