In article ,
Jeff Thies wrote:

It's hard for me to get far enough out in the country to get real
chicken manure. I did just get a bag of Black Hen which claims to be all
organic derived from composted chicken manure and 2 3 2.

The 232 makes me think there is more to it than just chicken manure,
otherwise I would think this would have a lot more N.

I've been told to be careful of applying chicken manure too close to
growing tomato plants as it will burn them. But this seems like a more
muted product.

Any precautions? I'd like to give a sock to the garden, I understand
that cucurbits are heavy feeders and I'd like to move beyond the pricey
fish oil emulsion.

First cukes and a summer (straight neck) squash are on the way, the
leaves are monsters (over a foot square). Just one small tomato, but
many flowers. Nothing yet on the cantalopes and honey dews but the vines
look good. Watermellon lagging (2' or so of vine), but I think OK. So
far, better than last year.

Jeff

For numbers, I've got
Manure Chicken Diary cow Horse Steer Rabbit Sheep
N 1.1 .257 .70 .70 2.4 .70
P .80 .15 .30 .30 1.4 .30
K .50 .25 .60 .40 .60 .90

Manure Alfalfa Fish Emulsion
N 3 5
P 1 1
K 2 1

I've seen higher numbers for chick-poo than this but it all depends on
dryness and what else may be included. That's y excuse, and I'm sticking
with it. But as far as side dressing, I'd use 1/4 lb per plant, and then
wait and see what happens. You can add more in a month if this goes
well. When the proteins breakdown, they release ammonia (NH3), which is
a gas and can float away. I'd cover the manure with dirt and wet it down
to help hold the ammonia long enough for soil bacteria to mineralize it
(NO3--).

Cucurbits like high N, and medium P & K, so if you can find horse or
steer they sound like good choices too.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn3lF5XSUg
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Zinn/HZinn_page.html