Are you looking to give your garden a natural boost? If you’ve got chickens or access to chicken manure you’re sitting on what many gardeners call “black gold.” As a passionate gardener myself I’ve been using chicken manure for years, and I’m excited to share which plants absolutely thrive with this nutrient-rich fertilizer.
Chicken manure isn’t just any ordinary fertilizer – it’s packed with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, making it perfect for many vegetables and flowering plants. But not all plants respond the same way to this powerful organic matter, and using it incorrectly can actually harm your precious garden.
In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through:
- Which plants love chicken manure (and which don’t)
- The difference between fresh and aged manure
- How to safely use chicken manure in your garden
- How much to apply and when
Let’s dig into the world of chicken manure and transform your garden into a thriving oasis!
What Makes Chicken Manure Special?
Before we dive into which plants benefit most from chicken manure, let’s understand why it’s such a garden superstar.
Chicken manure contains a powerful blend of nutrients
- Nitrogen (N): Higher than most animal manures (around 1.1%)
- Phosphorus (P): Approximately 0.8%
- Potassium (K): About 0.5%
Compare this to cow manure (0.6-0.4-0.5) or horse manure (0.7-0.3-0.6), and you’ll see why chicken manure packs such a punch. It’s particularly rich in nitrogen, which promotes lush, green growth in plants.
But wait – there’s more! Chicken manure also
- Improves soil structure
- Enhances water retention
- Encourages beneficial soil microbes and earthworms
- Provides slow-release nutrients
Fresh vs. Aged Chicken Manure: A Critical Distinction
Here’s something super important that many beginners get wrong: never use fresh chicken manure directly on your plants!
Fresh chicken manure is too “hot” (high in nitrogen) and can literally burn your plants. It also contains pathogens that could contaminate your edible crops. This is especially concerning for root vegetables or any plants where the edible portion touches the soil.
For safe use, chicken manure needs to be either:
- Aged: Allow it to decompose naturally for 6-12 months
- Composted: Mix with carbon materials (like straw, leaves, or wood shavings) and compost properly
- Purchased as pellets: These are already processed and safe to use
I usually add my chicken coop cleanings to my compost pile with plenty of dry leaves and let it cook for several months. The finished product is amazing for the garden!
Top Plants That Love Chicken Manure
Many plants absolutely thrive when fertilized with properly aged chicken manure. Some of the most popular include: tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, squash, melons, cucumbers, and beans. Chicken manure can also be used to fertilize fruit trees, such as apples and citrus. In addition to these common crops, chicken manure can also be used on ornamentals, turfgrass, and native plants.
Let’s break down some specific categories:
Heavy-Feeding Vegetables That Love Chicken Manure
These vegetables are known as “heavy feeders” and absolutely thrive with the nitrogen boost:
- Tomatoes: Benefit from the balanced nutrients that support flower and fruit development
- Peppers: Love the nitrogen for vegetative growth
- Eggplant: Another nightshade that responds well
- Cucumbers: The water-holding capacity of chicken manure helps these thirsty plants
- Squash family: Zucchini, pumpkins, and other squashes grow vigorously
- Corn: Loves nitrogen-rich soil
- Leafy greens: Spinach, kale, lettuce, bok choy, Swiss chard
- Broccoli and cabbage family: Brussels sprouts, cauliflower
- Celery: Benefits from consistent moisture retention
- Asparagus: Perennial crop that appreciates annual top-dressing
Fruit Trees and Chicken Manure
Fruit trees also respond incredibly well to chicken manure fertilizer:
- Apple trees: Benefit from slow-release nutrients
- Citrus trees: Thrive with chicken manure applications
- Other fruit trees: Generally respond well, especially when manure is applied at the drip line
I’ve got a mulberry tree near my chicken coop, and the constant deposits of fresh manure around it (which ages naturally) has resulted in explosive growth and amazing fruit production!
Flowering Plants and Chicken Manure
Don’t forget your flower beds when distributing this garden gold:
- Roses: Love the balanced nutrients and organic matter
- Marigolds: Thrive with chicken manure fertilizer
- Dahlias: Produce more vigorous growth and blooms
Plants That DON’T Like Chicken Manure
While many plants love chicken manure, some actually prefer lower nitrogen levels. These plants often won’t perform well with too much chicken manure:
Root Vegetables
- Beets
- Carrots
- Parsnips
- Radishes
- Rutabagas
- Turnips
- Sweet potatoes
Other Plants
- Potatoes (too much nitrogen leads to lots of foliage but fewer tubers)
- Watermelons (unlike other melons, prefer less nitrogen)
- Legumes (beans, peas) in some cases can fix their own nitrogen
For these plants, consider gentler alternatives like composted leaf mold or well-rotted cow manure instead.
