Composting and Chicken Runs

[bruceha2000]

The chickens will only get the surface so you do have to do some of the work

But if you turn it, they will dig around in what ever ends up near the top looking for bugs, seeds and sprouting seeds. And they will pick through any of the recent additions you throw in the "new stuff" bin. If you burn wood, you can also put the ash in the compost pile. Good source of carbon.

A quick Google search turned up: http://eartheasy.com/grow_compost.html
As you can see, turning is a "once every few weeks" event, not a daily chore.

Bruce

 

[rojororeo]

I will keep all that in mind, thanks! I figured I would have to do some flipping of it for them as well, since it is so deep. I will also go get a better look at that link too!
Thanks

 

[NessaAmz]

What about in-ground compost piles in the chicken run? This would negate having to build (and maintain) walls to keep the compost in and stop it from getting kicked all over the place (if too deep at first for chickens to get in and out, could put a ramp down into it). It would also look nicer than above ground bins i think. Do you think it would get too wet? Should it have a sloped cover?

I was not looking forward to having to separate my food scarps (some for chickens, some for compost. etc) but then read about feeding chickens off of a wood chip/compost pile exclusively- sounds good to me! Unlimited Free Chicken Food With Wood Chips

And from what I've read here already, it seems like there's no need to separate (except for avocados) what goes into the chicken run compost pile- I think any scrap meat or such would go into the black soldier fly larva setup (or given to the dog if it's raw).

OH- and as for "flipping" or "turning" the pile, what if you don't need to? Check out the Humanure Handbook page down the bottom under "Is this true that a compost pile should be turned periodically?". I would do a three bin system and once one is full just cover and let it sit while I fill the next one.

Hoping between the wood chip/compost pile and rotating pastures (we have acreage to spare) that I won't need to buy too much feed (soy and gmo free, sprouted/fermented).

 

[Mama Chicky]

I am new to chickens and composting. My current run is about 8ft by 8ft and uncovered. I have 2 questions:
1. If I just cover the entire run with the compost pile, instead of having a designated section for it, will it still be "hot" enough over that big of space to actually compost? I only have 6 chickens right now.
2. My run is currently not covered. I live in northeast WA and we get some rain and a few feet of snow in the winter. Will I need to build a roof or some kind of cover over the run if I compost in there?

 

[lazy gardener]

My only concern regarding composting in the chicken run is: will any kitchen scraps that the chickens don't consume act as an attractant for predators or rodents? The lower level of my coop which is 8 x 12 is "composted" with grass clippings, hay, and leaves. The stuff just melts into the soil. It doesn't really get hot, it just disappears! I'd recommend that you put outdoor compostables into your run, give the chickens your household left overs that you know that they will consume, and compost the rest of your kitchen waste to avoid attracting critters to your run. My kitchen trash gets divided into: chicken food, worm bin food, compostables, and the stuff that doesn't fit those categories goes down the toilet or in the trash. Sometimes, my compostables go into a "sheet compost", lasagna bed, or trench in the garden, other times, into a pile, or in a barrel composter.

 

[Craftymama]

Great thread...I have been thinking about how I'm going to redo my compost when we rebuild our fence and this thread is just the ticket to get me started. I want my chickens to enjoy the compost and do some of the 'dirty work' for me.

 

[Fluffychicky]

My current flock have a fairly small run, I threw in a bunch of leaves today with the hopes they'll break down into dirt for my garden and give the chickens something to dig through. Am I on the right track?

 

[lazy gardener]

Absolutely. When you clean your coop, where do you put the litter? A lot of folks toss it into the run where the soil organisms can help to break it down. Any organic matter you can add will be a plus: garden debris, old hay, straw, stable litter if you can get it.

 

[ChristieB]

This thread is very helpful, Thankyou! One question though, we have some "pet " rats (bred to feed my husbands snakes) I use shredded paper/newspaper as their bedding, is this safe to add to the compost and eventually garden? I'm 99.9% sure it's not suitable to put where the chooks can get to it. Right now it goes in the bin but if I can cut back on waste even more I'd be thrilled. They get fed a mix of brood mare pellets, rat and mouse mix (lucerne grains pellets etc) fruit veges and occasionally some yogurt and if I'm desperate and have nothing else they get dog biscuits.
Would the initial smell of the soiled bedding attract or repel or not bother wild rats? I wouldn't want to be attracting them!!
Tia for any help or advice

 

[lazy gardener]

I have absolutely no idea. But, rabbit manure is supposed to not be hot, and can be used directly in the garden. I have no idea if there are pathogens that would make rat manure unacceptable for the garden. Any thing composted hot enough or long enough should be safe.