[sheridal]

Hi, we are in the process of rehoming our chickens to another site in the garden and the put a polytunnel on the current site.

Just a little question, can I plant direct into the soil where the chickens have been roming? I have cleared up most of the straw but not sure if I need to leave it a while. and grow things in pots. (I would prefer to go straight into the soil if possible)

Thanks

Louisa

[richyrich7]

Coo thats a good question it may be a little rich in nitrogen just depends how long they have been on that piece of ground ? a few weeks then I'd not worry, if its years then it could probably benefit from a really good dig over and left for a month or two for the elements to get to it. When I moved the old coop the ground inside the run was lovely and fertile, I just left it for a month before putting in new plants, then they grew very well   

[Motivator]

 Well my grandad had a small holding many years back . He used to keep his chickens
 in the large polytunnel during the winter ,As it had a door to the hen house . In the early
 spring he would shut the door off ,And let them back in the field .  Then dig and plant 
 toms . Result masses of toms 

[sheridal]

The chickens have been on there since about october, so 5-6 months. If I dig it in and leave it a a few weeks, would that be enough???

Thanks for the advice!!!

Louisa

[Trillium]

Are you talking a lot of chickens or only a few? If only a few then digging it in and waiting a bit should be okay. If a lot of chickens, then there'd be too much manure which is very strong and would burn young roots, older ones too. While chicken manure is great stuff for the garden, a little goes a very long way.

[sheridal]

Averages out about 10 chickens over the 5-6 months (some newly hatched ones replacing some that had been eaten)

Thanks again

[Motivator]

  I would go for it , My grandad kept 2 to 3 hundred hens in that area never had a 
  problem , Mind you he did put a lot of straw down .

[sheridal]

Excellent, like I mentioned before, I have raked up all the excess straw/poo and I will dig it all in before I plant anything. I just want to get things growing in there asap, but don't want to make a simple school boy error.