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Certainly! To ensure your soil is okay come spring with chicken manure and chopped leaves, follow these tips: Properly compost the manure with carbon-rich materials, age the compost for a few months by refraining to add anything during the time before planting, test your soil in spring, apply the compost in moderation, and consider plant selection based on your soil's richness. This will help enrich your garden soil without harming your plants.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/testing-soil.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/soil-ph-plants.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/composting

You can leave it for the winter and till it degrades in a few years.

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/weeds/weed-barriers-in-gardens.htm

General comment: Plants begin to harden off for winter once days get shorter and soil temperatures go below 50F. Chlorophyll production stops and the pigment starts to degrade, revealing orange, red and yellow colors that were masked by the green. Also, a layer of cells, known as the abscission layer, starts to grow between the leaf stalk and the twig holding it, eventually promoting leaf drop. It is difficult to comment further without knowing a lot more about the type of tree/plant, variety, more of its history and posting pictures so we can see what you are seeing.

We don't make brand recommendations, but we have an article on what to look for in tools:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/tools/choosing-tools-for-gardens.htm

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I will pass this information on the the editors. In the meantime, it can be assumed the reverse of what it will be, here. For the most accurate information pertaining to your area, the best sources will be local extension services.