The objective was to evaluate the interference of the time of accumulation of waste on the performance of the anaerobic digestion process of waste from laying hens. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with four treatments, which observed 1, 8, 15 and 22 days of accumulated waste with five repetitions per treatment, with a total of 20 digesters. It was used batch digesters of bench with useful capacity of 3 liters of substrate fermentation. The efficiency of digestion was evaluated by reductions in total solids (TS), volatile solids (VS), most probable number (MPN) of total and thermotolerant coliforms, beyond the production and potential of biogas production. There were significant reductions in the levels of VS present in the laying hens waste as it increased the days of accumulation, being observed a level of VS (in percent of TS) of 97.1 and 75.6% of VS for 1 and 22 days of accumulation, respectively. The reduction in VS contributed to reduce the production and potential of biogas production as it increased the days of accumulation, and observed a 37.2% of reduction in the potential production of biogas kg VS-1 between the lowest and longer period of accumulation, or 6.81 liters less per day accumulation for each kg of VS added. It was also observed reductions of 100% in the MPN of total and thermotolerant coliforms at the end of the process, independent of the tested treatment. The storage time reduces the potential production of biogas from manure layers.
biodigestor; poultry; biogas
