Composting chicken poo?

[Italian Chicken]

Has anyone tried to compost coop material, and if so did you add anything to help the process?

 

[Tracydr]

I add plenty of browns. Wood shavings, old hay, shredded paper, pine needles. I usually use pine needles or rice hulls, a lot of alfalfa hay, although that is a green so needs more browns. I have free pine needles so lots of those get added.
I just cleaned out a Rubbermaid tote yesterday, will add some water and more pine needles, turn and stir several times over the next 4-8 weeks and it will be perfect.

 

[cat1994]

Umm well I don’t know about the composting process but I just take my chicken poop and the straw bedding and put it in my garden around my plants it helps a lot

 

[Rania]

I have a big compost pile and i just add the poo and pine shavings to my layers of veggies, coffee and grass/weed trimmings. I try not to pout too much of the straw/pine shavings and make sure i have an even balance of everything. But as much poo as possible for sure! Poo is the #1 ingredient!

 

[DancingHen]

I mix it with household scraps, garden greens/lawn clippings, and tons of shredded newspaper my husband brings home from work. It makes great soil. The poo is very high in nitrogen, so you can add a ton of wood, paper, etc to the pile. Your plants will love it.

 

[clairabean]

We do DLM and put the shavings and poop directly on the garden (and around trees) twice a year.

 

[mstricer]

Quote:
X2

 

[lorain's fids]

Quote:
I was just talking about starting to compost the poop the other day, I was thinking of getting a little composter that turns, but seeing your post I think I will start with a rubbermaid tote. Do you have to drill holes in the bottom for drainage and also do the darker color totes work better.

 

[corgiscatsandchickens]

Quote:
Us too. Deep Litter Method is great because the poo and shavings compost in the chicken house and add warmth during the winter, then in the spring you can clean everything out and you have beautifully composted chicken manure to spread on your garden.

Just be careful not to put "raw" poo on your plants. Too much nitrogen in the fresh poo--it can burn your plants big time.

 

[Judy]

lorain's fids :

I was just talking about starting to compost the poop the other day, I was thinking of getting a little composter that turns, but seeing your post I think I will start with a rubbermaid tote. Do you have to drill holes in the bottom for drainage and also do the darker color totes work better.

Yes, it needs to drain. I think you will find a Rubbermaid tote too small. Some containment (sides) is a good idea, but the truth is you can just make a pile in a corner somewhere, too. Those turning composters would speed up the process, but I'd never put that kind of money into composting.

I'm sure if you went over to one of our sister sites, TheEasyGarden.com (link also at the bottom of the Index page) you could read plenty on composting readily.​