Can you compost with sand?

[naadarien]

Just wondering. I like the idea of putting sand in the Coop, but if it is too much of a desiccant and nothing composts then I can see that being a problem.

Hmmm...or maybe the compost would be sandy and I wouldn't want to mix that with my basic soil...?

Has anyone used sand and composted?

(We have chickens and pigs BTW so the pile will be a mix of the offal from those two animals, and the pigs's share will have mulching hay in it.)

 

[oldrooster]

Just wondering. I like the idea of putting sand in the Coop, but if it is too much of a desiccant and nothing composts then I can see that being a problem.

Hmmm...or maybe the compost would be sandy and I wouldn't want to mix that with my basic soil...?

Has anyone used sand and composted?

(We have chickens and pigs BTW so the pile will be a mix of the offal from those two animals, and the pigs's share will have mulching hay in it.)

I have never heard of it being in compost but if you have heavy clay soil (like most of where I am in southern Indiana) people add it to their soil to improve the soil conditions and make it more loomus.....

 

[Mrwinchester]

What volume of sand are you tackling ? I was wondering the same thing. What about doing a tea ? I was thinking using a 50 gal drum or smaller and mixing with water the sand should separate from the organic matter and just pour off the liquid onto your exiting compost, or if it's well aged make a tea and feed your garden. I'm no expert in compost or chickens but i have been doing allot of research on alternatives to chemical fertilizers and i am now a official chicken owner as of 5 weeks ago

 

[stevodod]

I'm doing a large pile, and use ash from the fire pit, LOTS of leaves, table scraps, bunny litter and old food, chicken poop, anything organic. Sand will wash through from the rain- it doesn't contribute anything.

 

[naadarien]

I have never heard of it being in compost but if you have heavy clay soil (like most of where I am in southern Indiana) people add it to their soil to improve the soil conditions and make it more loomus.....

My soil is shale-y. To build this house , 20 years ago, they had to blast some rock out for the foundation and then they surrounded the place with clean fill. So the soil is a mix of shale and plain old top soil. Not really the kind of soil that would be improved by adding sand.

Thanks!

 

[naadarien]

What volume of sand are you tackling ? I was wondering the same thing. What about doing a tea ? I was thinking using a 50 gal drum or smaller and mixing with water the sand should separate from the organic matter and just pour off the liquid onto your exiting compost, or if it's well aged make a tea and feed your garden. I'm no expert in compost or chickens but i have been doing allot of research on alternatives to chemical fertilizers and i am now a official chicken owner as of 5 weeks ago

 

Hmmm...a tea is an interesting idea. I'll have to keep that in mind.

Our coop is a makeover of an old maple sugar shack. It is a lot bigger than most coops. I could live in it. . It's gotta be 200 sqft or there abouts. So I'd be talking about a lot of sand. I am also considering deep layering with some wood ash. We have a wood boiler so we have several trash cans full of ash by winter's end.

I got my first flock 4 weeks ago so I know the feeling. LOL!

 

[naadarien]

I'm doing a large pile, and use ash from the fire pit, LOTS of leaves, table scraps, bunny litter and old food, chicken poop, anything organic.  Sand will wash through from the rain- it doesn't contribute anything.

 

Excellent! Thanks!

 

[stevodod]

Hmmm...a tea is an interesting idea. I'll have to keep that in mind.

Our coop is a makeover of an old maple sugar shack. It is a lot bigger than most coops. I could live in it. . It's gotta be 200 sqft or there abouts. So I'd be talking about a lot of sand. I am also considering deep layering with some wood ash. We have a wood boiler so we have several trash cans full of ash by winter's end.

I got my first flock 4 weeks ago so I know the feeling. LOL!

I'd LOOOVE to see a pic of that coop! Sand helps with compaction, shaping, and rigidity, but if you're pulling it out every few months for soil, it'll still be there. Wood ash- good! Lime (agricultural) good! food scraps- good!

It's all good!

 

[offgridhermit]

Just wondering. I like the idea of putting sand in the Coop, but if it is too much of a desiccant and nothing composts then I can see that being a problem.

Hmmm...or maybe the compost would be sandy and I wouldn't want to mix that with my basic soil...?

Has anyone used sand and composted?

(We have chickens and pigs BTW so the pile will be a mix of the offal from those two animals, and the pigs's share will have mulching hay in it.)

My yard is nothing but sand. I used straw in my coop and run. When cleaning it out I put it all in a pile along with kitchen scraps that didn't go to the chickens, I also shoveled sand on top of my pile of straw, poo and scraps. The compost pile gets turned occasionally, and rained on. Well anyway what I'm leading up to is a couple of weeks ago I had to move the compost pile with the sand in it and I had the most wonderful dirt for my garden planter boxes. So in answer to your question..... Yes, I've used sand in my compost pile.

 

[lazy gardener]

It sounds like you're planning to use the sand in the coop. I don't use it, but from my understanding, when folks do, they use a fine rake or kitty litter type of scoop and rake the poo out of the sand on a regular basis. That could then be added to the compost. If you're doing a deep litter, which would be expected to compost, I wouldn't add sand. Can you clarify what you're doing? Is the natural substrate of the coop made up of sand, or have you added or will you add sand? Generally, compost is fantastic stuff to add to a sandy garden. I'd be cautious about adding a huge amount of wood ash. although it contains a lot of wonderful nutrients, it will make your soil very alkaline if you add it indiscriminately. Otherwise, with the chickens and the pigs, it sounds like you have a perfect recipe to make your vegetables leap out of the ground.