# Bunny Manure, Chicken Manure, Compost...



## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

Here is our critter situation:

11 Mini Rabbits who live in outdoor hutches
15 Chickens who free range in their chicken pasture & roost in an 8 X 8 chicken house.

We currently have 2,500 sq feet area of raised beds/paths & are planning to use compost and also the manure we get from the rabbits & chickens to amend the soil & also side dress heavy feeders when needed. Our garden area will be growing in size this Spring.

Now, I recently cleaned out the chicken house & put all of it underneath the rabbit hutches (won't be doing it again this Winter). I figured it would be a better place, would age, and also compost under the layers of bunny manure/rotting veggies... I figured I'd just start dumping the coffee grounds, eggshells, etc... under the hutches, too. Then, come Spring, I am hoping for some excellent manure to use for the garden... There should be some heat rising to keep my rabbits a bit warmer (oh, they have open wire bottoms in their cages which are open to the front). 

Now, thoughts on this? Would the chicken manure be aged enough to use by April? May?


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

I don't know about chicken manure but I know rabbit manure doesn't need to be aged. It can go right in the garden.

I think I read something last year about using it around root vegatables though but can't remember exactly what it said.


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## Toads tool (Jun 7, 2007)

I'd wet it down and let it go through a heat cycle before adding to the garden in the spring.
I would also get some red wigglers and put them in the stuff under the hutches. They will break if down even faster.

In the books about raising worms under rabbits they warn against high concentrations of acid in the pee spot. Evidently rabbits like to pee in the same spot. This area needs to be stirred around and sometimes Lime needs to be added to offset the urine.

With worms or not I think this stirring of the urine spot applies and the Lime addition wouldn't hurt.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I wouldn't build a compost pile under rabbit hutches. Compost smells until it rots down and here some stuff attracts things that would also like to eat rabbit. Plus the ammonia from the chicken stuff isn't good for rabbit lungs.

I just dump all my animal waste into the raised beds in the garden, then in spring I make pockets in the beds, fill the pockets with potting soil, and plant right in that. By the time the roots get into the manure it is broken down enough to not burn the plants.


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

Composting under the hutches AND dealing with the high concentration of urine can both be better served with a regular application of sawdust or shredded straw.
From the mix that has been described, a little such carbon rich material should be added anyway. Adding worms is a great idea, especially if you intend to make the location a permanent site for your compost operation.


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## geo in mi (Nov 14, 2008)

Urine and ammonia, and why shovel twice? I would use the rabbit directly, and compost the rest for next year.


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## sammyd (Mar 11, 2007)

If it spread out over a large area there should be no problem.
We don't compost any manure around here, it all goes into the garden as pens, cages, etc are cleaned in the spring. 

Root crops have a tendency to fork when planted in freshly fertilized soil, better to put them in last years corn patch or something.


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

When I clean out my hen house I fling it directly onto the garden. I lay down a thin layer and I let it be. As long as the poo is scattered will it will not burn.

My MIL had a compost pile under her rabbits, but she only added leaves to it. She said she was raising fishing worms but it was, basically, a compost pile.

She ALSO put the bunny manure directly onto the garden as it will NOT burn.


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

Thanks for the all the responses  Yes, knew about the rabbit manure not burning. Already planned to layer with straw, leaves, scraps, occasionally a little soil... Since I have regular compost piles elsewhere, this is primarily being done to break down the chicken manure. It sounds a lot easier to spread much more thinly. On putting out now, big mistake as it is raining, raining, raining. I have raised beds, so bye bye to the nutrients if I do that. It had been recommended that I put the chicken manure under a tarp. I figured that under the hutches would keep it from the rain & also increase decomposition. Since we are increasing our garden size this year, with more raised beds, that means more compost/manure is needed... I want to produce as much of that through our own critters as I can. Removing the chicken manure from the chicken house means that it will have 5 full months to decompose before I use it.


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## farmer kate (Jan 21, 2007)

Last summer I put sawhorses in the melon patch, and put two boards across them. I put rabbit cages on the boards, and rigged up a nice roof for them with a tarp, which was set up so that they had shade as well. Every three weeks I moved the whole thing (sliding to a new set of sawhorses) a few feet, and the rabbits pooped their way across the melon patch over a period of four months. 

