Rabbit manure - Page 2

Keiththibodeaux · January 16, 2012

You can always try sheet composting. http://web.extension.illinois.edu/ho...methods.html#4

ArcherB · January 16, 2012

Thanx Augie. I think I've used that method with other things as well, except I used a tray from Burger King and a credit card. I'll see what I have around the garage that will work. If nothing else, I can use that giant box that my Texas Tomato Cages came in (I'm so excited to use those this year.)

And Keith:

That would work, but it's kinda what I'm already doing with all that Christmas Tree Mulch I've been getting. Every year, I get enough for a bout 6-12 inches of fresh mulch. It's not too hot by the time I plant in March/April. By the next year, it breaks down to about 3 inches. I scrape off the big pieces, put down last year's compost from the pile, grass clippings mostly, put the old mulch back on top and add another 6-8 inches. After about 4 years of that, I have about three inches of good dirt over black and red clay. I can put the rabbit stuff down before this years Christmas tree run, and that was the original plan, but I don't know if the ammonia smelling, urine soaked sawdust will be an issue.

augiedog55 · January 16, 2012

Exactly.. lmao. You nailed.. it really works. you could flattin out a large card board box and get the same effect as the 4x4 sheet of playwood.

CarolynPhillips · January 24, 2012

is there any such thing as too much rabbit manure?

augiedog55 · January 24, 2012

From all my research theres not much of a chance.

rockhound · January 25, 2012

Rabbit manure is pretty mild and I never had it harm my plants. It's already been thoroughly digested twice when you use it.

ArcherB · January 25, 2012

Here's my situation:
I have two compost piles and a city issued, large trashcan (the kinds with wheels). The two compost piles are next to eachother, with two pallets in the back and front, one for each side and a pallet splitting the two piles. One pile is last year's stuff and one is new, cooking stuff. Every winter, I take the last year pile and spread it around the garden, move the cooking pile, which has been building all year and move it the "last year" pile, turning it over in the process, and start adding material like grass clippings to the cooking pile once summer starts. The giant trash can is for kitchen scraps.

So far this year, I've gotten two loads of bunny manure, which is actually composed of about 1/3 manure, saw dust and straw. I spread one load around the garden, separating out whatever straw I could, and left the other load in the cooking pile. BTW, the manure got HOT while waiting to be spread. I don't know if it was the manure, the sawdust, the straw, or the fact that it is all soaked with urine and has an ammonia smell like a woman's house with 20 cats. I covered what didn't get spread with one of those Home Depot bags of leaves and all the stuff from my city issued trash can. Now, both piles are full and the trash bin is empty. I have no idea what I'm going to do with my grass clippings because they don't do well in the trash can. The last time I tried it, it plugged my drainage holes and turned putrid.

With all of that said, I want to do one more bunny run. I was thinking of taking large trash can with me and filling it up maybe half way, or whatever I can lift back into the bed of my truck. What will happen with all that stuff as it sits in the trash can over the summer, getting topped with kitchen scraps? Will it turn putrid like the grass did or is there a chance it will turn into good stuff?

rockhound · January 25, 2012

Manure mixed with sawdust/straw/urine is a far cry from just manure. You should compost it and compost need to be turned to get air in it.

CarolynPhillips · January 25, 2012

I let my grass clippings dry a couple of days before I rake them up.

dice · January 25, 2012

The bunny stuff should drain better than the grass clippings did. You
can always put a few inches of some chunky stuff, cacti or big chunks
of bark or sticks or whatever in the bottom of the trash can.

If you do not have room anywhere else for the grass clippings, just
spread them on top of the garden. They will dry out and add to your
mulch.

ArcherB · December 24, 2012

Report from last year:
I placed about half directly on my beds. Those did pretty well. The rest stayed in my compost bin and were mixed with a bag or two of leaves. Throughout the year, I added my kitchen compost with coffee grounds (8-12 cups per day with paper filter) and grass clippings.

For the first time ever, I have worms in my compost pile. Not just a few, either, but they are solid! I almost don't want to put the compost on my beds because I want to keep the worms. But, I'm growing tomatoes, not worms. I'll save some of the compost and whatever worms I can pick out and put them back in the pile in the hope that they repopulate the species in my compost piles.

As for the compost, it is by far the best looking compost I've ever had. It's as perfect a compost as I've ever seen. I hope my plant like it as much as I do.

Redbaron · December 24, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArcherB

As for the compost, it is by far the best looking compost I've ever had. It's as perfect a compost as I've ever seen. I hope my plant like it as much as I do.

They will

clkeiper · December 27, 2012

I moved my rabbit cage to the high tunnel and placed it directly on the row where plants go and let the droppings fall beneath, moving it once a week. I am hoping this works as well....

