Burning chicken poop

[TXKukupantsKoop]

Found the article

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/ways-to-get-rid-of-dirty-coop-bedding.77864/

 

[Ridgerunner]

Burn pile is about 200 ft from the coop.

That should be plenty far enough away from the chickens for it to be safe, especially if a wind isn't blowing toward them. While chickens have delicate respiratory systems burning that should not be any worse than other stuff you are burning.

I literally would have an entire yard of chicken waste eventually.

With 10 chickens that doesn't sound right. It sounds like you are not just talking poop but a lot of bedding too. It sounds like you are cleaning too much and using a lot more bedding than you should have to. If you can give details and photos of your coop, what bedding you are using, and how you are cleaning we may be able to help you reduce the volume you are dealing with. Ten chickens don't poop that much.

 

[Kiki]

That should be plenty far enough away from the chickens for it to be safe, especially if a wind isn't blowing toward them. While chickens have delicate respiratory systems burning that should not be any worse than other stuff you are burning.


With 10 chickens that doesn't sound right. It sounds like you are not just talking poop but a lot of bedding too. It sounds like you are cleaning too much and using a lot more bedding than you should have to. If you can give details and photos of your coop, what bedding you are using, and how you are cleaning we may be able to help you reduce the volume you are dealing with. Ten chickens don't poop that much.

This is what I was missing....the shavings or whatever is being used. I couldn't wrap my head around having THAT much poop with only 10 birds.


@TXKukupantsKoop I use peat moss in my coop. It works perfectly. I don't deal with nasty shavings at all. Zero smell in my coop and I too am in Texas.

 

[TXKukupantsKoop]

I use pine shavings and pick up the poop under the roost by hand (with gloves of course) and that alleviates waste. I clean up after them in the runs also. Sometimes it's wet bedding outside after a rain or something. This has all accumulated since last April but I just recently started putting it on the burn pile about 5-6 weeks ago. The rest of it is piled on an area in the backyard.

 

[TXKukupantsKoop]

Not the best pics...two run areas that are connected and then the actual coop. I do keep the coop very clean and it's 12 inches of bedding for their feet since I've dealt with bumblefoot a few times. I've only cleaned everything out of the coop once since last June. Tarps aren't usually on the northside but we had bad storms recently.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I like the way you have that set up. As long as the coop stays dry that is a good way to manage the poop in there. Cleaning the bedding out only once a year is good. I was envisioning that happening a lot more often. I don't know how much you are generating from the run. I could see that adding up if it gets wet a lot.

If the burn pile is 200 feet from the chickens I envision you having at least an acre, possibly more. You mention the compost pile in the back yard. Sounds like you may have a garden. I have two compost piles. I fill one up and it is the working pile. I accumulate stuff into the second one until the working pile is finished and I bag the good compost or use it. If you just have one compost pile you are always adding to it so it can be challenging to actually use it and reduce the size.

One way farmers have been managing poop and bedding from chicken coops, horse or cattle barns and such for thousands of years is to spread that stuff on their fields in the fall after the crops are in and let it decompose over the winter before spring planting. It's too late for you this year but if you have a garden spread that stuff in the coop on it in the fall and maybe till it in. That gets rid of it plus it enriches your garden and improves tilth.

As much as it hurts me as a gardener to waste something that valuable, you can safely burn it as long as you watch wind direction.

 

[TXKukupantsKoop]

It is about an acre. That's a great idea about spreading it in the fall. I just didn't know how long it needed to sit in the backyard before use. I've heard so many different timeframes. I know it's considered "hot." Unfortunately a green thumb I am not. I grow cucumbers and squash that the family and chickens love. Herbs here and there as well. Last year we planted so much and it all died due to the horrible heat wave.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

If you get a cone digester compost it takes up nearly no space and I've never had to empty it in 8 years (I use it for dog poo). It decomposes fast and plants around it thrive. No smell. It looks like this. Mine is black, but some are green.

 

[Sammster]

If you get a tumbler digester compost it takes up nearly no space and I've never had to empty it in 8 years (I use it for dog poo). It decomposes fast and plants around it thrive. No smell. It looks like this. Mine is black, but some are green.

I think I need to look this up

 

[JacinLarkwell]

If you get a tumbler digester compost it takes up nearly no space and I've never had to empty it in 8 years (I use it for dog poo). It decomposes fast and plants around it thrive. No smell. It looks like this. Mine is black, but some are green.

Do you have a link? I searched for it and just got a bunch one other ones