Moving them every week would have 'pooped' the whole patch more quickly and allowed and second and third round, which would have probably been better, but as it was, I had the most amazing melons ever and four months without rabbit poop-related chores.

We add chicken poop to the garden after a full year, and put it where the corn's going since corn's a heavy feeder. Goat berries are a new addition to the poop situation here, but I'm using a deep bedding system for the winter, planning a huge shovel-out in spring, and then I'll take a look at it.

kate
CEO of poop management at Stoney Creek

kate


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

Since my hutches are in the Orchard, moving the rabbits is harder than using a shovel (cages are inside the hutches/built into them). If I had some extra cages, that would be a good option.

Since I wanted to "hot compost" the chicken manure, for use in less than 5 months (will have a yearly pile going by Spring), I really appreciated the tips!

Last night, I was looking up info online & came across this:

http://www.sailzora.com/compost.htm

I'll be working this method & then transfer all of it to a location & cover with a tarp until time to use. In the future, will just go with the "cover the big pile & use next year" method.

We won't be growing corn this year, but other heavy feeders (I barter with a neighbor who grows organic corn...). I am going to do a better job growing only what we eat/put up & increase our variety a bit. 

Thanks to everyone who posted info


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## fostermomma (Feb 26, 2007)

Some what off topic question but, is it worth it to keep rabbits for the manure alone?


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

Thanks for asking, fostermomma. I don't think I wrote why I kept the rabbits on this thread, but here goes  Nope, not keeping them for their manure alone.

I was given 5 Show Rabbits (registered award winners) along with their hutches. One was a Mini Lop and the rest were Mini Rexes. So far, just selling their kits has paid for 100% of their food in 2009. I get anywhere from $25 to $50 per kit. Since the last ones provided some very nice kits. I hung on to 3 show quality kits & have 2 that I should be selling soon (broken blue doe and a broken black doe). There is a market for bunny manure here, so can sell as much as I am not using. No, we don't plan to eat them. Since DH digs clams/harvests oysters, and hunts a bit? One deer is a lot more meat and far less hassle than butchering little rabbits (my opinion, of course, as I know others who do). I would also prefer raising chickens or turkeys for their meat, also. We currently buy our beef in larger portions, package it ourselves, and save $$$ there. 

Since the feed costs add up, and I am not selling kits right now, or their manure, I've been looking up feeding them more naturally. We have no shortage of sources for that on our own property.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

fostermomma, the answer to your question does not come is a "one size fits all" answer. Rabbit feed is pretty expensive and I don't know of a cost analysis that gives the value of manure vs cost of feed. However, if you plan to feed a lot of weed plants and dried leaves to the rabbits your feeding costs are considerably less. Might be worth it for the manure in that case. If it's a case of rabbit manure vs organic fertilizer your costs of keeping the rabbits would be less than the cost of purchased organic fertilizer. Synthetic fertilizer is pretty cheap, your costs might be cheaper for synthetic fert.


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## Callieslamb (Feb 27, 2007)

Yes, it's long enough to have the chicken poo decompose. if you build your compost pile correctly- it won't smell. If it smells - it is usually too wet - add some dry stuff. Even dirt works.


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## ChristieAcres (Apr 11, 2009)

> Forerunner
> Composting under the hutches AND dealing with the high concentration of urine can both be better served with a regular application of sawdust or shredded straw.
> From the mix that has been described, a little such carbon rich material should be added anyway. Adding worms is a great idea, especially if you intend to make the location a permanent site for your compost operation


Thanks for that info! Yep, following that to the letter. This is a one time thing, most likely. I have (3) separate compost piles, then the manure under the rabbit cages, and now the chicken manure/straw mix under there. My goal is just to utilize that chicken manure faster this year, as I can wait another year easily for the next pile to age. Hey, GREAT COMPOSTING LINKS!!! See this thread, everyone:

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?t=332336



> Danaus29
> fostermomma, the answer to your question does not come is a "one size fits all" answer. Rabbit feed is pretty expensive and I don't know of a cost analysis that gives the value of manure vs cost of feed. However, if you plan to feed a lot of weed plants and dried leaves to the rabbits your feeding costs are considerably less. Might be worth it for the manure in that case. If it's a case of rabbit manure vs organic fertilizer your costs of keeping the rabbits would be less than the cost of purchased organic fertilizer. Synthetic fertilizer is pretty cheap, your costs might be cheaper for synthetic fert


You are right on track with what I am doing, thanks! I am not buying any fertilizers and am growing an organic garden  Around here, I can sell that bunny poo, considered garden-gold around here!



