Circular No. 36 (Revision u{ No. 22). Fkuruarv, 1914. 



MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 



AMHERSr. 



POULTRY MANURES, THEIR TREATMENT AND USE. 

 By William P. Brooks. 



The total number of fowls kept in the state is estimated at two 

 and one-half millions. The average night droppings of medium 

 breeds according to determinations made in this station must 

 amount to 40 pounds per fowl per year. On this basis the amount 

 of poultry manure easily collectible from the fowls of the state 

 annually is 50,000 tons. If the plant food in a ton of average 

 fresh poultry manure be purchased at current prices in fertilizers, 

 the outlay would amount to nearly $7.50. Observations and 

 experiments indicate that as poultry manure is frequently handled 

 it suffers a loss of one-half or more of the nitrogen it contains when 

 voided before it reaches the land. If a loss of one-half correctly 

 represents the average, the total money value of nitrogen annually 

 wasted from our poultry manures must amount to about $160,000. 

 It is the aim of this circular to show how this loss may be prevented. 

 ■Poultry manures are particularly rich in nitro- 

 General character gen and their general characteristics are such 

 and composition of that they readily decompose. As a result of 

 poultry manures, decomposition the manure heats and there is a 

 rapid and large loss of moisture and of ammonia. 



The composition is subject to wide variations, due to some extent 

 to differences in feeding, but in far greater degree to methods of 

 handling and keeping. 



The following tables present the results of recent analyses made 

 in our laboratory. * 



Table 1 shows the composition of the material jvist as it was 

 collected and taken to the laboratory. Table 2 shows the com- 

 position of the diflferent samples of hen manure all reckoned upon 

 the same basis of dry matter in 100 pounds. 



Samples B-1, 2 and 3 are richer than the others in nitrogen, 

 because the fowls received more animal food. Potash varies 

 relatively little. Phosphoric acid varies widely and must be greatly 

 affected by the amount of bone in the animal food given to the 

 fowls. 



The comparison between the amounts of nitrogen shown in Table 

 2 in samples B-1, 2 and 3 and between samples G-1 and 2 is particu- 

 larly instructive. It illustrates the fact that hen manure unmixed 

 with absorbents or chemicals suffers very rapid loss of nitrogen. Sample 

 B-2 differs from B-1 only in the fact that the interval between the 

 removal of droppings from beneath the roosts was longer. The 

 season of this experiment was March, and the droppings were 



♦Credit for these analyses is due Mr. H. D. Haskins and L. S. Walker, Chemists in the ferti- 

 lizer division of the station. 



