how to store rabbit poop over the winter

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I never thought I would be posting a pic of rabbit poop.. But I am... I am happy about it to.. after cleaning most of the hay up under the cages and having the chickens scratch it around.. and having no rain for a while.. it was nice and dry.. I though , now is the time to start saving some it as it is nice and dry and no odor..So, I keep my feed bags.. I filled up two feed bags .. I wish there was more.. I never thought I say that ether ... I want it for my flower pots next year.. is it ok just to leave it open to breath or is it ok to close the bag up... any special way to store this over winter.?Hoping to bag more before fall.

 

[Dood]

The poop will breath through those woven bags so you can tie them up if you'd like.

I just stack mine along a shadey side of the barn in the winter, sunlight will degrade the plastic and it can get brittle and rip come spring time when you're ready to use it.

After a winter of composting it comes out practically odourless, loam-like and blends in perfectly with potting mix or tilled into your garden soil.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Great minds think alike, MaryAnn!

I have about 10 feed sacks full right now, mainly because the vegi garden is so lush that it is difficult to spread it in the beds. (Terrible problem, I know. :roll: ) Some of it was wet and had maggots so I taped the bags shut and have them stacked on a pallet. That way once the maggots turn into flies, they will be trapped inside and die. Mwa-ha-ha! :twisted:

Since yours is dry, I imagine it will be just the same come springtime. If it gets wet it will start to compost.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

ok,... great I will tie them up ... I don't want them getting wet.. so I have them in my storage room.. yes, MSD.. I don't want it to start to compose ..I wish I had 10 bags.. I did my garden in the spring with the stuff over the winter.. that stuff was wet...

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I wish I had 10 bags.

Well, you just need more rabbits, MaryAnn!

I advertised mine on CraigsList for $5 a bag. When I told Hubs he said "Oh no you don't!" :lol: No responses on the ad thus far, alas. Hubs will be pleased.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

that's funny MSD.. what is your size of bags , that you are asking 5 bucks..

 

[MamaSheepdog]

They are 50lb. feed sacks, but the top is folded over and taped. They are maybe 2/3rds full. I was going to ask $8 or $10, but saw someone in San Diego was asking $5 so thought I would try that first.

I am kind of surprised that there are no takers- I am always seeing ads on CL for grow lights and tents and so forth that people use to grow *cough!* "medicinal marijuana" and thought they would surely want some. :roll:

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

It is the wrong time of year , for people wanting to buy manure to grow what ever.. If you keep the bags and advertise in the spring .. it will be gone like hot cakes... ancake:

 

[MamaSheepdog]

It is the wrong time of year

:slap: Duh!

If you keep the bags and advertise in the spring .. it will be gone like hot cakes...

Not too much chance of that, since we will just add it to the beds after we harvest so it can compost over the winter and then again just after the first seedlings emerge in the spring. But maybe I can try to keep some back to sell, especially if my rabbitry expands as I hope it will.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I will never have enough to sell any... I am to greedy .. my garden and flower pots comes first and I am always adding more each year.

 

[Marinea]

I have been told by a commercial gardener in this area that gallon bags of dried manure can go for $2 here at local farmer's markets.

I am a hoarder. I proudly admit it- I hoard rabbit poop! A bunch will be going to my fruit trees soon for their winter fertilizer. I am planning an expansion to my rabbitry, and the poop plays a part in that. I wonder how many of us ever imagined those thoughts would be happening in our heads before we had rabbits.

 

[hoodat]

Gardeners are almost as crazy as rabbit raisers. If the kids come running in to tell them someone dumped a load of manure on their driveway they celebrate instead of getting upset. Wow, horse poop! Thank You! Thank you!

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

yup.. that is the way I am with rabbit poop... I can never have enough... lol. .. this is my first year storing it over the winter.. didnt have enough babies this year... so next year.. I should have lots to go around . for myself that is.

 

[ladysown]

if you find local gardening groups on facebook, join them. give a GOOD link about the benefits of rabbit manure and then post your ad saying x amount/bag plus x-amount delivered you'll get takers.

I usually have two bins full of mixed waste plus about 20 bags fairly clean rabbit manure full by end of winter. I have a guy who come picks up for free anything I have left after my own use and my selling it privately. I usually sell half of the mixed stuff and all the bags. This year I could have sold 50 bags.

What I do is say advertise in a city about 1/2 hour from home. telling folks if they come and dig it out.. it's their's for the taking but if you want it delivered.. it's $2 per bag, $5 for delivery and every time I have to move it it's a dollar more per bag (as some want me to carry to the back of their property with NO wheelbarrow help). I"ll gladly drop it at the end of their driveway though for the $5 delivery charge.

 

[ek.blair]

So, I currently have plastic bins underneath my cages to collect the manure/hay/urine and anything else that falls
Because it gets pretty wet with the urine do I need to let it sit somewhere to dry or cool down before I add it to plants, or is it still ok? I have heard you can put rabbit poo straight on plants, but does that go for the urine too?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Because it gets pretty wet with the urine do I need to let it sit somewhere to dry or cool down before I add it to plants, or is it still ok?

My manure falls directly to the dirt below, but when there is a large buildup it can get pretty urine soaked. I have never had any trouble with the urine burning the plants, but I water it really well for the first few days so it gets diluted in the soil.

I currently have plastic bins underneath my cages

If your cages are over dirt, I would recommend drilling some drainage holes in the bins so the manure stays drier.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

yes, I agree with Msd... Pee is very strong .. I make sure it is drained off before adding it.

 

[hoodat]

If you can smell amonia when it is disturbed it is too hot for plants, otherwise you can pile it deep emough to act as a mulch. You don't have to dig it in. The worms will do that for you.
If it smells strongly of amonia you can spread it out on a tarp and let it dry. The amonia will dissipate into the air.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

and when you do that.. it dosnt take long at all to dry up

 

[ek.blair]

If it smells strongly of amonia you can spread it out on a tarp and let it dry. The amonia will dissipate into the air.

I may have to do that... Thanks for the tips!