Hot composting with chicken bedding and garden waste

[vehve]

@MrDavidSmith , The chicken manure seems to be quite the catalyst. I got to fertilize some plants with raw compost at the end of summer, and I can tell you, it works wonders.

@aart 6 cubic feet doesn't sound like too big of pile to turn more often. I think if you have the energy to turn it even once a week, or better two or three times, and add water on a once per two weeks basis, maybe a bit more often, you'll manage to keep it really hot.

 

[Jetpad]

Since you've created your compost pile with two sections, the size of each section seems to be about half of the recommended size... but it still works. Do you think the recommended size assumes substandard ingredients or maybe assumes it doesn't get as much attention as yours gets or ??

 

[vehve]

The recommended minimum size of about 3x3x3 feet or a cubic meter, is based on maintaining a large enough mass to keep the heat in. Since my box is insulated, you can keep more heat in with less material in it. And when the box is being used correctly, you'll have the other side filled with stuff, either still decomposing and creating heat while you're accumulating waste on the other side, or then when the other side is starting to become full, you'll have a less active pile on the first side which will still have a certain mass, helping bind heat inside the insulated box. The divider isn't insulated, so it will allow heat transfer between the two compartments. In the future, if I build another one, I'd probably make it a bit bigger though. The styrofoam is sold in 120x100cm pieces (about 4x3.3 feet), so a 100cm x 120cm footprint is what I would go with, or possibly even bigger if I would make the lid sink into the box for a better fit.

 

[Jetpad]

The recommended minimum size of about 3x3x3 feet or a cubic meter, is based on maintaining a large enough mass to keep the heat in. Since my box is insulated, you can keep more heat in with less material in it. And when the box is being used correctly, you'll have the other side filled with stuff, either still decomposing and creating heat while you're accumulating waste on the other side, or then when the other side is starting to become full, you'll have a less active pile on the first side which will still have a certain mass, helping bind heat inside the insulated box. The divider isn't insulated, so it will allow heat transfer between the two compartments. In the future, if I build another one, I'd probably make it a bit bigger though. The styrofoam is sold in 120x100cm pieces (about 4x3.3 feet), so a 100cm x 120cm footprint is what I would go with, or possibly even bigger if I would make the lid sink into the box for a better fit.

Ah that makes sense. I didn't realize it was insulated. I wasn't looking too close at the pictures and saw the green tarp material and thought that was the sides of your bin.

We had a little bit of a chilly morning today and when I dug down into my compost bin about 6 inches, steam came out! That hadn't happened for me before.

 

[vehve]

You're going to get addicted to composting soon too, it seems. It's nice when you finally get the steam going in there, then you'll try to maintain it all the time.

 

[Jetpad]

You're going to get addicted to composting soon too, it seems. It's nice when you finally get the steam going in there, then you'll try to maintain it all the time.

I think I'm now officially addicted. I broke the temperature probe for my digital kitchen thermometer today (130° F with ambient temp at 65° F).

 

[vehve]

That's a nice heat. I broke my kitchen thermometer too, I think I should consider one of those compost thermometers.

 

[scottcaddy]

That's a nice heat. I broke my kitchen thermometer too, I think I should consider one of those compost thermometers.

So then I should stay away from the kitchen type of thermometer? Or be real nice and easy with it?

Scott

 

[vehve]

Quote: Don't close a 30 pound compost lid on it at least

 

[aart]

Quote: Just ordered one of these....after borrowing one, they're the bomb!