Composting advice needed

[sampoulton]

Hi,
I teach in a small, inner city special school in the UK. We have three silkies and are beginning a farm to fork initiative, growing, cooking and eating what we can. We would like create our own compost but we also need to be aware of any dangers around children with additional needs helping to create/use compost created from faeces/litter.
The chickens are currently in my back garden, in a run and coop on a patio. They currently free range in my garden and I clean the run and coop out weekly and do not compost. They currently have wood shaving and straw.
They will soon be moving to my school. The run has been built in the school for them to move into. It has a soil base currently but this could be changed. It is 3ftx10ft. What is the best base/litter for us to use as we would like to compost as much as possible. All composting/bedding/litter advice greatly received.
Thanks in advance

 

[azygous]

I've found that straw decomposes in the shortest time. Wood shavings are less dusty as a bedding, but take much longer to decompose. These are a major source of nitrogen and unless they are decomposed completely before putting onto your garden, they will be "hot" and many garden plants simply can't handle high amounts of nitrogen. Adding chicken poop to the compost really multiplies the nitrogen, and the danger is compost that will be much too high in nitrogen for most plants if not completely decomposed.

The difference in climate between where you live and where I live is probably a wide spread. The more moisture your compost gets, the better the composting rate, but temperatures too cool can slow it down. I have both dry climate and too cool temps for composting to take place in the span of time between one growing season and the next. Composting is pretty nearly rocket science in that it can involve many complex factors. Certainly, if nothing else, it's a great teaching tool.

An aside that you might not have considered when you decided to start your chickens at your home and move them to the school later. In doing that, your chickens may face coccidia in the soil at the school that are a different strain than what they have developed resistance to. It would be wise to give these chickens a round of a coccidiostat as soon as you move them into their new coop and run. Use the preventative mixing instructions. This should help prevent sickness, something you don't need for these chickens on top of the stress from the move.

 

[sampoulton]

Thank you so much for your advice, especially about the coccidia as I had not considered that.
I was thinking of mainly using straw and where we live, moisture is abundant! We tend to call it liquid sunshine to prevent it from getting us down.
I was thinking of mainly using straw in the run and straw and some (minimal) sawdust in the coop to prevent moisture build up in the more enclosed space of the coop. I was then thinking of cleaning out the coop weekly and add this to the run floor as it will contain a lot of faeces, especially in the cooler months as they stay in the coop for more of the day.
How deep should the straw in the run be at the start of the process? I recognise that this will both decompose down but also be added to as I clean out the coop more regularly.
Thank you in advance
Sam

 

[Ruby Rogue]

Did you mean the run has been built AT the school, or do you literally mean IN the school as stated in your post?

 

[sampoulton]

The run is in the school grounds, outside, hence the soil base.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Very cool project and educational opportunity. Check your local UK laws and regulations related to chickens and compost (they’re different than here in the US).

Generally speaking…as long as you’re practicing good hygiene (hand washing, special footwear/clothes for chicken run) and have enough brown materials for a good compost, you should be safe.

My children are 5 and 10, and have been little “chicken tenders” since they could walk.

 

[buckock]

Not sure if anyone answered your question about depth of the straw. Mass is important to get composting in action. For that reason, I would consider layering it at least 6" deep (much less and the chickens will scratch down to the dirt, as I found out) and more if your can. It will break down. If it starts to smell, that's usually a sign that you need to add more brown (in your case straw). Chickens love taking dust baths so I feel free to add some sawdust periodically to give them something to fluff around in. Good luck!

 

[CanadaEh]

What is the best base/litter for us to use as we would like to compost as much as possible. All composting/bedding/litter advice greatly received.

fall leaves (especially if there is leaf bagging practice there in UK). Collect as many as you can, pile at least 1ft high. I found straw once compacted is much harder to turn by chickens or pitchfork.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

fall leaves (especially if there is leaf bagging practice there in UK). Collect as many as you can, pile at least 1ft high. I found straw once compacted is much harder to turn by chickens or pitchfork.

Leaves are so critical to my healthy chicken run

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

fall leaves (especially if there is leaf bagging practice there in UK). Collect as many as you can, pile at least 1ft high. I found straw once compacted is much harder to turn by chickens or pitchfork.

i get nervous about straw or hay from a store like TSC because i worry about it being sprayed or something. I dont want my chickens playin; in that. They eat it too anyway, so its just not worth the risk when I have access to tons of leaves and random grass clippings. When its hot i will mist the run because it is covered well and I think the water is necessary for a healthier run environment.