Horse manure in bags?

tippben · Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 4:03 pm Post subject: Horse manure in bags?

My neighbour is looking after a sick pony. As a result, I have access to lots of fresh, unadulterated poo. I've added some to my compost heap, but have no spare space for a manure heap. If I kept it in thick plastic bags, open to the air, on the pallets in my shed, which will be free until the next wood cutting season (October onward) would there be any problems? I don't want to waste this black gold opportunity.

Blowin · Posted: Thu Apr 27, 2017 5:13 pm Post subject:

Until you suggested leaving the bags open to the air, I must admit I'd have tied them up after putting a few worms in to help the decomposition process. At least they could then be kept outside instead of in the shed. Instinctively I've always imagined the moisture content of such nutrition contains its own minerals etc. and I'd have done what I could to keep it from drying out. Do you think it would be advisable to mix in some lawn mowings or other compost, if only to make it go further? See what the experts say?

tagwex · Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2017 9:10 pm Post subject:

Just wondering as I don't actually know. Should those golden nuggets be in those bags that are black on the inside, same as the compost bags one buys?

Good guy · Posted: Fri Apr 28, 2017 11:58 pm Post subject:

What about getting a bale or two of straw and filling heavy duty bags with a mix of fresh horse dung and damp straw? I'd tie the bags but poke a few holes with a fork, for ventilation. The result should be really good top-dressing material.

Sue Deacon · Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 1:54 am Post subject:

I'd go with GG and get some straw to mix in with it. But I'd stack it outside on plastic (or concrete) with perhaps a loose cover of some kind. It needs to be not too wet or too dry. If by some freak of nature we have a dry summer it is quite possible it might spontaneously combust with dry straw or sawdust in the mix! It happened to a friend once - she kept her horses on sawdust and the heat generated in the muck heap set fire to the dry bits - it smoldered all summer. Shocked

Mind you, she did have three horses and a pet cow, not one pony.

Just a thought (and perhaps I'm being a bit twitchy here) but you said the pony is sick? It's not on antibiotics is it? That might alter the rate of decomposition

tagwex · Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 10:40 pm Post subject:

Horse meat burgers, same as Tesco were selling a few years back!