TV research enquiry

[Mike Brown]

I work for a TV production company and we are in the early stages of developing a drama that is, in part, set on a small, family run farm on which chickens are kept. As we'd like any farming processes shown in the programme to be as realistic and accurate as possible, I have some questions about chicken slurry manure. It would be great if anyone could take the time to help! Many thanks.

1) Is it possible for a very small farm (say three people) to produce their own chicken slurry fertiliser. Can this be dangerous because of the fumes?
2) How is the chicken slurry collected?
4) What are the mechanics of transporting and spreading this onto the field?
5) Could they do it themselves or would they need to employ someone to do this?
6) What happens to the slurry once it is spread. What does it turn into and how long does it take?
7) In terms of producing silage, would they still do this even if they only have a limited number of grazing cattle or would they be more likely to sell it? In which case how is this collected?
8) Finally, what time of year does this all happen.

We are interested in how it will look on the screen in terms of collecting, treating it, spreading it, who does it, when and at what time of year.

Many thanks!

 

[7610 super q]

Slurry ?

 

[Mike Brown]

Chicken slurry manure

 

[ollie989898]

Media investigating 'chicken slurry'.....

I think this calls for...

 

[Farfrae]

No offence but if you are a television production company looking to make an acurate drama shouldn't you be paying an agricultural consultant or farmer to provide that information? After all the script writers want paying, the camera guys' want paying no doubt even you want paying but you're not prepared to pay a consultant to ensure the drama is not risible? No wonder I got rid of my TV licence and gave up on watching the crap now masquerading as entertainment.

 

[Dry Rot]

Everyone is getting bit paranoid, aren't they? Calm down! Not everyone is out to get us!

I know next to nothing about commercial poultry farming but if I did, I can't think of any reason for not giving some honest answers. But maybe I'm missing something?

 

[ollie989898]

Everyone is getting bit paranoid, aren't they? Calm down! Not everyone is out to get us!

I know next to nothing about commercial poultry farming but if I did, I can't think of any reason for not giving some honest answers. But maybe I'm missing something?

A tv production company who want to make a life-like drama about poultry farming and magically just want to know about 'chicken slurry'?

Come along now.... I'm open minded as they come but I smell fish....

 

[Fogg]

I've got to be honest, it doesn't sound to me like the producers of Breaking Bad have a great deal to worry about.

Phrases to google: 'ippc how to comply' and 'manure management plan'.

 

[onesiedale]

Mike,
Maybe if it was put into context just how important a part this chicken slurry is in the plot of the drama then you may get a more informed answer

As I see it dealing with muck is a pretty routine operation which is a very minor part of the overall farm enterprise. However, from what you've asked, you seem to be hinging your drama on how chicken sh!t looks on the screen . Which, to be honest, will be pretty unappealing, even to a hardened gang of slurry spreading contractors!
. . . but what do I know? I'm just a simple dairy farmer.

 

[Werzle]

I work for a TV production company and we are in the early stages of developing a drama that is, in part, set on a small, family run farm on which chickens are kept. As we'd like any farming processes shown in the programme to be as realistic and accurate as possible, I have some questions about chicken slurry manure. It would be great if anyone could take the time to help! Many thanks.

1) Is it possible for a very small farm (say three people) to produce their own chicken slurry fertiliser. Can this be dangerous because of the fumes?
2) How is the chicken slurry collected?
4) What are the mechanics of transporting and spreading this onto the field?
5) Could they do it themselves or would they need to employ someone to do this?
6) What happens to the slurry once it is spread. What does it turn into and how long does it take?
7) In terms of producing silage, would they still do this even if they only have a limited number of grazing cattle or would they be more likely to sell it? In which case how is this collected?
8) Finally, what time of year does this all happen.

We are interested in how it will look on the screen in terms of collecting, treating it, spreading it, who does it, when and at what time of year.

Many thanks!

No such thing as chicken slurry manure. Chicken muck is dry because its mostly sawdust. Its spread mostly after harvest in august/september onto crop stubbles before the next crop is sown. Its hauled in trailers and spread with muck spreaders, you can hardly see it being applied because it isnt put on very heavy. Stinks though and thats why its worked into the soil within 24-48hrs to reduce the odour

 

[Fogg]

I thought most of the litter went into renewable energy these days?

Sites like these: https://www.mreuk.com/

Wash water, which I think is what the OP means by 'slurry', that's taken off site by vacuum tanker and either treated, stored in a lagoon, or applied to land as per a manure management plan.

 

[Hilly]

No such thing as chicken slurry manure. Chicken muck is dry because its mostly sawdust. Its spread mostly after harvest in august/september onto crop stubbles before the next crop is sown. Its hauled in trailers and spread with muck spreaders, you can hardly see it being applied because it isnt put on very heavy. Stinks though and thats why its worked into the soil within 24-48hrs to reduce the odour

Don’t tell em your name pike .

