I think its a question of time / quantity. Do you just have the two hens? I wouldn't think that would be much of an issue. Droppings from 50 birds, collected daily, would be another matter.

Growing up with 2000 chickens and looking forward to the weekly cleaning of the chicken houses is a remembrance that brings back the odor like it was yesterday not 70 years ago. We had a hayfield with soil mostly of gravel, which if the manure was spread at the right proportion, after the delay required for composting some of the heat out of it, we would be able to cut a hay crop. Looking back I can't remember ever getting the field cut without parts of it having fallen and resisting the efforts of the sickle bar to pick it up and cut it. Nitrogen content of chicken manure is so high a long compost time preferable mixed with high carbon additive is required to be predictable in the garden. Al

That's something - gravel + chicken manure produces hay...My wife was concerned about the smell, before we got the chickens, but with deep litter and just the two hens it's been fine, so far. I've scattered only about five 'plums' per square meter/yard around the perennials and am hoping for the best.

It will be fine, My hens (11 currently and 11 two day old chicks) free range in my large city lot yard. Their poop falls wherever and has never burnt a plant. I also gather the straw and poop and throw it on the sad parts of the lawn or in the perrenial beds and have never had a burnt plant. I wouldn't pile large amounts or mulch with only droppings, but scattering occasionally has not done any harm and my lawn is ten times greener and healthier since we got chickens 5+ years ago.

Only two chickens? My long-term short-term plans used to involve 2-3 chickens, but several people told me with great authority that the chickens would get lonely, and I needed to have at least five, or maybe 15, or maybe 50...

Maybe reports of the chicken manure/nitrogen burn effect have been exaggerated. It sounds like it's worth experimenting with anyway.

We are getting four more chicks tomorrow, as it happens, and may just name them Alfie, Annp, Marty, Sherry. Because I have unrequited - I mean unanswered questions. For instance: I planted pompous grass two years ago. It grew a foot tall. It died back during that winter, and has been brown and sere ever since. Is there any chance it is not dead but sleeping? We are in zone 6.

Here is a picture of Kathleen and Cecelia, happy in their chicken tractor. Be sure to take advantage of the zoom option.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:284564}}