> Callieslamb
> Yes, it's long enough to have the chicken poo decompose. if you build your compost pile correctly- it won't smell. If it smells - it is usually too wet - add some dry stuff. Even dirt works.


That is the goal and yep, will add whatever needed to maintain the health of my happy rabbits. I figure a few months there, and I can move all of it, put a tarp over it, and let it age until using.

The hutches are on the north side of my home office, facing away from the wind, and very protected. This is also our orchard, and the fence is 7 feet high. With our dog, Sam, and this fence, nothing bothers them.


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## mellowguy (Jul 8, 2009)

lorichristie said:


> That is the goal and yep, will add whatever needed to maintain the health of my happy rabbits. I figure a few months there, and I can move all of it, put a tarp over it, and let it age until using.


The tarp may block air circulation needed for faster and more complete composting.

When my piles are finished, I cover them with cheap black landscape fabric. It's perfect for that. It let the pile breath, keeps it hydrated, keeps it from getting invaded by weeds, looks clean, etc. (actually, my piles are paige wire rings lined on sides and top with landscape fabric)


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## seagullplayer (Nov 6, 2008)

When I had more rabbits than anyone should ever have, we used a trash bag around the bottom of the cages to funnel the manure into 5 gal buckets, with a couple of holes in the bottom to let pee out. Every couple of weeks I would dump the buckets in the garden where I needed it...

What you are doing sounds fine to me.


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

When we raised rabbits for about 10 years until 1976, most we had at any one time was 88. There was often too much manure to handle as a compost pile, especially in the spring when there was about 6 months accumulation. That was disposed of by burying. Trench was dug 3' wide and at least 2' deep. That was filled almost to the top and the dirt mounded up over it. First year, beans were planted there. Second year, tilled level and carrots were planted. 30 years later, that ground is still seemingly as rich as when the trenches were originally filled.

Martin


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

I concur with the trenching idea, if one is overwhelmed with material.....
I dug two trenches eighty yards long, 6 feet deep and two feet wide, several years ago, and filled them with rotted compost for my grape vineyard.
The cabbages, tomatoes, onions, garlic, etc. that have been planted near those rows as the grapes develop are always huge and they don't take long to get that way.


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## seagullplayer (Nov 6, 2008)

Forerunner said:


> I concur with the trenching idea, if one is overwhelmed with material.....
> I dug two trenches eighty yards long, 6 feet deep and two feet wide, several years ago, and filled them with rotted compost for my grape vineyard.
> The cabbages, tomatoes, onions, garlic, etc. that have been planted near those rows as the grapes develop are always huge and they don't take long to get that way.


WOW, that is a lot of compost! Sounds like you had a grape landfill going there for a while!


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

seagullplayer said:


> WOW, that is a lot of compost! Sounds like you had a grape landfill going there for a while!


To comprehend how much that is, it would be 1,944 cubic feet or 72 cubic yards or nine 8-yard dump trucks full. Not exactly what a home gardener is going to be able to produce! 

Martin


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## Forerunner (Mar 23, 2007)

I haul that much home in a day, sometimes. 

I pull two dump wagons behind a 3010 Deere w/loader.
Between the two wagons I can get 16-17 tons on.

The tractor was cheap enough at ten grand.
One wagon is just a simple running gear with hoist and homemade box. The other is a heavy duty dump trailer I made from an old semi tractor chassis.

It's all doable. It just boils down to priorities. To me, acres of rich black soil is _the_ priority.


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## am1too (Dec 30, 2009)

I am very fortunate indeed. A town near by has a compost yard and give away all you can load yourself or they will load it for a ten spot - more than you really want on a 1/2 ton pickup twice a year. I've got probably 20 yards screened.

I have though about hauling grass clippings home and putting red wigglers in it. probably could get paid to rake leaves in the fall. Got probably 40 yrds of leaves piled up to. Might just take my mulcher mower over them about 5 times. It makes the leaves almost powder.

am1too


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