Poop is a natural part of life. In fact, it’s quite an integral part of life. And, anyone who has an animal of any sort has some experience dealing with poop. But, when you’re living on a homestead, you might wonder: what can you do with all the animal poop? Today, we’ll talk about one of my absolute favorite subjects -poop!
What to Do with Dog Poop?
Dealing with dog poop for a regular, indoor dog is pretty self-explanatory. You take the dog on a walk and pick up after it. Make sure to dispose of that poop in a public trash can and you’re good to go. But, when you have a dog roaming around your land, there’s a little more care that needs to be taken. This is why I’m focusing on the dog first.
See, dog poop, unlike many other animal poop, is not fit for use in vegetable gardening. And, with other animals around, it can also cause issues if left for too long. What if a goat steps in it and tracks it around? What if it’s left to compost in the ground and goats then eat some grass that grows from there? Either of these situations can be dangerous. This is why the biggest challenge on the homestead is what to do with dog poop.
For us, we’ve decided to use leftover feed bags as an easy depository for all the dog poop. We put one of these bags in a lidded trash can outside the fence. Each evening, we pick up all the dog poop we can find and drop in the container. This way, we can take the poop with us every time we take our trash to the dump. After all, there is no public trash pickup here!
What to Do with Chicken Poop?
Chicken poop is a little better than dog poop. Why? Because it’s quite useful in gardening. More specifically, chicken poop is one of the main components we use for our composing efforts. Mix this into the composter with our veggie and fruit scraps, and a few months later we get fertile compost to mix into our dirt. So the circle of life continues, and we are able to grow better vegetables and fruits.
Despite this, it’s important when asking what to do with chicken poop that you never put it directly on plants. Chicken manure is considered “hot.” This means when it’s fresh from the source it can actually burn the roots of many plants. As a result, the way we compost it is one of the best way to use it. In other words, it is a great resource here, but one that takes time to cultivate.
What to Do with Goat Poop?
Goat poop, on the other hand, is a more immediate return on investment. Unlike chicken manure, goat poop can be used directly in garden beds as a fertilizer. As it decomposes, it offers essential nutrients to the soil and allows you to grow greener greens and stronger root systems.
When looking at the cost of dairy goats, this is something that many people don’t account for. Sure, you buy the hay and whatever supplemental feed and dewormers you need, but you don’t just get milk. You also get an abundant and powerful source of fertilizer. I have to add personally, Nigerian dwarf goats also have a third benefit that can’t be measured in dollars -the kids are downright adorable and great to hang out with!
Other Considerations with Poop
Of course, we also have indoor cats to account for here, but there’s nothing special to consider there. We just process their litter and take it to the dump with us. With any animal you’re considering on your homestead, it’s important to account for what you’ll need to do with the excess waste. Some other animals, like rabbits, have great manure that can be used directly in the garden. Others, just like the dog and cat poop, can actually be harmful if used in compost. Knowing which ones can be used and for what is important.
What is your favorite type of poop to use in your vegetable garden? Let us know in the comments below! Until next time, we’ll see you around the homestead.