Chippers and shredders

[DIMBY]

This is probably a dumb place to post this, since this is really about Managing Your Chicken Byproducts - specifically the manure. I have lots of it with wood shavings and straw, mounds and mounds of it, in fact, so that after my first year I'm thinking about (gasp) spending even MORE money. What experience has anybody have with these rather inexpensive shredders or something akin:
http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3470045&cp=2568444.2598675.1260399 -- my goal is to compost what I want (which I already do), then give bags to friends and neighbors. I tried my Black and Decker leaf mulcher a couple of weeks ago, with less than spectacular results. Any feedback from you BYC'ers would be most appreciated before I buy something!

 

[patandchickens]

Wait, sorry, I'm not quite understanding what the shredder would be FOR? Usually you just compost the pooey bedding and use it in the garden, ta-da, nothing else necessary. It can still have somewhat coarse chunks/strands in it when you put it in the garden, that is actually *good* for the soil; if you need fine-textured compost for something in particular you can use a screen on it.

Pat

 

[Garden Gal]

I've had and loved using a chpper/shredder in the past for leaves, branches, etc... I never tried anything like chicken poo and found that anything too moist such as grass or leaves would clog things up. I'm finding that if I turn my compost pile (chips/poo) regularly and add grass/leaves, it is breaking down pretty quickly. I've NEVER had as many earth worms as I have since adding chickens to my property!!

 

[Royd]

Quote:
I could definitely see the advantage to it. What a great way to, thoroughly, mix your fresh compost...Three forks full of leaves and small branches, and one fork full of manure....Also, what a great way to compost chicken feathers, after processing.

 

[DIMBY]

That's what I'm talking about (except maybe the feather part)....we have composted for more than 30 years, have a huge compost pile already but I'm finding that the chicken "muck" is just simply overwhelming, albeit in a valuable way. No complaints, just exploring ways to make this whole thing work better.