I have a bag of Organic composted chicken manure unopened on a covered open porch. I opened it the other day and got an overwhelming smell of urine. It was laying flat and I noticed a small hole in the middle of the bag, maybe the size of a pea. I don't know if a stray cat has been peeing on it, there is no evidence of this, but it did seem damp. I have used this brand for years and it has never smelled like that. I was going to use it to mix with
compost to add to my raised beds. (I do this before I plant a total new crop) I don't want to do that. I can't afford to waist it.
I'm going to redo one of my raised veggie beds. I'm going to make it a hugel beat (I think that is what it is called) I will remove what is in there. Dig down a few feet. place wood at the bottom. I was thinking his would be a good place for the contaminated manure. Then add soil, then small wood and maybe wood chips, then top it with what I would have normally used in the raised bed. (Organic potting soil, organic compost, mushroom compost, organic chicken manure, worm castings, rock dust, anything else I had hanging around I thought would benefit the veggies.) I was thinking this way it's not being wasted, but deep enough that the contamination should dissipate long before any plant root could reach it, it will add nitrogen where the wood will be leaching nitrogen for the first year or so, and it will be deep enough I wont have to smell it.
I am not an expert I'm just learning as I go. Is this a good plan? Should I put it in my compost? Throw it away? I'm looking forward to the general consensus. Thanks