How do you muck spread without a proper spreader?

[kit279]

I've got a lot of good well-rotted muck heap (manure only, 2 years old) which I'd like to spread on our bottom paddock which is being rested over the winter so not going to have horses on it until March or April. The problem is that I don't have a proper spreader - I've got a 4x4 and harrow which works well but I've never spread thus far.

How does every one else do it?

 

[Dobiegirl]

In the old days someone used to drive a tractor around with a trailer attached and someone would be on the trailer forking it out as they went. Its very labourious I know but thats how my F-In-L used to do it before muck spreaders were available.

Why dont you ask a local farmer or contractor to give you a quote.

 

[JanetGeorge]

I have a tractor with front loader and a transport box. I fill tractor both ends and dump it in piles - then drop transport box until it's 1/2" off the ground and drive over the piles. Works nicely, particularly when ground is rough and poached after the winter - the dung drops into the holes and ruts and fills them up. Then I run the chain harrows over for a tidier finish.

The time consuming bit was taking the tractor loads to the field - I've now bought a tipping trailer so I can take more in one load. Unless your muck heap is VERY small, you DO need machinery to move it!

You could try a friendly local farmer/contractor to come and fill his muck spreader and do the spreading for you if it's a BIG heap!

 

[POLLDARK]

I use a wheelbarrow & fork, grit my teeth & get on with it but do a maximum of 2 barrows a day, but that does mount up quite quickly. It's only 3 acres & I do a different area every year.

 

[cundlegreen]

Tractor and tipping trailer with the harrows tied on behind.The hard bit is not dumping the lot in a big heap.The harrows can't cope with that.

 

[angel7]

For future reference if you have enough ground to rest it for several months and don't have access to machinery, rather than build a huge muckheap which you now have to move again, you can dump a couple of wheelbarrow loads straight from the stable out in the field to be fertilized.
Space each load out a few yards and shape them roughly into pyramids as you go. Over the months you will end up with a field covered in conical piles that will reduce in size as they compost.
When ready for speading (times will vary depending on the bedding used) simply walk the field with a fork flicking the piles left and right to spead them a bit. Kicking the piles works well too.
Make your own chain harrows by looping heavy chain through a steel bar. This can be pulled by quad or 4x4, or by a horse!
I then sprinkle a good grass seed mix by hand and leave for about 3 weeks to wash in and start growing before putting any horses on it.

 

[Dry Rot]

For future reference if you have enough ground to rest it for several months and don't have access to machinery, rather than build a huge muckheap which you now have to move again, you can dump a couple of wheelbarrow loads straight from the stable out in the field to be fertilized.
Space each load out a few yards and shape them roughly into pyramids as you go. Over the months you will end up with a field covered in conical piles that will reduce in size as they compost.
When ready for speading (times will vary depending on the bedding used) simply walk the field with a fork flicking the piles left and right to spead them a bit. Kicking the piles works well too.
Make your own chain harrows by looping heavy chain through a steel bar. This can be pulled by quad or 4x4, or by a horse!
I then sprinkle a good grass seed mix by hand and leave for about 3 weeks to wash in and start growing before putting any horses on it.

I'm not a parasitologist, but doesn't that defeat the purpose of poo picking? Mine (well, my ponies"!) poo goes into a heap which I trust to heat up due to anaerobic digestion which in turn either kills the worm eggs or encourages them to hatch when the larvae will die. Or have I got it wrong? If I have, what you say sounds a great idea.

 

[angel7]

The poo still heats up and composts in small heaps the same as the big heap so no different (I think). Once properly rotted parasites shouldn't be problem cos they should be dead.
Correct worming schedule with worm counting, stabling for 72 hours afterwards to catch most of the buggers and regular rotation and resting of fields should stop parasitic build up anyway.
I wouldn't do it with field horses are in all the time, or without sufficient rest inbetween times.
I found a very old farming book in my local library and this was how they did it before tractors. Everyday the farm worker would muck out the cow sheds using a horse and cart, taking it to the resting fields and leaving it in piles.

 

[rockysmum]

The poo still heats up and composts in small heaps the same as the big heap so no different (I think). Once properly rotted parasites shouldn't be problem cos they should be dead.
Correct worming schedule with worm counting, stabling for 72 hours afterwards to catch most of the buggers and regular rotation and resting of fields should stop parasitic build up anyway.
I wouldn't do it with field horses are in all the time, or without sufficient rest inbetween times.
I found a very old farming book in my local library and this was how they did it before tractors. Everyday the farm worker would muck out the cow sheds using a horse and cart, taking it to the resting fields and leaving it in piles.

Dont the piles spoil the grass under them

 

[angel7]

Initially yes but once well spread in the spring and sprinkled with seed, the grass soon shoots up a brighter green than the rest.

Should add my horses had low worm counts, it was always the new arrivals that were laden!!!

As for Kit's pile, I would start transferring it into a trailer by barrow, even horse trailer, wait for a good hard frost before Christmas and spread with the 4x4. Harrow and leave. Harrow again in early spring and reseed where needed, allowing grass to take before popping horses on it.

 

[SpruceRI]

The poo still heats up and composts in small heaps the same as the big heap so no different (I think). Once properly rotted parasites shouldn't be problem cos they should be dead.
Correct worming schedule with worm counting, stabling for 72 hours afterwards to catch most of the buggers and regular rotation and resting of fields should stop parasitic build up anyway.
I wouldn't do it with field horses are in all the time, or without sufficient rest inbetween times.
I found a very old farming book in my local library and this was how they did it before tractors. Everyday the farm worker would muck out the cow sheds using a horse and cart, taking it to the resting fields and leaving it in piles.

But fresh horse droppings are acidic and so burns the grass, and encourages acid loving weeds like buttercups to grow - depends on your soil a bit, but for my area (clay) it would be the worst thing to do.

 

[POLLDARK]

I spread a heap once it is 3 years old & beautiful compost. The heap for spreading is the one for field poo pickings (no shavings etc). Why can't they deposit it ready composted I would like to know !! I could just kick it then. The stables heap gets taken away.