COMPOSTING

[chickengirl1193]

This might be a silly question, but I mixed some dirt some pete moss and 3 fresh chicken poops in a large pot and planted some seeds. I know chicken poo is too hot to use directly on plants but I was hoping that the ratio of dirt to poo was large enough. Do you guys think that the plants will grow or should I dump it in the compost pile? (My compost isnt ready to be used as fertilizer)

 

[AxisOfBeagles]

I guess you'll find out if and when the seeds sprout and grow ... or don't. !!

 

[Teery]

I hot compost horse manure after reading a university study. People on the internet spread information they no nothing about. When I read that horse manure makes one of the best compost I sat there in awe being that all my neighbors have horses. And the organization that approves or gives organic title to growers considers it organic and safe if hot composted... The shelf life in worming medicine is very short. Even manure from the day that you worm your horse has a short shelf life once exposed to the sun (a couple of hours).

It composts in about 6 weeks and is a great amendment to the garden. I have a worm bin that I started with 100% horse manure and the worms do great..

My composting method is simple...I made 6 round wire bins out of 4 foot wire fencing you can get at home depot. They are roughly 3 to 4 feet around. You can wire tie them together. Fill them with manure (add a little water) and use a rake handle to poke a hole in the middle for air. The center heats up and draws air from the outside. This promotes the good bacteria to heat it up and break it down. I let it comport for a week and then shovel it into the next bin turning it and adding a little water. 6 bins equals 6 weeks moving each pile a week to the next bin to the end where I screen it through 1/2" hardware cloth.

I then keep it in a 3 tall foot pile until I use. It isn't rocket science. It does take a hour commitment each week. My garden is about 1/4 acre. I spread it out at the end of each crop and till it in. We have also filled raised beds with it and it performs great...If I have yard waste, I also add it to the bins with manure. Decomposes much faster then by itself...

 

[rfreedlund]

While we have lots of land, I am not in a situation where I can free range my flock. I was able to expand the run quite a bit this spring, but I still know what 48 chickens can do to run in a reasonably short amount of time.

While I am looking to fence off more area soon, I kept reading how composting can keep the flock entertained and help reduce wear on the green things growing in the yard. I found some free pallets to set up the bins. At first I gathered a lot of stuff with just a rake, pitchfork and wheelbarrow, but it takes a long time. Finally yesterday, I got a hold of the skid loader and gathered the pile of goat and horse manure being gathered by my cousin and just dumped it in the yard and started loading more the bins.

Every moment they spend working the compost is less time they take tearing up their run. They run for it first when I open the coop doors in the morning. It has cut down some on feed, too. While I am still looking to get them more space, I have become convinced that a compost pile is a great addition to my flock management.

 

[3forfree]

I deep litter my chicken coop and when the poop starts to pile up under the roost I fill a quart jar with BOSS and spread it around under the roost and after a day of scratching they have everything spread out nice and neat. They will have that pile spread out in no time.

 

[vehve]

Yay, I seem to have found likeminded people who are as messed up in the head as me. The better half can't understand my fascination with my compost box. I started ours about 6 weeks ago, and one week ago the first compartment was full, thanks to a little clean up operation in the coop. Took about 2 days for it to really get started, and it has now been cooking at maybe 60 deg C in the middle since then.

I'm using an insulated box, so it gets really hot (if I stick my fingers into the compost, I can't keep them there for more than 5 seconds), and I'm really amazed about how quickly the stuff is decomposing. After only a week, everything has turned black already. I did have a slight issue with odors, but I added a layer of hemp bedding on top to tie up any nitrogen that was evaporating (And it was a lot - when I turn it I have to hold my breath, loads of ammonia being set free). The added carbon seems to have really helped with the smell.

My question is, once this thing has cooled down, how long should I wait before using it? Of course if it still has a strong smell to it, it will need to rest, but is a few weeks of cooling time enough before it can be put to use in the garden?

And to anyone considering composting, a word of warning. It's really addictive, and makes you do weird things. I'm currently keeping a journal of the development of my compost in it's own thread. Not normal behavior at all.

 

[momofthehouse]

My plan for a compost bin in the run is sawing up tree rounds to contain the items in an circular area for the chickens to get into. I am wondering do I need to put anything at the base of the area and then pile my compost stuff on top or maybe put left over fencing ? The run is washed construction sand so if I mowed or scooped poo it would go right on top of that. So question is do I need a "floor" to the compost area or piling on the sand ok? Let me know if you need a picture we have some of it started.

 

[vehve]

My plan for a compost bin in the run is sawing up tree rounds to contain the items in an circular area for the chickens to get into. I am wondering do I need to put anything at the base of the area and then pile my compost stuff on top or maybe put left over fencing ? The run is washed construction sand so if I mowed or scooped poo it would go right on top of that. So question is do I need a "floor" to the compost area or piling on the sand ok? Let me know if you need a picture we have some of it started.

No, you don't, ground contact is good. Throw in some dirt in there as well.

 

[momofthehouse]

No, you don't, ground contact is good. Throw in some dirt in there as well.

Ok thanks!

 

[RichnSteph]

I went out to turn the compost pile last night, I just have a spot on the ground where I drop the yard trimmings and kitchen waste and then cover it with dead leaves, and was surprised to find several types of animals and things in it. I had a nice trail of Harvester Ants who were busy hauling away little pieces of the greens in there. Then there were several black ants that are 1.25" long (biggest **** ant I've ever seen) and they were apparently hunting the numerous little black roaches in the pile. The ants I don't mind much, the roaches have to go. So since I'm not going to spray the pile with a pesticide I grabbed one of my soon-to-be-garden-boxes and after a modification or two it is now sitting on the ground with my compost pile in it and a lid on it. The box is roughly 44"x40" and 24" tall. I'm hoping that with it being covered it'll start to cook a little and hopefully drive out or cook the critters that are in there. I really need to get a handle on this soon because I've got an acre of leaves to get raked, piled and composted before this fall when the process starts all over again.