Composting chicken run

[RUNuts]

I just toss mine on top or beside the pile to fork onto the pile after the girls have inspected everything. Beware that it will attract rodents and squirrels and rabbits with great big fangs. Gets mixed in with bedding, leaves, wood chips, cardboard and junk mail.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

I just toss mine on top or beside the pile to fork onto the pile after the girls have inspected everything. Beware that it will attract rodents and squirrels and rabbits with great big fangs. Gets mixed in with bedding, leaves, wood chips, cardboard and junk mail.

Killer rabbits with big fangs? Are you near Camelot?

I never go there...it’s a silly place.

 

[Sally PB]

 

[RUNuts]

Killer rabbits with big fangs? Are you near Camelot?

I never go there...it’s a silly place.

Moderately close, we have huuugggeee .... tracts of land ... in the swamp.

 

[Shannon Robinson50]

3 pallets wired together to form a 3 sided cube? Something easy.

If you have any rats in the neighborhoo,they will thank you for this type of compost Area. I learned this the hard way. I was greedy. I wanted more compost for my garden than my 4 contained composers could produce. I I’ll buy another tumbling one or enclosed one to meet our needs. I’ll never do an open one again.

 

[RUNuts]

If you have any rats in the neighborhoo,they will thank you for this type of compost Area. I learned this the hard way. I was greedy. I wanted more compost for my garden than my 4 contained composers could produce. I I’ll buy another tumbling one or enclosed one to meet our needs. I’ll never do an open one again.

Yep. they found me and then I evicted them. Battled them last year. I don't put many food scraps out and changed the way I fed the birds. The all-you-can-eat buffet is closed.

Picking up the chicken feed every night, I think, did the most good. They have left and I'm reconsidering the move to the country. Our dogs don't appreciate cats. The coyotes do, though.

 

[vpatt]

Well if you are in Camelot Excalibur should dispatch the predators........ squirrels routinely dine in the run here. I think getting outside more is already helping me....just loads of stress here like most people have.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Well if you are in Camelot Excalibur should dispatch the predators........ squirrels routinely dine in the run here. I think getting outside more is already helping me....just loads of stress here like most people have.

I find that watching a bunch of chickens scratching around a compost pile to be very relaxing. Fresh air, a little exercise, and some chicken TV!

 

[Sally PB]

My method for combatting mice (haven't seen any rats) is to take all the chicken food out of run at night. What I give the chickens to compost in their run either isn't of interest to mice (leaves, bark, grass, weeds), or gets totally eaten (squash guts, etc.). I take out "chickie snack" in the early afternoon, and by lock up, there isn't anything left.

Anything icky/moldy/rotten/rodent attractive gets put into the compost bin. And covered in chicken poop. Some gets dug up, but hey, if something wants to eat poop-covered slimy banana peels....

I'm going to pick up some grass seed in preparation for moving the coop down by the garden in a couple of months. I'll reseed the area that was the run last summer, and maybe they'll have some tender little grass to eat when they get down there. When they move, I can reseed the area where they are now, for when they move back next fall.

The dirt in the run right now is some fine looking dirt!

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Woke up to 16 degrees and strong winds. High will maybe hit 30 today. Brr. Good reminder that “spring” is not linear and can be cruel!

Smaller than usual load of food waste today...which is just fine considering the weather!