The smell of chicken litter can be offensive. But ask a farmer who spreads it for fertilizer, and most will tell you, “It smells like money.” Since 2011, farmer Matt Griggs in Humboldt, Tenn., has included chicken litter in his soil fertility program. He shared four key takeaways, including the benefits and caveats of using litter. 

Griggs carries out his devotion to building the soil’s biological habitat with a variety of practices. For over 20 years he has implemented no-till, and for over 10 years he has planted cover crops. He also includes crop rotation, residue management, and using fewer commercial fertilizers. 

“I am a firm believer, if you build it, they will come,” Griggs said of increasing soil biology. “Try to reduce your high-salt synthetic fertilizers. Microbes do not like all that salt.”  

Instead, he turns to chicken litter. “I am a big proponent of chicken litter. If you want to add some biology to your soil, then there is nothing better than adding chicken litter,” he said. 

1. Know what you are getting. 

While precision agriculture is rapidly growing, Griggs said, “There is nothing precise about a chicken litter application.” 

His first rule of thumb is to know what you are getting. “Know what you are paying for,” he said. “Not all chicken litter is created equal. The nutrient analysis can vary from barn to barn, from farm to farm, or from truckload to truckload.” 

Related:Finding optimal rates for chicken litter and yields

He has tested samples over the years. Even samples taken from the same pile can vary wildly in pounds per ton of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur. 

Through experience, he has zoned in on a base nutrient ratio for chicken litter. Griggs said, “It is hard to put a value on it, but I have tried to simplify it. Basically, I have never seen a sample come below a minimum analysis of 45-45-45-10, N-P-K-S per ton. So, I assume I am getting at least a triple-45.” 

In addition, there are other benefits of chicken litter, like improving organic matter and providing a good food source for soil organisms. “If you want to add biology to the soil, especially decomposers to help breakdown your soil, litter is going to be full of it,” Griggs said. 

2. Determine the value of chicken litter on your acres. 

Is chicken litter cheaper than commercial fertilizer? The answer depends on logistics and your soil needs.  

In his region, Griggs said litter costs $27 to $37 per ton. Then, it costs around $16 per ton to haul it, plus $8 to $12 per ton to spread it. That comes to a total of $51 to $65 per ton of chicken litter. 

Related:How to access all-inclusive fertilizer recommendations

A typical litter application is 2 tons per acre. Yet, Griggs has found success in spreading it at a 1.5 ton per acre rate, and he does not recommend going lower than that. 

Given his base nutrient analysis of 45-45-45-10, 1.5 tons per acre application gives him a triple-68, or a 68-68-68-15, N-P-K-S. “Keep in mind, on some farms you might not need 68 pounds of phosphorus. While chicken litter might be a cheaper fertilizer source, this rate would give you something you do not need. Since you cannot vary the analysis of chicken litter, the value is not as good in that case.” 

To compare the cost of chicken litter to commercial fertilizer, Griggs calculated what it would take to get the 45-45-45-10 base ratio with synthetic fertilizer. He said it would require 41 pounds of urea, 94 pounds of diammonium phosphate, 75 pounds of potash, and 42 pounds of ammonium sulfate. That totals around $71 per acre, not including the application cost. 

Theoretically, a farmer could lower that total by using a synthetic fertilizer application tailored to only address soil nutrient needs. Griggs said, “As long as you have good existing fertility in your soils, commercial fertilizer is probably going to be cheaper because you are not applying as many nutrients.” 

As a sidenote, he pointed out an added value of chicken litter applications that provide micronutrients like copper, manganese, magnesium, and zinc. Individually, these micronutrients are expensive to apply and might be left out of traditional fertilizer applications. 

He also emphasized that just because chicken litter works for him, it may not work in every situation. “What I tell everyone is to try a little bit and test, test, test, on your own farm. Find out what works for you based on your soils, climate, and farming practices.” 

3. Prepare to wait for full nutrient availability. 

Results with chicken litter are not instant. Litter is organic, and it takes time for nutrients to be broken down and available. Griggs said it typically takes around three years for full nutrient availability in the soil. 

“If you are just starting out with chicken litter, do not expect that nutrient analysis to fertilize this year’s crop. You will probably get about 50% of the nutrients the first year and the other 50% in the next two years,” he said. “Where we have seen chicken litter to be fantastic is when we use it continuously, year after year, after year.” 

Depending on the weather and spreading practices, nitrogen volatilization is also a possibility. Griggs said, “Unless you are incorporating it or applying it right in front of a rain, a lot of that nitrogen component in chicken litter is going to be lost through volatilization. Just like if you were to apply urea without a treatment, it is going to be lost to the atmosphere.” 

There are other things to consider, like the density change of litter from pile to pile or the wind’s effect on the spread pattern. Griggs advised calibrating the spreader to get as close to your rate as possible. 

4. Manage litter properly and be a good neighbor. 

Complaints about the smell of chicken litter are common, and not every landlord will agree to litter used as fertilizer on their acres. When using litter, good management is important to help you stay on good terms with neighbors and keep complaints at bay. 

Griggs recommends concealing your stockpile. He said, “Try to stockpile out of site, because you are less likely to get everybody stirred up. They may get a little whiff of it, but it is not going to be near as obvious as if the pile was sitting out for everyone to see.” 

Proper storage also preserves quality. As litter is hauled in, Griggs recommends pushing the smaller piles into one large pile. The large stockpile will form a crust and shed water. Otherwise, if left in individual piles, rain can saturate the litter and later complicate spreading. 

To minimize the smell, Griggs suggests spreading litter during the winter, preferably in front of rain. While he is not a fan of tillage, he said you can incorporate the litter to immediately reduce the smell if your neighbors complain about the stench. 

“As farmers, we can do a lot to mitigate any future regulations just by being smart in what we do,” Griggs said.