Can I Compost Cat Litter safely around my chickens?

[nluoma]

I'm tired of disposing of cat litter, and am (hoping) to convert my cats to using a compost-able cat litter (basically pressed sawdust). I'm thinking it will work. (I just discovered while building my coop and run that they love to use sawdust as litter.)
BUT before I get started, I want to make sure I'm not going to put my chickens at risk. I know they'll go after it and dig through it if I leave it in the open. Is it going to be safe for them? Or should I look at using an enclosed composter?
Got plenty of time, since I'm going to have to slowly convert them from what they're used to.

 

[chfite]

Considering what can be in cat feces, I would not use cat litter for anything. I would discard it in the household trash.

Chris

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Agreed. Cat and dog feces harbor some truly nasty bacteria. Don't know if it would hurt your chickens, but the chickens would track cat feces all over the eggs... ick.

And if you compost the cat litter, you have to hot-compost it to kill pathogens or it is not at all safe to use in gardens or flower beds. And even then... I still would not use it.

 

[Quailsong]

Considering humans are susceptible to T.Gondii which is easily found in used cat litter I would not compost it nor put it anywhere near chickens, esp if I was going to eat the birds or the eggs.

Unused & unscented/chemicaled cat litter is safe to compost but at it's pure clay it will make for some very poor compost.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

Considering humans are susceptible to T.Gondii which is easily found in used cat litter I would not compost it nor put it anywhere near chickens, esp if I was going to eat the birds or the eggs.

Unused & unscented/chemicaled cat litter is safe to compost but at it's pure clay it will make for some very poor compost.

There is some "compostable" kitty litter out there, but I believe that it's the same as "compostable" disposable utensils--meant for composting in a commercial facility, not a backyard compost pile.