Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 87, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 February 1912 — CARE OF POULTRY DROPPINGS [ARTICLE]

CARE OF POULTRY DROPPINGS

Only Way to Save Nitrogen Is to Get Fresh Manure Into Soil Immediately—Heats Rapidly. (By H. B. SPECK.) Some years ago Peruvian and other guanos were largely used by farmers. When pure these guanos consisted of the manure of sea birds. In the rainless regions of the west coast of South America vast numbers of sea birls go to certain islands to breed and roost. As it seldom or never rains there, the manure dries rapidly. “Mixed with it are bodies of dead birds and fish, on which the birds feed. This material is dug up and crushed into a powder and. makes a fine fertilizer. Some farmers had an idea that hen manure is as valuable as this guano—because both are bird manure. This is not so. The value of manure depends on what the animal eats. These sea birds live largely on fish—food rich in nitrogen and phosphoric acid. Naturally their manure is richer than that of hens fed largely on grain. Every one knows that ground fish or meat would prove a better fertilizer than corn meal. The same difference must be found in the manure made froita feeding them. Another difference is found in the fact that the guano is promptly dried and has no chance to heat and ferment, thus driving off its nitrogen. On the other hand, every one who keeps poultry knows how quickly hen manure gives off ammonia, for this is plainly evident, in the smell. As hen manure is usually handled, probably half its nitrogen Is lost in this way. With other farm animals the solids and liquids are voided separately—and 7 as all know the liquids contain most of the available plant food and are most likely to ferment and send off ammonia. In the hen the solids and liquids are voided together. Most of Its nitrogen is in the form of uric acid, which .decays rapidly and "forms ammonia quickly. When It Is left exposed so It will heat there Is great loss.