[katog]

I just emptied a compost bin which is from chicken bedding, so mainly manure and wood chips with some seaweed - it's beautiful (if you like that sort of thing) crumbly black compost - do you think it's safe to use chicken manure in the vegetable garden? I was once warned not to use it with anything you'd eat raw but it looks sooo good.

[Terry T]

I use it my veg garden. As long as you wash your raw veg it should be fine.

[Fleecewife]

If the compost/FYM looks and smells lovely then the breakdown processes will have destroyed the sorts of bacteria people worry about.  Fresh slurry or manure cannot be used as it will contain pathogens (and would burn the plants).  Some people wash their fresh veg with something which is supposed to destroy soil bacteria (the same people who call 'soil' 'dirt'), but after you've grown such wonderful produce why would you then cover it with chemicals?  Our bodies are designed to work with a certain number of pathogens and to deal with them by our inbuilt defence system. As long as you wash off with clean water any grainy bits which would spoil the salad you'll be fine.  Good compost is gold 

[Mad Goatwoman of Madeley]

Most of my veg were grown in partly rotted goat manure. I just dug holes which I filled with shop compost and planted into that. Always produced wonderful crops. I shall miss that when I finally run out.

[katog]

Thanks, consensus is to use it! Yay