Horse Manure?

Probably a stupid question but can horse manure be used as a fertilizer like cow manure? Also there is a chicken farm just down the road from me can you use the chicken poop too? Don't have any cows near. Just horses and chicken.
Would like to start some beds and was wondering how to go about using the horse manure with the soil. Can I just use the soil I have and add the horse manure and let it set or what. I usally just buy a lot of potting soil and that gets really expensive if you buy the miracle grow. Need some advice.

Sami

Horse manure is great but DON'T use it fresh. It will burn your plants. It should be well rotted or composted first. Ask to get your manure out of the oldest pile, not the newest pile.

We have been using stable cleanings turned to dirt to fill and amend raised beds for several years. We also use shredded barn/stable cleanings which have been shredded for mulch for a couple years. The first comes from a neighbor who has horses and a barn and the later from the MO State Fair gounds. I also use the cleanings from our bird house but the droppings are well mixed with soft wood shavings and leaves with which we bed the bird house.

Thanks Georgiaredclay and Brugaddit
I wasn't too sure about the horse manure. I will be sure and get the old manure. I guess I just mix it in with the dirt I have then.

Sami

Sami, if you have some leaves or grass clippings, you can mix that in too, the more organic matter you can put into the soil, the better.
Sincerely, Josephine.

Thanks Frostweed for the advice. Read your article on soil improvement and it was very informative. I will try that proceedure and see how it works.

Great advice by all of the above! We amended 3 acres with very well rotted horse manure. The first 2 months of hauling in the 'stuff' taught us one important lesson among all the info given by others.

Find out what the stables are feeding their horses and take a good look at the pastures they feed in. It will tell you a lot about what weeds you can expect if the manure is not totally 'cooked'.

You sure are going to have happy gardens :)

Sami, if you try the procedure, you will be successful. You will have wonderful soil, and beautiful gardens. Please let me know as you progress along. I love success stories.
Sincerely, Josephine.

Thanks Dea will make sure the manure is fully cooked like you said.

Sami

My clover has not been aggressive, as of yet....... and for weed control, weeds come into anyplace that is just bare soil. But I would weed it or blast it with roundup before planting and then plant thick or be prepared to mulch for the first year or weed.