Chickens & Compost: Good idea or no?

[NeeleysAVLChicks]

Hi guys, my free ranging ladies have somehow not discovered our compost pile yet. Its about 20 yds or so from their typical roaming radius around the house. I've been tempted recently to introduce them to it, let them dig around in it and in the process they'll hopefully help aerate and mix up the pile for us. Is this a good idea or no? We're very careful about only putting raw vegetable scraps and lawn scraps only in there and I'm sure they'll love the bugs, just curious if there are any hidden dangers involved?

 

[1stepcloser]

Mine LOVE our compost pile. They dig, scratch, eat, and roll around in it. I had some fabulous compost for the garden this year courtesy of the girls...let em in!

 

[dacjohns]

I'm probably a terrible chicken owner. I let them scratch around and eat out of the compost pile. I haven't noticed any ill effects and they enjoy it almost as much as the cat food and spilled wild bird food.

Some people will say don't because some of the scraps get moldy and rotten and it's bad for the birds.

 

[VerlonCox]

I guess that I am different then others because I dont do it but I have considered myself. I keep mine out just because I'm afraid of any harmful bacteria that they may get into while the compost is damp. My neighbor lets her chickens go through hers and I haven't ever see any ill effects. My compost pile is fenced in and in the middle of the garden to boot (it makes great compost tea when it rains and our garden is on a slight hill). I guess that it wouldn't hurt because all of the "hot" compost is in a big wagon where I turn it and when ready I dump it on the ground behind the wagon and start over.

 

[patandchickens]

If you are cold composting, chickens will have lots of fun in your compost and not do it any harm at all. (Just don't let them into it if you have deposits of really moldy stuff in there, which in principle shouldn't happen but in reality sometimes does)

If you are trying to hot-compost a not-very-huge pile, though, you may find you need to keep the chickens out in order to prevent the pile from getting spread out so thin that it no longer heats up.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat