Bedding question

[irmad]

Has anyone ever tried using shop brought compost as a chicken coop bedding?
would it be harmful to chickens?

 

[appps]

I'm a little confused why you would use that? Its basically one step away from dirt??

 

[irmad]

i am currently using obious, which is shredded hemp... very good absorbtion level. im also doing the deep litter method to makemy own chicken manure compost. I wanted to add the compost to give it a bit of a lift to speed up the composting.... just wondering if anyone else tried this. Dont want to do anything that could be hazardous to me birds.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: Composting cannot be done INSIDE a coop, because it requires too much moisture.

Simply mixing in a few shovels of soil will add all the bacteria needed to start the process, and won't cost anything at all

 

[irmad]

Will do that... thanks for your advice. I hope it still absorbs all the moisture from the bird droppings.
Next year im going to build my coop on the soil and try the deep litter method again. I heard it works best on soil..

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: It's easiest on soil because you never have to completely clean it out.
Actual "composting " still has to take place outside the coop due to the excess moisture required.

Compost has to be damp to "work" and litter has to be dry to work

 

[irmad]

I have around 10 birds and they have plenty of smelly moisture in their droppings. I did originally add a bit of builders sand whith the shredded hemp. Its been about three months, I keep topping up with sredded hemp every month... its all composting really well.. winter is fast aprouching and its quite warm in my coop. I think its due to the compost. Do you think I shoud add de to my compost.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Quote: There's no point in it unless you have insect problems
It's really not that good for anything else

 

[irmad]

Ok cool. Thank you very much for all your help.