Atlantic Xpat

I have a question re. the mule turds. Ok, so you use your tractor to put them in a big pile. Then you have a big pile of mule turds as opposed to them scattered around. What then? Market it as a crappy tourist attraction? 'Come see the pile-o-turds!' Or is it just an excuse to play with the tax deductable big boys toy?

Steve_P

Dry them out and burn them?

dbd33

Three piles. Our "manure management plan" as filed with the ministry of animal excrement, or whatever it's called, calls for three piles. After a cycle one will be compost, one will be decaying, and one will be for dumping new turds. The fate of the composted pile is unclear but options include:

- giving it away/selling it for garden use
- buying/borrowing a spreader and blasting it across the paddocks
- putting it in the giant spreader of the farmer down the road and watching him blast it

In the very worst case we'll get rid of it by adding it to the pile at the farm when we worked last year and otraynor is currently riding (see attached picture). The problem with that being the need for a trailer (or any late model green F150 with four wheel drive, the mid sized cab and the leather bench seat) to move it over there.

Since we don't anticipate getting production facilities for new turds until after the first cut of hay we've a little time to get organized. We're essentially following the approach from "Horse Keeping on a Small Acreage" by Cherry Hill as modified by the experience of people local to here. I'm told that most people take a while to get their manure management organized as they have to acquire horses and then wait for them to crap. We're lucky in that we have a head start due to having acquired all these turds with the fields. We were offered the mules along with the place but I'm glad we declined as three mules seem to be able to produce a great deal more shit than I'm quite ready for. We're going to be away a fair bit over the next six weeks but, after that, we'll be developing chickenshit production capabilities by way of a test before moving into the big leagues.

Beebop

Aye, but chicken and horse poo have entirely different characteristics.

Chickenpoo is as caustic as hell whilst horsepoo is good for compost on fruit/veg garden.

Oh, what I would give for a couple of chickens & a horse!

dbd33

I would not be surprised to be offering a bargain deal on a combination like that in a year or so.

The plan for the chickenshit is that I intend to mount the hen house (formerly known as the children's playhouse) on a boat trailer we're not using and drill holes in the bottom of the house. Wheeling the trailer around should distribute the hot manure widely and limit the damage to the grass caused by the free ranging hens. That's the idea anyway, there are hurdles though; the boat trailer is frozen to the ground and the future hen house requires dismantling and moving from the house of my ex. Nothing I like better than an hour of hard labour in the garden of the house I used to own while listening to a litany of my failings delivered in French.

hot wasabi peas

Hey dbd, about that bird. It's a junco.

jood

I'm sure there are numerous people on here who could provide you with more than enough bs to meet your needs..............

Atlantic Xpat

Have you considered a reality tv series about your life? In the vein of the Osbournes/Anna Nicole/Life with Gene Simmons type thing. You certainly appear to have the material.

Thanks for the clarifcation re. mule turds. Not being a horsey type there is a world of shit that I am thankfully ignorant of. Do John Deere make a turd spreader? (The new 'Turdicator 9000 turbo' perhaps?)

Beebop

A whole new world for you to explore.....you can pay thousands of pounds for a machine that is only shiny until you use it!

I also never knew you could rub coconut oil into hen legs to get rid of mites until I found this site...

http://www.poultryclub.org/Advice.htm

dbd33

Hey, thanks! Junco vs. gobsomething was being debated here.

dbd33

I lack Ozzy's charisma.

John Deere do make a range of spreaders (note that some spreaders cost $100,000 - this is a serious business) but I've noticed that everyone seems to have a New Holland spreader; even people who have a JD tractor, implements and dog bandana use NH spreaders. I'd like to ask why but I fear that my not knowing would be ridiculed.

dbd33

If you think I'm going to be rubbing coconut oil into hen's legs ....

Beebop

You'll have happy hens!

Rich_007

dbd - I expected more crustiness, you have impressed me.

Rich.

dbd33

Cheers but it's innocent fun, innit, this country stuff.