We ended up with some Easter ducks and now everyone prefers duck eggs. They are more consistent winter layers too.

Gardening isn't all that complicated. Plants need water, nutrients and sun. The chicken manure you have is great for a garden. If you have clean wood ashes, scatter them around. Timing when you plant is also important - too early, when the soil is cold may prevent germination, while planting too late may put plants into a dry spell. Above all, visit your garden for a few minutes each day to see if it needs some action like watering, weeding or bug remediation. Finally, keep your soil loose. Don't over-till though.
BTW, I do not plow, till or do much weeding because I use a sand and mulch approach. It can sometimes be tricky.