[RebelRidin]

We keep a backyard flock and every spring we clean out the manure and mixed manure-bedding. When I was flat gardening I spread the four contractor wheel barrow loads of fresh "stuff" on half the "rows" in my 30x40 plot and tilled it into my sandy loam (top 8 inches) in early March. In late March and early April, I planted and had very nice crops. You pumpkins should be pleased....

Now that I have gone to raised beds I won't use it straight like that. I use the chicken manure and bedding as part of my spring cleanup compost bin. That bin gets all the leaves pulled from the flower beds in early March. I then add that compost on top of my beds in late summer for fall plantings.