# Poultry Litter



## TJH (Mar 23, 2014)

According to recent soil test my land needs an massive supply of P&K. Since I live in a major poultry production area, I am considering using litter on all my ground next year. I've never used it, and am looking for imput from those of you that have. To give you an idea following a soil test on a small 15 acre patch of Bermuda with dry fertilizer to add everything I needed it figures out to right at $9k for the 15 acres, we have poor ground here. The catch 22 here in NE Okla. we are in the water shed that supplies Tulsa with it's water and we are limited to 3 tons' of litter per acre per year. From the research that I have done litter will give me about 60 lbs of each per ton. I can purchase it for 23 dollars a ton delivered to my fields. What is your thoughts?


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## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

3 ton is all u want per acre. It will smoke the soil literally. Otherwise, I think it is great.


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## Bonfire (Oct 21, 2012)

I would order it tonight. Here, trucked in from the Shenandoah Valley, it's about $40/ton plus the spreading fee. Very good source of P.

I'd have to go back and look at the math but for me, my litter costs vs commercial was about a wash.

Do you have any cows you can feed it to?


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

I give the neighbor $5/ton for dry layer manure, and $2/ton for the spreader. If I wanted to be a dick I could get it for free cause he has too much manure and needs to get rid of it...

Its a whole 1/4 mile over the hill...I must be living better than I thought. $40/ton would make my eyes bug out...


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## ANewman (Sep 20, 2012)

Is it litter from broiler houses? IMO you get more bang for your buck with litter. It has N P & K plus minor elements. I have put as much as 4 tons per year on hybrid Bermuda.

I work for a guy that is in the litter business. We charge $35/ ton delivered. In this area that pencils out to a little less than N alone costs. If you are set up to handle it, I think it can be a valuable part of a fertilization program


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## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

Just be extremely careful spreading litter on hay. Most turkey litter here has composted carcasses in it which can carry salmonella if not thoroughly composted. Had an Amishman kill 13 work horses a couple years ago by feeding hay with turkey parts in it.


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## broadriverhay (Jun 13, 2014)

My county agent says you will be deficient in potassium no matter how much litter you apply. he says you will have to supplement the litter with poatash. I dont use any litter just passing on the info.


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## TJH (Mar 23, 2014)

I just don't think I want to feed it to my cows, too worried about cocodicous ( or however it's spelled)


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## bluefarmer (Oct 10, 2010)

Litter that has went through a heat makes some good cow feed


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## ANewman (Sep 20, 2012)

bluefarmer said:


> Litter that has went through a heat makes some good cow feed


We haul some to a guy that mixes it with corn silage and a couple other ingredients to feed out Holsteins


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## BPatrick (Aug 30, 2013)

ANewman said:


> We haul some to a guy that mixes it with corn silage and a couple other ingredients to feed out Holsteins


That's scary! All fowl litter is subject to carry different types of bacteria.....I personally will not put it on my hay fields.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

BPatrick, the bacteria is not the problem as all excrement has bacteria.....the real danger comes from salmonella....salmonella is not in all fowl litter...but amazingly, many soils naturally contain salmonella...even though they have never had any manure fertilizers spread on them.

Regards, Mike


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

I thought you werent allow to feed litter to cattle anymore. Or maybe its just not recommended...


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

When guys talked about feeding litter I guess it's okay . I always said just stay away from me. don't even want to talk about it. I just can't for the life of me imagine that if you told the general public you feed your animals chicken s***.. They just race right down to the grocery store to buy your product.


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## bluefarmer (Oct 10, 2010)

If your gonna feed it pile it and let it go through a heat, actually smells good, if you didn't know what it was you wouldn't believe it if someone told you.


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## gradyjohn (Jul 17, 2012)

TJH said:


> I just don't think I want to feed it to my cows, too worried about cocodicous ( or however it's spelled)


I knew what you meant even tho it might have disarranged or missing letters. However If was close to a poultry operation I would use it for sure. Mahard Egg operation that use to be in Frisco, TX put it on his hay fields. He had the most lush Coastal bermuda ever seen in blackland.


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## PaCustomBaler (Nov 29, 2010)

It's a great source of NPK + micronutrients for the money....around $30/ton applied here. It's best to get little from layer houses because they jack up the calcium in the feed to make eggs stronger....= fertilizer + lime. Any fields that regularly have layer litter put on them are actually slightly about 7.0 pH. Typical litter analysis is 2-3-3. Do the math @ $30/ton @ 3 ton/ac:

6000 lb. x .02 Nitrogen = 120 lb

6000 lb. x .03 P2O5 = 180 lb

6000 lb. x .03 K20 = 180 lb

+ any secondary and micronutrients, as well as lime if layer hen manure.

It's hard to beat all of the nutrients at $90/ac trucked and applied.

Granted not all of the nutrients will be plant-available. Some will be tied of in the soil due to nitrification or p-fixation before nutrients are mineralized, or also N-volatilization. Most of the manure will be available the first year, with roughly 25% becoming available the following year.


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## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

What sources for the litter are available for someone in the northwest region of PA who would like to have it delivered. I am very interested in trying it on my fields.


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## ANewman (Sep 20, 2012)

IH 1586 said:


> What sources for the litter are available for someone in the northwest region of PA who would like to have it delivered. I am very interested in trying it on my fields.


Are there any poultry houses within 50 miles of you?


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## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

ANewman said:


> Are there any poultry houses within 50 miles of you?


Not that I know of. Nobody uses it around here. There is a Amish guy that said he did. Going to see him after first of year.


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## ANewman (Sep 20, 2012)

We deliver it in southern middle TN. Due to time constraints we try to stay within a 50 mile radius. That's why I asked about proximity


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## bamfarmer (Oct 21, 2014)

Lot of poultry operations in my area, and we take full advantage of litter. For years thats all we used on hay fields and pastures. Lot of difference between layer house litter and broiler house litter. Over all the broiler litter is much better, but I have found applications where I like the layer litter. For building new ground and poor ground I like layer/hen litter with a top dressing of nitrogen (100 lbs). Works great on winter grazing aswell. Alot of calcium in layer litter and you will not need nearly as much lime. I like to apply broiler litter during the summer and on grass that I'm wanting a more immediate result. The ammonia really makes it jump. If you will alternate between broiler and layer litter and us them in combination with comercial you should have good results.


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