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I'm getting there! Added more veggie scraps, more water and today I have some REAL heat! No thermometer so I just ordered a REOTEMP compost thermometer from Amazon today. I'll be able to temp the pile on Wednesday. Here's the link to the one I got if anyone is interested...

I looked at a bag of blood meal today...almost bought it...but I think I'm stubborn. I don't want to spend any money on it either! They didn't have a compost thermometer at Lowes either!

3 days, no stirring and I've got NOTHING going on with this pile. So I decided on a do-over. I split the pile in half, took the half I want to hot compost with over to a more sunny area on the property, added more green stuff and about 6 gallons of water. It has a few sticks in it, lettuce...

Thanks for that! Yes, mine has some stick and whatnot just because it is sitting directly on the ground and it's foresty area. I was thinking it was too much in the shade? It gets afternoon sun though...of course we are in WA, so it all depends when the sun shows up!!

Oh yes, my daughter has 3 rabbits...should've said their stuff was in the compost pile too. Poop, urine and Timothy hay scraps.

Yes, and the compost thermometers come with directions too. And I've read enough directions to explode my head! Directions and execution/reality are two things that are not working out for me right now.

As a funny. When I went out to take the temperature of the pile yesterday my DD was like "um, Mom, isn't that our steak thermometer!?" I said "Yes, but I'll wash it really good." She said "Oh gross! Chicken poop today steak tomorrow!" She thought that was the grossest thing ever. We'll see...

Thanks everybody! Keep posting...keep talking...I'm reading and learning over here! I don't think you could mention an article or YouTube video that I haven't read or watched. LOL Yes, I have read the one on NW Edible and yes I have read composting with chickens. I think I do have a lot of...

Okay, good, that's what I was thinking. I'm going to let it sit for a whole week and see if I get any heat going.

I've read so much about composting I actually dreamed about it last night! LOL. My chickens do scratch around in my pile, and yes, I don't think I have enough green in there. I was completely relying on the chicken poop for "green". Of course I did start it in October when we weren't mowing...

Because my pile is pretty large (probably 4' high and 6' wide) I have now stopped adding to this pile. Is this good? What I am thinking about is a 6 months rotation with two piles. So the one is sitting there composting (fingers crossed) and now I am building the other one up.

Yes, it seems sufficiently damp all the way through. Like a wrung out sponge as other websites have said. It's not sopping wet anywhere...but I still keep wondering about the moisture.

Thank you for that! Here is a quote from the article and I think this is what has been confusing me: "Aeration to maintain aerobic conditions in the compost pile is essential for high temperatures. When the compost pile becomes anaerobic, temperature drops rapidly. Even small areas which have...

Okay, I went out and dug in to the center to take the temperature. It's 62F (17C) in the center. The outside temperature here today is 47F (8C). Not really what you'd call hot, eh?! I've got things SPROUTING in there...not the idea. So I dug out the center, threw in a bunch of Stinging...

Well, yes, and no...I don't think my meat thermometer is long enough. Is there one made specifically for temping your compost?

I've been at this for 6 full months so I'm NOT giving up easy...frankly I refuse to give up because I know how awesome compost is! Here's my pile: It's about 4 1/2 feet high, I completely turn it anywhere from 2 to 4 days. It's composed of chicken poop, pine shavings and dried leaves. I...