Help with veg please

[diamond lil]

I havent been able to grow anything in the patch the hens used to be in. Been gone for 2 seasons and I really want to use that space for tatties leeks and turnips. What kind of fertiliser or feed should I get? Last year nothing at all grew in there not even weeds, people were telling me it was too high in nitrogen.

[featherstick]

Hen manure is very high in nitrogen in the form of ammonia - which is toxic to plants.

You may be able to rehabilitate the soil by digging in lots of high-carbon material such as wood chip which will absorb nitrogen as it breaks down. I would have expected it to have evaporated/washed out by this stage though. Someone else will be along with better info shortly, I daresay. A chicken-keepers' forum might be more use.

[featherstick]

My google-fu is strong today:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions ... r-chickens

[adrian007]

http://www.ecofilms.com.au/victory-gard ... en-system/

shouldn't be any problrms that are terminal, but could be a bit 'over fertilised'.

[Waterbaby]

I'll be interested to read the replies,since I've just started planting up the old chook run -I'd assumed the extra fertiliser would be good.
Hope I'll get away with it since they weren't in the run much -normally free ranging unless there was a reason to keep them in.

[diamond lil]

I did keep the chickens according to WW2 principles, in that I went into the run once a week and did a really deep dig over, so they got worms etc. I just don't know what to do next really - if it's going to be hard work to fix then it's a no-go because we can't do it. Wondering if it would be better to trample it down and stick potato sacks and tubs on it with compost in them. Thanks for help xx

[Hamradioop]

Having read some of the info others have provided Lil, I reckon you are looking at raised beds suitable for a wheel chair User if you dig all that stuff in. Sod it go with containers .

[diamond lil]

Ah buggerit aye yur right. Neither of us is fit or able enough and in the end as long as i get some veg then am happy!