Chicken fertalizer - Ask Extension
If I raised meat chickens in my garden area, could I rototiller the ground and plant immediately or would it be too hot?
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Chicken fertalizer #924163
Asked February 02, 2026, 10:50 PM EST
If I raised meat chickens in my garden area, could I rototiller the ground and plant immediately or would it be too hot?
Matanuska-Susitna County Alaska
Expert Response
Meat chickens are typically harvested at about 9-14 weeks of age, depending on breed. If the chickens are held in one stationary area, even after a few weeks, the amount of chicken manure in the holding area would be substantial, and the best practice would be to rototill that area after the birds are removed and not plant edible crops again until the next spring. Some people plant cover crops shortly after the chickens are removed, and then plant with edible crops the following spring. I would avoid planting edible root crops in the area that the chickens were held until two years later, since there would still be manure and possibly pathogens such as E. coli in that soil that could contaminate the surfaces of root crops.
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Sent from my iPhone
On Feb 3, 2026, at 9:34 AM, Ask Extension wrote:
