Composting...

[Percheron chick]

I guess I better stop complaining about $200/ton hay. Small squares run higher pushing $300/ton but I can find wheat or barley straw or damaged tops and bottoms for $1-2.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

You guys were talking about plastic pallets the other day. I got busy but wanted to share this picture below. I made my first coop with a plastic pallet. It was a small coop (4 ft x 6 ft) for just 6 birds. I built it up on wheels so I could move it around and the chickens could go under it for shade. Since I've moved houses my flock has grown significantly, I now use this coop for my ducks. It does not work well for them either... Their bedding falls through the holes and gets trapped in the center of the pallet. I would imagine you'd have the same issue with compost?

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I want my compost to be sitting on the ground, actually. It gives worms access to the pile, helping to work it. I want all kinds of bugs and organisms in my pile, they keep it active. A compost pile should be full of life, IMO.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

I would think people are talking about using pallets (wooden or plastic) as the sides of a composter, not a floor…as I agree ground contact helps a lot, although isn’t totally necessary (see compost tumblers as an example).

 

[TJAnonymous]

I would think people are talking about using pallets (wooden or plastic) as the sides of a composter, not a floor…as I agree ground contact helps a lot, although isn’t totally necessary (see compost tumblers as an example).

Yeah, that's what I thought they meant too... I'm just wondering how well it would work because stuff falls through and gets stuck in the middle.

 

[Percheron chick]

It really doesn't. The squares are about 2x2.

 

[NatJ]

Yeah, that's what I thought they meant too... I'm just wondering how well it would work because stuff falls through and gets stuck in the middle.

The amount that falls through the holes will be different, depending on whether the thing with holes is serving as a floor or the walls. It's common for compost bins to have holes in the walls (when they are made of pallets or wire fencing), but the amount that falls through is small enough most people don't care.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

The amount that falls through the holes will be different, depending on whether the thing with holes is serving as a floor or the walls. It's common for compost bins to have holes in the walls (when they are made of pallets or wire fencing), but the amount that falls through is small enough most people don't care.

Yes, and the holes in the wall help with airflow, which is important for a healthy pile.

My wooden composter is made of pallets with scrap lumber filling the big gaps, but I left some air space by design (not JUST because I’m bad at construction)

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Was out at the hay bale composter exposing more worms and sprouts when I noticed one more way this system will feed the flock…some of the hay bales are sprouting! I’ll take a little zero-effort fodder for the flock!

 

[TJAnonymous]

I took 5 wagon loads of compost out to the garden today. Black gold... Looked lovely and full of big fat nightcrawlers!

I do need to take a pitchfork out and turn a bunch of it...

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

I did some compost work out in the run today...I don't have an automatic sifting setup like @gtaus, but I did have something rare and amazing that he doesn't have - a motivated 10 year old.

I captured the story and a few pictures on my blog post about Early April Compost Sifting, but I'll share one compost glamor shot here.