Hen manure

[Mr chips]

We have secured a contract for around 2000t a year of hen litter. It’s to collect twice a week from a multi tier shed. Can anyone advise me on how much a cubic meter will weigh. I am getting conflicting answers. Thanks in advance.

 

[wellingtonfarmer]

We have secured a contract for around 2000t a year of hen litter. It’s to collect twice a week from a multi tier shed. Can anyone advise me on how much a cubic meter will weigh. I am getting conflicting answers. Thanks in advance.

Will depend on the feed/water consumption a fair bit. But we use a Marshall qm1600 (16t grain) trailer to empty the muck and we had 19t on it the other week. I don’t really know the specifics weight and it can vary a lot.

 

[Mr chips]

Thanks. We are looking at buying a agricultural dump trailer to lead it . There is going to be around 30t a week they say . We are hoping to get it on two loads a week . Just trying to determine what size trailer to buy . Thanks for your reply.

 

[Beowulf]

If it's 2000t per year then that is 38.46t per average week, which is 19.23t per load if twice weekly.

That is well in excess of the agricultural weight limit for trailers, regardless of the density per cubic metre.

Perhaps thrice weekly might be better?

 

[jon9000]

It's very light stuff. And needs spreading evenly

 

[deleted user 837354]

Thanks. We are looking at buying a agricultural dump trailer to lead it . There is going to be around 30t a week they say . We are hoping to get it on two loads a week . Just trying to determine what size trailer to buy . Thanks for your reply.

The value of the nutrients in the manure will soon pay for the trailer.

 

[Mr chips]

Thanks for your replies. We are hoping it will spread ok at 18m with twin disc spreaders.

 

[Brisel]

A local contractor was picking layer litter up with silage sides on his 12t grain trailer. There was a lot more than 12 tonnes in it! As above, the water content will determine the density. I think you ought to find this out before buying a trailer unless you assume low density and buy the biggest capacity you can then not overload it. A quick online search suggests anything from 330 - 500 kg/m3 so for a 15t load you'd need a trailer with 30-45m3 capacity.

I hope you've got access to a good spreader with fast spinning discs to get it 18m. IMO you'd struggle with vertical beaters even with extensions. Of course you'll be sheeting down the heaps!

 

[Mr chips]

A local contractor was picking layer litter up with silage sides on his 12t grain trailer. There was a lot more than 12 tonnes in it! As above, the water content will determine the density. I think you ought to find this out before buying a trailer unless you assume low density and buy the biggest capacity you can then not overload it. A quick online search suggests anything from 330 - 500 kg/m3 so for a 15t load you'd need a trailer with 30-45m3 capacity.

I hope you've got access to a good spreader with fast spinning discs to get it 18m. IMO you'd struggle with vertical beaters even with extensions. Of course you'll be sheeting down the heaps!

Morning. It’s all new to us. I have a friend with deep litter laying hens and he says you get good weight with his manure. What we are going to get is multi tier and the belts are run two or three times a week. We are only getting half what this new Farm will produce. Our plan is to build a open barn with panels round on our disused railway siding. Then we can take on to the land when conditions allow. We just thought when we had it offered it was too good an opportunity to miss.

 

[willy]

Just do 2 x 18.29t loads a week and on a quiet week do the odd extra one, that should keep old beaky happy.

 

[Retraceh]

How many birds are in the sheds from which you are getting the muck?

 

[Mr chips]

How many birds are in the sheds from which you are getting the muck?

64’000 I believe and their will be four sheds on site . They should be up and running by this December.

 

[Daniel]

What we are going to get is multi tier and the belts are run two or three times a week. We are only getting half what this new Farm will produce. Our plan is to build a open barn with panels round on our disused railway siding. Then we can take on to the land when conditions allow. We just thought when we had it offered it was too good an opportunity to miss.

You won't get 4000 tons a year from 64000 hens, thats 50% more than they would eat!

The muck shed sounds a good idea and will keep it legal.

Who is he producing eggs for, is it their first shed?

 

[Mr chips]

You won't get 4000 tons a year from 64000 hens, thats 50% more than they would eat!

The shed sounds a good idea and will keep it legal.

Who is he producing eggs for, is it their first shed?

I did not say that . They are having 264’000 birds on one site. No it’s one of many farms they have.

 

[Daniel]

Wot a hen?

 

[bitwrx]

We have secured a contract for around 2000t a year of hen litter. It’s to collect twice a week from a multi tier shed. Can anyone advise me on how much a cubic meter will weigh. I am getting conflicting answers. Thanks in advance.

Just out of interest, are you able to elaborate on the terms of the contract? Just wondering how these intensive poultry boys value the manure...

Happy to chat via PM if you'd prefer.

 

[wellingtonfarmer]

Morning. It’s all new to us. I have a friend with deep litter laying hens and he says you get good weight with his manure. What we are going to get is multi tier and the belts are run two or three times a week. We are only getting half what this new Farm will produce. Our plan is to build a open barn with panels round on our disused railway siding. Then we can take on to the land when conditions allow. We just thought when we had it offered it was too good an opportunity to miss.

Problem with a muck shed is the muck won’t stack more than 2/3ft high so you will need a huge shed to get any quantity in it

 

[Daniel]

Problem with a muck shed is the muck won’t stack more than 2/3ft high so you will need a huge shed to get any quantity in it

Problem with the egg market is there are too any people still building sheds, despite BFREPAs best efforts to tell them the markets over supplied!

 

[Retraceh]

I would go for a 16t trailer, it will give you the option of getting 16,000 birds worth in 1 go or 1 trailer per shed per week. We run it into a 15t muck spreader once a week.

 

[RLC]

Problem with a muck shed is the muck won’t stack more than 2/3ft high so you will need a huge shed to get any quantity in it

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