Duck bedding/compost

[eliz_anne]

Hi everyone!

I have been cleaning out my ducks house and putting the waste in a pile in my backyard (I use fine and flake shavings). However, the pile is now overgrown and makes my yard look terrible! We’ve also seen a few rats as of lately. Is there a way to get rid of the extra shavings once I clean it out rather than just placing it in a large pile? Does somewhere take them? Any suggestions is appreciated!

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

I use mine as mulch around the landscaping and in the garden. You don't have to compost duck poo, its not hot like chicken poo. I shovel directly around my trees and plant beds from the duck house. If you have a friend with a garden, they might like it or post a free compost message on Next Door.

 

[YodaBat]

Hi everyone!

I have been cleaning out my ducks house and putting the waste in a pile in my backyard (I use fine and flake shavings). However, the pile is now overgrown and makes my yard look terrible! We’ve also seen a few rats as of lately. Is there a way to get rid of the extra shavings once I clean it out rather than just placing it in a large pile? Does somewhere take them? Any suggestions is appreciated!

Compost is best/ but you could see if other gardeners would enjoy duck poo soil.

 

[eliz_anne]

I use mine as mulch around the landscaping and in the garden. You don't have to compost duck poo, its not hot like chicken poo. I shovel directly around my trees and plant beds from the duck house. If you have a friend with a garden, they might like it or post a free compost message on Next Door.

Thank you that is a great idea!

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I switched to pine pellets which break down much better than the shavings and make it easier to compost or spread around. We make little mounds on the edge of the woods to plant our squash and pumpkins in (They grow like crazy in the compost). We also re-seeded a pasture and used the pine pellet/duck poop mix to cover the seeds to protect them from too much sun and fertilize. Worked like a charm!

 

[KaleIAm]

I also switched from wood shavings to a different substrate, straw. Not for compost reasons, though. I find that it decomposes FAR more rapidly. Within a few months it is almost flat!! You do have to clean out the duck coop more often or straw can get moldy.

 

[3bird]

We use the deep litter method on our duckhouse and clean out 1 or 2x/year. We do daily spot cleaning, and that goes directly into the compost. When we do our big clean-outs, that also goes directly into the compost (divided amongst two of our three bins and turned in with the rest of the compost). When it's ready, the compost then goes into the garden--usually a covering in the fall and then with new planting in the spring.