Alpinejs · December 30, 2012

I have had success with going to a few feed stores and asking if they know of any that
raise rabbits and then tell them why I am interested. All were reluctant to give out names
but took my name and I now have adedquate rabbit manure. About one pick-up truck
load but from 3 sources. Now, I am sure I can do the same in No. Minn. for my Canada
gardening efforts.

ArcherB · December 31, 2012

I finally found a guy closer to home who had "pure" stuff. The stuff I got last year was mixed with sawdust pellets and straw that had visible seed on it. It also reeked of ammonia. Once it all broke down in the compost pile, it was good stuff.

The "pure" stuff I found right down the street is just that... PURE. There was no straw, no sawdust and absolutely no smell. Just a bunch of "pellets" at various stages of breaking down. Like you, I grabbed and entire truckload. My compost piles are now full!

January 24, 2012	#19
CarolynPhillips Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Nauvoo, Alabama Posts: 184	is there any such thing as too much rabbit manure? __________________ Happy Gardening Carolyn

January 25, 2012	#24
CarolynPhillips Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Nauvoo, Alabama Posts: 184	I let my grass clippings dry a couple of days before I rake them up. __________________ Happy Gardening Carolyn

January 25, 2012	#25
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	The bunny stuff should drain better than the grass clippings did. You can always put a few inches of some chunky stuff, cacti or big chunks of bark or sticks or whatever in the bottom of the trash can. If you do not have room anywhere else for the grass clippings, just spread them on top of the garden. They will dry out and add to your mulch. __________________ -- alias

December 27, 2012	#28
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	I moved my rabbit cage to the high tunnel and placed it directly on the row where plants go and let the droppings fall beneath, moving it once a week. I am hoping this works as well.... __________________ carolyn k

January 16, 2012	#16
Keiththibodeaux Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Louisiana Posts: 587	You can always try sheet composting. http://web.extension.illinois.edu/ho...methods.html#4

January 16, 2012	#17
ArcherB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Austin TX Posts: 200	Thanx Augie. I think I've used that method with other things as well, except I used a tray from Burger King and a credit card. I'll see what I have around the garage that will work. If nothing else, I can use that giant box that my Texas Tomato Cages came in (I'm so excited to use those this year.) And Keith: That would work, but it's kinda what I'm already doing with all that Christmas Tree Mulch I've been getting. Every year, I get enough for a bout 6-12 inches of fresh mulch. It's not too hot by the time I plant in March/April. By the next year, it breaks down to about 3 inches. I scrape off the big pieces, put down last year's compost from the pile, grass clippings mostly, put the old mulch back on top and add another 6-8 inches. After about 4 years of that, I have about three inches of good dirt over black and red clay. I can put the rabbit stuff down before this years Christmas tree run, and that was the original plan, but I don't know if the ammonia smelling, urine soaked sawdust will be an issue.

January 16, 2012	#18
augiedog55 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: oak grove mo Posts: 406	Exactly.. lmao. You nailed.. it really works. you could flattin out a large card board box and get the same effect as the 4x4 sheet of playwood.

January 25, 2012	#21
rockhound Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Tennessee Posts: 285	Rabbit manure is pretty mild and I never had it harm my plants. It's already been thoroughly digested twice when you use it.

December 24, 2012	#26
ArcherB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Austin TX Posts: 200	Report from last year: I placed about half directly on my beds. Those did pretty well. The rest stayed in my compost bin and were mixed with a bag or two of leaves. Throughout the year, I added my kitchen compost with coffee grounds (8-12 cups per day with paper filter) and grass clippings. For the first time ever, I have worms in my compost pile. Not just a few, either, but they are solid! I almost don't want to put the compost on my beds because I want to keep the worms. But, I'm growing tomatoes, not worms. I'll save some of the compost and whatever worms I can pick out and put them back in the pile in the hope that they repopulate the species in my compost piles. As for the compost, it is by far the best looking compost I've ever had. It's as perfect a compost as I've ever seen. I hope my plant like it as much as I do.

December 30, 2012	#29
Alpinejs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Alpine, Calif. in winter. Sandpoint Lake, Ont. Canada summers Posts: 850	I have had success with going to a few feed stores and asking if they know of any that raise rabbits and then tell them why I am interested. All were reluctant to give out names but took my name and I now have adedquate rabbit manure. About one pick-up truck load but from 3 sources. Now, I am sure I can do the same in No. Minn. for my Canada gardening efforts.

December 31, 2012	#30
ArcherB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Austin TX Posts: 200	I finally found a guy closer to home who had "pure" stuff. The stuff I got last year was mixed with sawdust pellets and straw that had visible seed on it. It also reeked of ammonia. Once it all broke down in the compost pile, it was good stuff. The "pure" stuff I found right down the street is just that... PURE. There was no straw, no sawdust and absolutely no smell. Just a bunch of "pellets" at various stages of breaking down. Like you, I grabbed and entire truckload. My compost piles are now full!