Poultry matter: What to do with all that chicken shit?

[xchrom]

http://grist.org/food/poultry-matter-what-to-do-with-all-that-chicken-shit/

?w=470&h=265&crop=1

Nitrogen and phosphorous runoff from agricultural activity is a major source of water pollution in many parts of the country. In the Chesapeake Bay watershed, half of the phosphorous and 40 percent of the excess nitrogen result from agricultural runoff, leading to algae blooms and destructive conditions for the bay’s legendary fish, oysters, and crabs.

A report from the Pew Charitable Trusts on the chicken industry, published over the holidays to little notice, identifies a significant contributor to the problem and proposes a useful solution.

Almost all chickens raised for meat today are grown under contracts between growers and large companies such as Tyson, Pilgrim’s, and Perdue. The chicken grower agrees to raise the company’s birds, using feed and drugs also supplied by the company. At the end of the contract the company picks up its chickens, leaving the grower with the manure and litter, and the responsibility to get rid of them.

In the past, and to a limited degree today, spreading chicken manure on farm fields was an acceptable practice. But in places with concentrated chicken operations, such as Maryland’s Eastern Shore, local fields are already saturated with fertilizers, and spreading manure on them is usually not a responsible option. Farm fields are also disappearing in the wake of housing development.

[Festivito]

1. We used to be able to buy it. Nothing better for tomatoes.

It's been unavailable for years.

[TexasProgresive]

2. In our area those with contacts to the local company, Sanderson's farms

are required to have large acreage. Most producers fertilize hay fields and either feed the hay to cattle or sell it for profit.

The Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia are perhaps one of the worst places for this kind of agriculture. The run off into the bay is disastrous.There was only one big chicken plant when I lived in Delmarva. I think Purdue. It was near the bay bridge west of Salisbury. But that was in the early 70's

[pipoman]

3. I don't know about all operations

But here most large operations have sewage treatment facilities. Further the food/waste amounts have to be among the lowest for chicken production of all meat operations with most meat birds being the Cornish cross variety. .from the egg to the table (3 to 4 pound dressed weights) in 7 weeks..

[BlueToTheBone]

4. With all those hormones and antibiotics

I don't think the manure would be safe to use on food plots.

[Warren Stupidity]

5. Stop eating birds. Nt.

[msongs]

6. every chicken purchase gets a free bag of chicken manure or no purchase nt

[stuntcat]

7. Since we don't need to eat them,

we should all stop. It would save more land and water and energy than any of the other personal choices we make.

[NickB79]

8. I see a simple solution

But in places with concentrated chicken operations, such as Maryland’s Eastern Shore, local fields are already saturated with fertilizers, and spreading manure on them is usually not a responsible option.

DON'T FUCKING FACTORY FARM LIVESTOCK, ESPECIALLY IN CONCENTRATED NUMBERS!

[XemaSab]

9. Why do you hate America?

[Champion Jack]

10. Anaerobic manure digesters

[Bigmack]

11. Methane production..? nt

[Champion Jack]

12. And high quality compost/fertilizer

The gas could run a generator or to heat the facility