Have you ever noticed just how luxurious the grass is after a bitch has
peed on it a few times, hosed down it produces a wonderful verdant
growth, undiluted it leaves a horrid brown scorch mark. I would imagine
the same is with chicken manure, if dropped constantly in the same area.
My chickens are free range and likewise the droppings go straight onto
the ground, admittedly I do rake over any badly soiled areas but
generally they have caused no damage. Try putting those same fresh
droppings on or around fresh tender plant growth and the results could
be extremely damaging. My hens are Black Rock, perhaps it is the kind of
manure. Perhaps your hens produce plant friendly manure. Not many hens
do. Judith has not mentioned the breed of her hens, just the colour.

Rhode Island Reds??

A popular breed without a doubt, but not the only 'red' chickens
available. I hadn't heard that Rhode Island Reds produce plant friendly
manure, but it could be so. I do know that Black Rock are bred from
Rhode Island Red and Barred Plymouth Rock strain.
I also have horses and goats, I wouldn't put their manure straight on
the garden either but by composting it along with garden and kitchen
waste, after a period of time I get a highly viable black crumbly
compost that can be used on both the vegetable garden and the flower beds.

Bobbie