What is Poultry Litter?

August 16, 2016

Poultry litter is organic waste produced from chickens and turkeys like manure, spilled feed, feathers, and bedding materials. This material is enriched with plant nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, though the overall composition will depend on the type of poultry, littler used, and collection and storage of the litter.

Poultry litter has some uses which prevent it from having to be sent to the landfill. First, it can be utilized as a source of fertilizer for plants due to its high amount of plant nutrients. It can serve as animal feed for livestock and fish once it has been correctly prepared to remove foreign materials and contaminants. Also, due to its less than 15 percent moisture content, poultry litter can be burned as a source of heat or energy and can be stored in an anaerobic digester to be made into biofuel.

Other Sources

Reza, Shamim. “Poultry Litter – A Great Resource to Utilize.” Permaculture Research Institute. http://permaculturenews.org/2016/03/11/poultry-litter-a-great-resource-to-utilize/. Accessed August 17, 2016.

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