12 ways to use wood ash in your chicken coop, garden or backyard
I'm sure many of you use wood all the time - for fireplaces, wood-burning stoves, bonfires. In this article, we will only talk about "clean" wood - no chemical treatment, pressing, staining and pollution. And, of course, no charcoal briquettes or commercial products such as slow burning logs. We will talk about various ways to use wood ash in the territory of your chicken coop, garden or yard.
In the chicken coop
For dust baths... Coal or wood ash added to dust baths helps birds to get rid of parasites such as ticks, lice and fleas.
As a feed additive. In the wild, animals often gnaw on charred branches and stumps after forest fires. Charcoal acts as a laxative and disinfectant that detoxifies the animal's body. In addition, charcoal to some extent promotes the elimination of internal parasitic worms.
Wood ash is a rich source of calcium. In addition, it contains a lot of potassium, phosphorus and magnesium.
Adding only 1% of the total weight of the chicken feed to wood ash increases the frequency of egg laying and also helps to reduce the odor of chicken droppings.
Ashes from woody species such as cedar, oak and maple contain five times more nutrients than pine and cork.
As a wound healing agent. Wood ash has antibacterial properties, so it can prevent infection from wounds. In addition, when applied topically to the affected area, ash can quickly stop bleeding like starch. When ingested internally, the vitamin K it contains contributes to the formation of blood clots - this can help, for example, in case of poisoning with rat poison.
To keep the chicken coop clean. A layer of wood ash on the floor of the coop will help reduce odors. Just like baking soda, wood ash is alkaline, so it has the ability to absorb and neutralize unpleasant odors. In addition, ash can reduce moisture levels in your coop.
To reduce the ammonia content in chicken manure. Adding charcoal at 1–2% of the total weight of the chicken feed will help prevent the formation of ammonia, which will reduce the amount of ammonia in bird droppings.
The ability of ash to actively absorb ammonia and prevent its evaporation has been proven by scientific research.
To purify water from impurities and impurities. Adding a chunk of charcoal to your chicken drinker will help prevent algae and other microorganisms from forming. In addition, the carbon will absorb and filter out impurities in the water. Remember to periodically remove a piece of charcoal from the water and replace it with a new one.
In the garden
As a fertilizer. Since wood ash is a plant matter, it contains most of the essential nutrients that must be present in the soil for normal plant growth. Wood ash contains about 10-25% calcium, 1-4% magnesium, 5-15% potassium and 1-3% phosphorus, depending on the type of wood.In wood ash, which is sold in packages as fertilizer, the N: P: K ratio is generally 0: 1: 3, respectively.
Before applying wood ash to your garden, I recommend checking the soil pH level. For most vegetable crops, the optimum acidity level is pH 6.8–7.2. Ash application can significantly increase soil alkalinity.
For neutralizing acidic soils. By its properties, wood ash resembles lime, which is used in agriculture as fertilizer. Since ash is essentially alkali, it can neutralize acidic soils in your garden when used as fertilizer.
Be careful not to fertilize plants that prefer acidic soils with wood ash: azalea, berry bushes, cilantro, cucumbers, garlic, parsley, potatoes, pumpkin, rhododendron, squash, strawberries, and other plants.
For feeding plants that need calcium. As a nutritional supplement, wood ash is perfect for those plants that prefer a high calcium content in the soil: beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, celery, cauliflower, lettuce, peas, potatoes, spinach and tomatoes.
To repel garden pests. Sprinkle ash around the base of the plants to keep slugs and snails out.
In the local area
To melt ice. Potash, which is part of the ash (as salt is called - potassium carbonate), makes it an environmentally friendly means for dusting ice and snow on paths and roadways. It does not corrode metal or concrete like rock salt, does not harm your plants or grass, and is safe for dogs, cats and chickens. However, ash will add a little dirt to the paths, so you most likely don't want to use it near your home.
To neutralize unpleasant odors from the dog. Rubbing a small amount of wood ash into your dog's fur after being sprayed by a skunk can neutralize the stench.
Now, before throwing away wood ash, remember that there are many ways to use it in a chicken coop, garden or in the local area. Read how to use ash as fertilizer?