Key takeaways
- Horse and cow manure are bulky soil-improvers; chicken pellets are a concentrated feed
- Rot bulky manure until it's dark, crumbly and smells earthy, often six months to a year
- Spread well-rotted manure about 5cm deep on empty beds in autumn
- Use chicken manure pellets at the pack rate, and keep them away from acid-loving plants
- Don't manure beds for carrots and parsnips just before sowing, as roots can fork
- Test new horse or cow manure for aminopyralid weedkiller with a few pot-grown beans
Not all manures are the same. Horse and cow manure are bulky soil-improvers that you spread by the barrowload. Chicken manure is a concentrated feed you use by the handful. Sheep and pig manure sit somewhere in between. Pick the right one and your soil will thank you for years.
This guide compares the main animal manures side by side. If you’re just choosing between the two most common ones, see the guide to horse vs cow manure.
Which animal manure is best? A quick comparison
For most gardens, well-rotted horse or cow manure is the best all-rounder. It feeds the soil, improves structure and is often free. Use chicken pellets as an extra feed for hungry crops.
| Manure | Strength | Main job | Hot or cold heap | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horse | Medium | Soil-improver for most beds | Hot | Weed seeds, wood shavings, aminopyralid |
| Cow | Mild | Soil-improver, mulch for fruit | Cold | Aminopyralid |
| Chicken pellets | Strong | Feed for hungry crops | Not used in heaps | Scorching, acid-loving plants |
| Fresh chicken litter | Strong | Compost heap activator | Hot | Must be composted first |
| Sheep | Medium | Soil-improver and mulch | Hot | Hard to find in bulk |
| Pig | Medium | Soil-improver once rotted | Cold | Very wet, strong smell |
Strength here means how rich it is in nutrients. Bulky manures are low in nutrients compared with bagged fertilisers, but they add lots of organic matter. That’s what really improves soil.
Straw-rich horse, dense cow, chicken pellets and round sheep droppings. The texture tells you a lot about how each one behaves.
Hot and cold manures: what’s the difference?
Hot manures, such as horse, chicken and sheep, heat up quickly as they rot. Cold manures, such as cow and pig, are wetter and rot more slowly and gently.
Hot manures are richer and can scorch plants if used fresh. Cold manures are more forgiving. Either way, rot them before they go near crops.
Horse manure for the garden
Horse manure is the classic UK garden manure. Stables and riding schools often give it away if you collect it.
Ask what bedding they use. Straw rots down well. Wood shavings take much longer and can rob the soil of nitrogen while they break down. Stack shaving-heavy manure for longer, or choose a straw-bedded yard.
Pile fresh horse manure in a heap and cover it to keep the rain off. It’s ready when it’s dark, crumbly and smells earthy, with little sign of straw. That often takes six months to a year.
Fresh from the stable and full of straw. Heap it up and cover it, and it’ll be ready for the beds in a season or two.
Cow manure for building soil
Cow manure is milder and wetter than horse manure. It’s a great soil-builder, especially on sandy soil that dries out fast. Well-rotted cow manure also makes a good mulch around fruit bushes and trees, kept a little away from the stems.
Bagged cow manure from garden centres is usually already composted and ready to use. Loose loads from farms need rotting first, just like horse manure.
Dark, crumbly and earthy-smelling, this manure is ready to go. Autumn is the perfect time to spread it on empty beds.
Chicken manure: pellets or fresh?
Chicken manure is much stronger than horse or cow manure. Use it as a feed, not a soil-improver.
- Pellets are dried and ready to use. Scatter them around hungry crops such as brassicas, courgettes and leafy greens in spring and summer. Follow the rate on the pack and water them in.
- Fresh chicken litter from your own hens is too strong to use straight. Add it to the compost heap in thin layers with plenty of other material.
Keep chicken manure away from acid-loving plants such as blueberries, rhododendrons and camellias, as it can raise the soil pH. The guide to growing blueberries covers what to feed them instead.
A light scatter of chicken pellets gives hungry courgettes a boost. Check the pack for the rate and water them in.
Sheep and pig manure
Sheep manure is a good, fairly rich manure if you can get it. The dry droppings are easy to handle and rot down well in a heap. It’s worth asking smallholders and hill farms.
