Composting chicken run

[Sally PB]

But I think they could get thru the fence if they tried. But not into the coop at night.

Can you beef up your fence a bit?

 

[vpatt]

Can you beef up your fence a bit?

I'm sure it could be better. I have thought about different things I could do. The chickens were actually out loose in my yard when the fox got them. I guess more than one fox as many of the chickens disappeared the same day. It was in June so I believe they had babies and that is why they were so intent on the chickens. I know I will be more vigilant from the middle of May to the middle of July. I can also check out a spot near our field where I believe there may have been a den. I saw a young fox nearby a few years ago....almost in my yard...I actually thought it was my little (10#) dog for a few minutes. So I'm not sure how to get them to leave. One of my grandsons had started checking it out for me, but he has moved, sigh. We tried a humane trap which didn't work. So maybe I need to read up on foxes.

 

[vpatt]

Oh no, there's another swap in a week....I may have to get a couple more hens. I'm getting a silkie tomorrow. I separated the little Polish pair from the others so I will put the silkie with them. I caught Crabby Appleton pecking at her topknot , so I thought I should separate them. Hopefully, this will mean more compost. That's my story.

 

[gtaus]

Oh no, there's another swap in a week....I may have to get a couple more hens. I'm getting a silkie tomorrow. I separated the little Polish pair from the others so I will put the silkie with them. I caught Crabby Appleton pecking at her topknot , so I thought I should separate them. Hopefully, this will mean more compost. That's my story.

Yes, all chickens will help make compost. Some chickens are better egg layers than others. Some chickens may be raised primarily for meat. Some of my chickens I ordered just because I thought they looked nice. Many reasons to have a mix of birds in the flock, but they all help make compost.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Temps got to mid-40’s today so the pile got 12 barrels of leaves. The pile needed a dose of carbon for sure.

Before I added the leaves my son hopped on the pile with my pick ax and turned a little. The steam coming from just 6-8” down was impressive, but the smell he uncovered validated my plan to add carbon.

The leaves came from the neighbor’s yard. The exercise did me well...but if the neighbor bring over baked good again it could end up bring a calorie negative event for me.

 

[vpatt]

We are going to get more leaves soon. I would like at least one more load of mulch. I made a temporary space for the smaller chickens and I will be putting another run in like I used to have. The little Polish girl has been poorly...I believe from the bullying. Also my new silkie somehow turned into two. So now there are eight. I bought two kinds of supplements to add to their water. This was because of her weakness. She will be laying around looking nigh unto death and then the next time I check she is about normal.

The weather is much more pleasant here than it was a few weeks ago....getting close to morel season! I have really only hunted for mushrooms once, but for some reason I'm really interested this year. And I think it would be good exercise...And I can stop and rest when ever I need to. I'm reading about growing my own mushrooms and wondering if compost will come in handy for that. Now who knows if this project will really take place?

Compost question: when you all add food to the compost (especially those who get large amounts from restaurants) do you just pour those on top or try to bury them some. Is all the food good? I mean edible. I'm just thinking it has to rot to become part of the compost. Not sure how I missed the details on this part....And maybe I didn't miss it, but only forgot. I think because we don't have many food scraps I mostly just throw them on top and they eat them.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Compost question: when you all add food to the compost (especially those who get large amounts from restaurants) do you just pour those on top or try to bury them some. Is all the food good? I mean edible. I'm just thinking it has to rot to become part of the compost. Not sure how I missed the details on this part....And maybe I didn't miss it, but only forgot. I think because we don't have many food scraps I mostly just throw them on top and they eat them.

Here’s what I do...

I put the food on top of the pile. That gives them the best access to eat it. 100% of the food isn’t edible...there are peels, odds and ends they just don’t want, or more than they can eat.

After a day or two, once things are picked over, I either turn the food into the pile, or add more carbon on top (ideally both).

Then the next food delivery goes on top of the fresh carbon layer. The biggest challenge is keeping up, carbon-wise.

Also, I built a composter with sides this year, after more of a classic free-form pile last year. Turns out that whole fruit clearly isn’t meant to be composted...if they were, they wouldn’t be round!

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

I’ll add that chickens aren’t people...when I turn the compost, there are bits of half rotted food, worms, bugs, fungus, etc.

They run over and pick through, finding plenty to snack on...and none ask me about “sell by” dates.

 

[vpatt]

I’ll add that chickens aren’t people...when I turn the compost, there are bits of half rotted food, worms, bugs, fungus, etc.

They run over and pick through, finding plenty to snack on...and none ask me about “sell by” dates.

Lol, that's good to know. I'm sure that has been said before..(how different people add foods to compost). I have a problem with focusing recently and well, that's just how it Is in my world right now. But getting more chickens is helping me to have more to do which I think is a good thing

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Lol, that's good to know. I'm sure that has been said before..(how different people add foods to compost). I have a problem with focusing recently and well, that's just how it Is in my world right now. But getting more chickens is helping me to have more to do which I think is a good thing

Chicken and compost care are two things ripe for routine, so I could see it helping.