 

[john1968]

I work for a TV production company and we are in the early stages of developing a drama that is, in part, set on a small, family run farm on which chickens are kept. As we'd like any farming processes shown in the programme to be as realistic and accurate as possible, I have some questions about chicken slurry manure. It would be great if anyone could take the time to help! Many thanks.

1) Is it possible for a very small farm (say three people) to produce their own chicken slurry fertiliser. Can this be dangerous because of the fumes?
2) How is the chicken slurry collected?
4) What are the mechanics of transporting and spreading this onto the field?
5) Could they do it themselves or would they need to employ someone to do this?
6) What happens to the slurry once it is spread. What does it turn into and how long does it take?
7) In terms of producing silage, would they still do this even if they only have a limited number of grazing cattle or would they be more likely to sell it? In which case how is this collected?
8) Finally, what time of year does this all happen.

We are interested in how it will look on the screen in terms of collecting, treating it, spreading it, who does it, when and at what time of year.

Many thanks!

that sound like a job for Thomas The Tank

 

[curlietailz]

I’d find a chicken farmer,,,, offer him a load of money... get him to show you what you want to know
Simples

 

[Dry Rot]

A tv production company who want to make a life-like drama about poultry farming and magically just want to know about 'chicken slurry'?

Come along now.... I'm open minded as they come but I smell fish....

So it is not possible to answer the OP's questions in an informative and interesting way so that all the townies on here (and there must be a few amongst the 40,000 members) actually learn something about farming? It is not just the OP who reads the replies.

So what if he's looking for ammunition to "get at" farmers? So what if it smells of fish? Turn it on it's head and teach him some facts, politely! Jeez! What a wasted opportunity! It is easy to see how we've got the reputation we have. Perhaps we deserve it. So what if he doesn't know the correct official meaning of the word slurry? The meaning is clear.

 

[ollie989898]

So it is not possible to answer the OP's questions in an informative and interesting way so that all the townies on here (and there must be a few amongst the 40,000 members) actually learn something about farming? It is not just the OP who reads the replies.

So what if he's looking for ammunition to "get at" farmers? So what if it smells of fish? Turn it on it's head and teach him some facts, politely! Jeez! What a wasted opportunity! It is easy to see how we've got the reputation we have. Perhaps we deserve it. So what if he doesn't know the correct official meaning of the word slurry? The meaning is clear.

It has anti-livestock farming all over it. Let's be clear.

 

[roscoe erf]

A tv production company who want to make a life-like drama about poultry farming and magically just want to know about 'chicken slurry'?

Come along now.... I'm open minded as they come but I smell fish....

does chicken slurry smell like the ocean or your girlfriend

 

[Mike Brown]

No such thing as chicken slurry manure. Chicken muck is dry because its mostly sawdust. Its spread mostly after harvest in august/september onto crop stubbles before the next crop is sown. Its hauled in trailers and spread with muck spreaders, you can hardly see it being applied because it isnt put on very heavy. Stinks though and thats why its worked into the soil within 24-48hrs to reduce the odour

Thanks for the replies! Unfortunately the drama isn't about poultry farming or chicken manure , but as it is partly set on a small farm, there might be shots of processes. Cheers.

 

[farmerm]

Thanks for the replies! Unfortunately the drama isn't about poultry farming or chicken manure , but as it is partly set on a small farm, there might be shots of processes. Cheers.

OK I think you need to take a step backwards and start from the basics! Are we talking about a drama set in the 1950s when a small family farm might make part of their income from a flock of a few hundred chickens, alongside other livestock and crop production? I think your vision of farming maybe somewhat out of date and you will be selling your viewers this same antiquated viewpoint!!

There are plenty of small family farms that keep a handful of hens for none commercial reasons, the muck from which would be an insignificant and occasional wheelbarrow load of straw/sawdust. Most commercial meat or laying chicken units in operation these days are very professional operations built on a serious amount of investment. Few small farms can hope to provide for 3 people unless they all have other off farm employment too!... A supermarket chicken costs £4 at the point of retail, the margin for the producers is pence per bird, so how many birds do you think it takes to pay a mans wage? How does your farm provide a living for 3 people from a handful of chickens and a handful of cattle?


Chickens for meat....

Hens for eggs...

Spreading chicken manure as a fertiliser for crops before they are planted.

Or farmer keeping a few birds for none commercial, hobby reasons...

and taking the muck away to spread on land by hand with a folk, or to be added to a muck heap

Regards silage...
Grass grows fast during Spring and Autumn, if grass is allowed to grow too long it provides poor feed. Farmers cut and preserve grass during these peak periods to feed back to their animals during months when grass growth is too slow to keep up with the appetites of grazing stock.

 

[Mike Brown]

Thank you very much farmerm!