Pig manure is very wet and smelly when fresh. Rot it thoroughly in a covered heap before use, and only use it on empty beds. Most commercial pig units handle slurry rather than solid manure, so smallholdings are the usual source.
Dry sheep droppings are easy to handle and rot well. If a local hill farm or smallholding offers some, say yes.
How much manure to use and when
Spread well-rotted bulky manure about 5cm deep, roughly a bucketful per square metre. Do it on empty beds in autumn and let worms and winter weather work it in. You can also spread it in late winter, a few weeks before planting.
Use bulky manure on hungry crops such as potatoes, brassicas, courgettes, squash and leeks. Skip beds for carrots and parsnips that year, as rich, freshly manured soil can make roots fork. The guide to growing carrots has more on getting straight roots.
| Month | What to do |
|---|---|
| September | Collect fresh manure and start a covered heap |
| October | Spread last year’s rotted manure on empty beds |
| November | Mulch fruit bushes with rotted cow or horse manure |
| December | Keep heaps covered so rain doesn’t wash out the goodness |
| January | Pot-test any new manure for weedkiller before using it |
| February | Last spreading on beds for spring crops |
| March to June | Scatter chicken pellets around hungry crops as needed |
| July and August | Use liquid feeds instead of bulky manure |
Left, fresh and strawy. Right, dark and crumbly. Only the bucket on the right is ready for your beds.
Why fresh manure burns plants
Fresh manure releases ammonia and contains a lot of salts. Both can scorch roots and young shoots, and fresh horse or chicken manure also heats up as it rots. Rotting it first lets all of that settle down. Well-rotted manure is safe, crumbly and much nicer to handle.
Check manure for aminopyralid weedkiller
Aminopyralid is a weedkiller used on some grassland. It can pass through horses and cattle and stay active in their manure. It makes tomatoes, potatoes, peas and beans grow twisted, cupped leaves.
Before using a new load, ask whether the hay or grazing was treated. Then do a quick pot test: grow a few broad beans or peas in pots of the manure mixed with compost. If the new leaves come up cupped or twisted, don’t use it on your veg. The guide to aminopyralid in manure explains the signs and what to do.
Common manure mistakes
- Using it fresh. Fresh manure scorches plants. Rot it first.
- Skipping the pot test. Weedkiller damage looks the same whatever the source.
- Overdoing chicken pellets. Follow the pack rate; more isn’t better.
- Manuring carrot beds. Rich, freshly manured soil can give forked roots.
- Using shaving-heavy manure too soon. It can rob the soil of nitrogen.
- Mulching acid-lovers with chicken manure. It can raise the pH.
Wash your hands after handling manure, and wash produce before eating. Once you’ve chosen your manure, read our guide to feeding the soil, not the plants to build healthy soil year after year. For more on making your own soil-improver, see how to make compost, or browse our how-to hub.
Frequently asked questions
Which animal manure is best for a vegetable garden?
Well-rotted horse or cow manure is the best all-rounder. Both add lots of organic matter and gentle nutrients. Use chicken pellets as an extra feed for hungry crops.
Is chicken manure stronger than horse manure?
Yes, chicken manure is much richer in nutrients. That’s why it’s sold as pellets and used sparingly at the rate on the pack. Too much can scorch young plants.
How long does animal manure need to rot before use?
Usually six months to a year, until it’s dark and crumbly. Manure with lots of wood shavings takes longer. Dried chicken pellets are ready to use from the bag.
Why does fresh manure burn plants?
Fresh manure releases ammonia and is high in salts. Both can scorch roots and young shoots. Rotting the manure first makes it safe and much more pleasant to handle.
Where can I get free horse manure?
Local stables and riding schools often give it away. Take your own bags and ask what bedding they use. Also ask whether their hay or grazing has been treated with weedkiller.
Can I use manure around blueberries?
Avoid chicken manure pellets around blueberries and other acid-lovers. They can raise the soil pH. Use ericaceous compost or composted bark as a mulch instead.
Our team produces practical UK gardening guidance from source research, contributor records and established horticultural practice. Editorial standards are overseen by Matt W.
