Why is it the stinkiest manure seems to be the best on the garden? We've used horse, cow, sheep, pig, goat, rabbit, chicken, fish and duck manure on the garden in the past.

 I'd say that the areas that got covered with the duck pond water did the absolute best, but it was the most horrific to spread. I'm not sure if it was the quality or the quantity....the pond needed cleaned once a week through the warm weather. I'm reconsidering getting a few ducks again just for the manure. I can't digest duck eggs except in baking.

Second best is the rabbit droppings and the Fish sediment. the fish sediment we used to get by the truckload from a local state fish hatchery. Smelled like the bottom of a fish bowl. Did great things for the plants however. It's no longer available as the state built it's own waste management station just for the fish hatcheries. Wherever we spread the winter's rabbit droppings, the plants get greener and taller. I like keeping bunnies around just for that.

The worst was probably the pig manure. It had so many WEEDS!! And I'd have all kinds of new and different plants suddenly growing in my garden that I'd never seen before. Any manure is better than none on the garden, though!

 I have a garden covered in deer manure. This is the second year that we have had this problem. They chewed on a lot of bushed. Not sure how good this really is for the garden since it is fresh.Last year I tilled it under again and again before planting. One area, I had problems with things growing.Finally added some top soil. I will rake off as much as I can before plowing, let it dry out for using later. I like manure tea. Keeps the seeds out of the garden.
Babs

 We used to spread chicken manure (mixed with straw, grass and wood chips) on the garden in the fall and till it under. Other than that, aged cow manure was about all we used, plus compost. We had pigs, rabbits and turkeys, too, but for some reason, never used the manure for the garden.

what did you do with the 'extra' manure then....just dump it out back 40 somewhere? We started out with sandy soil here, so every bit of animal poo and compost was needed to build up the soil.

Dh wants to take last fall's barn cleanings that have sat and composted over to a neighbor' plot.....but I feel too greedy to share lol! I guess it's ok if they let plant corn out back of their place....

 We didn't have much of a back 40, but we spread pig manure on the grassy areas around the barns and sheds in the fall. The kids raised worms under the rabbit hutches and the few turkeys were free range for the most part so there wasn't enough to be a problem with what was in the housing. I wish I could get hold of some good aged manure right now, without having to pay through the nose and haul it by the bag in the car trunk.

You want them to plant corn?? Why, Michelle... I would never have thought that of you.

 I have to buy my manure. It comes in 40 pound bags, it's all natural, it comes from Vermont, and it's called MOO DOO......LOL, seriously...

 For the last 12 years, I had a horse, so I used horse manure on the garden.  Worked great. Breaks down nicely from large pellets into a fine texture that amends both clay & sandy soils nicely.  I always put the "fresh" manure in a pile at one end of the garden, then covered it with about 6 inches of dirt, & not very good dirt - subsoil quality dirt from double-digging new areas of the garden, or planting new trees, etc. That is where I planted the pumkins & squash & they always did fabulously well. If you have a problem with weeds, tho, I agree with babs - manure tea solves that very nicely. I have always had either clay or sandy soil, tho, so needed the organic additions to modify the tilth of the soil to hold water for the plants.  The horse has moved on to eternally greener pastures, but I still have enough horse connections to supply sufficient manure for my garden needs.

Pat:

 We didn't have much of a back 40, but we spread pig manure on the grassy areas around the barns and sheds in the fall. The kids raised worms under the rabbit hutches and the few turkeys were free range for the most part so there wasn't enough to be a problem with what was in the housing. I wish I could get hold of some good aged manure right now, without having to pay through the nose and haul it by the bag in the car trunk.

You want them to plant corn?? Why, Michelle... I would never have thought that of you.

I've noticed that the rabbit droppings are ALWAYS full of earth worms! I don't know where the little buggers come from!

Actually it was something the neighbor mentioned....corn to bring the deer in for hunting season....we'll plant, and get what the deer leave for our animals......it's a win-win deal.....

zohnerfarms:

  I always put the "fresh" manure in a pile at one end of the garden, then covered it with about 6 inches of dirt, & not very good dirt - subsoil quality dirt from double-digging new areas of the garden, or planting new trees, etc. 

 manure tea solves that very nicely. I have always had either clay or sandy soil, tho, so needed the organic additions to modify the tilth of the soil to hold water for the plants. 

When we clean barns, it gets piled at the end of the garden, outside the fence. It then breaks down over the year, and is spread on the garden in the spring. It's interesting to see the everything covered in snow in te thick of winter, yet see heat rays coming off the manure pile!

The only manure tea I get is in the late spring around the time we are transplanting plants into the garden....after it rains, the corner of the goat pen puddles outside their fence and I can usually scoop up 2 to 4 buckets full of the stuff and then pour on the transplants.

 I have bought Moo Doo too. Growing up my Dad always used chicken litter. My Mom always fused that it was full of fleas. I have used horse manure in the past.

I make manure tea in a 5 gallon bucket. Fill it 1/2 full of manure then add water. Sit it on the edge of the garden and let the rain fill it up again. Water with it. Babs