How to Safely Use Chicken Manure in Your Garden
Now that you know which plants benefit most from chicken manure, let’s talk about how to use it properly:
Application Methods
- Pre-planting soil amendment: Mix well-aged manure into garden beds before planting
- Top dressing: Sprinkle aged manure around established plants (keep away from stems)
- Compost tea: Create a liquid fertilizer by steeping aged manure in water
- Mixed with regular compost: Blend with your regular compost pile
How Much to Apply
A good rule of thumb is to use about 1 pound of composted chicken manure per square foot of garden space. For commercial chicken manure pellets, follow the package instructions (typically 3-4 pounds per 100 square feet).
When using chicken manure tea, dilute it until it’s the color of weak tea before applying.
When to Apply
The best times to apply chicken manure are:
- Early spring before planting
- Late fall after harvest
- During the growing season as a side dressing (use sparingly)
For food safety, follow these guidelines:
- For crops without ground contact (like tomatoes): Apply no later than 90 days before harvest
- For crops with ground contact (like strawberries): Apply no later than 120 days before harvest
Making Chicken Manure Compost
If you have your own chickens, here’s a quick guide to composting their manure:
- Collect regularly: Scoop droppings from underneath roosting bars daily if possible
- Mix with carbon-rich materials: Add dry leaves, straw, wood shavings, or other “browns”
- Maintain proper ratio: Aim for about 2-3 parts carbon materials to 1 part chicken manure
- Keep moist but not wet: Like a wrung-out sponge
- Turn regularly: Every few weeks to speed decomposition
- Be patient: Allow 3-6 months for cold composting, 30+ days for hot composting
DIY Chicken Manure Tea
This is my favorite way to use chicken manure for indoor plants and seedlings:
- Fill a burlap sack or old pillowcase with aged chicken manure
- Submerge in a bucket of water (about 1 part manure to 5 parts water)
- Let steep for 3-5 days, stirring occasionally
- Dilute the resulting “tea” until it’s the color of weak tea
- Apply to plants as a liquid fertilizer
This reduces the smell and makes nutrients immediately available to plants.
Common Questions About Chicken Manure
Is chicken manure good for flowers?
Yes! Chicken manure is excellent for flowers, particularly nutrient-hungry varieties like roses, dahlias, and marigolds. The balanced nutrients promote lush growth and abundant blooms.
How long does chicken manure take to break down in soil?
Chicken manure typically takes 3-6 months to fully decompose in soil, though this varies depending on temperature, moisture, and soil biology.
Can you put chicken manure on top of soil?
Yes, aged chicken manure can be used as a top dressing. Spread it evenly around plants (avoiding direct contact with stems) and water well to help nutrients seep into the soil.
Is chicken manure good for indoor plants?
Absolutely! Aged chicken manure can be beneficial for indoor plants, but it’s best used as “manure tea” to reduce odor and make nutrients more readily available.
Final Thoughts
Chicken manure is truly one of nature’s best fertilizers when used correctly. By understanding which plants benefit most from it and how to apply it safely, you’ll be rewarded with a thriving, productive garden.
Remember these key points:
- Always use aged or composted manure, never fresh
- Focus on heavy-feeding plants that love nitrogen
- Avoid using it on root vegetables
- Apply at the right time and in the right amounts
Have you tried using chicken manure in your garden? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below! And if you’re looking for more organic gardening tips, be sure to check out our other articles on sustainable growing practices.
Happy gardening with your “black gold”!
The Risks of Using Chicken Manure Compost Too Soon
Fresh chicken manure can ‘burn’ young plants and seedlings because of its high nitrogen content. That’s why chicken manure needs to be composted and aged before you use it in your garden. Fresh chicken manure, also called ‘hot’ chicken manure is also more likely to contain harmful pathogens or bacteria, which can be dangerous if you are using the manure in vegetable or edible gardens.
Composting and aging chicken manure help balance out the nitrogen levels and kill off harmful bacteria and pathogens. Composting and aging the ‘hot’ chicken manure can take place at the same time. Ideally, you want to let ‘hot’ chicken manure age for a minimum of 3 months, but preferably 6 months up to 1 year.
If you use the hot composting method in a warmed climate or sunny area, you may only need to let the chicken manure compost age for 3 months since the manure breaks down more quickly into compost.
For cold composting, you will want to age the chicken manure compost for at least 6-12 months since this composing process is slower and won’t be breaking down the manure as quickly.
What Are the Benefits of Chicken Manure Compost?
Chicken manure compost provides many benefits to soil and your garden. Here are a few key benefits that it can provide:
- Natural Fertilizer: Adds nutrients like calcium, sulfur, magnesium, nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, copper, zinc, and iron to the soil.
- Improves Soil Structure: Helps improve water retention, soil drainage, and improves soil aeration.
- Feeds Soil Microbes: Soil microbes feed on organic matter like chicken manure compost which then makes the nutrients more readily available to plants.
Chicken manure compost is especially beneficial for nitrogen-loving plants. Plants like tomatoes, peppers, leafy greens, cucumbers, squash, sweet corn, pole beans, and rhubarb all benefit from soil that has had chicken manure added to it.