Green Kitchen Compost Bags

[MBarnstormer]

Hi all, we typically put our kitchen waste into the compost pile, and let our free range hens dig through it during the day. We have been just piling the scraps in whatever bowl is handy and then dumping it, but we'd like to start using one of those green kitchen compost bags for ease and less mess. I'd really hate for those bags to be harmful to our ladies, though. Anyone have any experience or thoughts on that?

 

[CluckerFamily]

I just use a coffee container or ice cream pail to hold my scraps from the kitchen before taking them to the compost pile.
Not sure on the green bags. I'll have to research them, I am wondering if the bags breakdown or not.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Yes I have experience. They are only meant for large-scale compositing. Not home garden composting. It’s highly unlikely the average joe’s compost pile gets hot enough to break down that compostable plastic. I have a container about the size of a coffee can that I leave on the counter and fill and dump as needed. I wash it every time I dump it.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Yes I have experience. They are only meant for large-scale compositing. Not home garden composting. It’s highly unlikely the average joe’s compost pile gets hot enough to break down that compostable plastic. I have a container about the size of a coffee can that I leave on the counter and fill and dump as needed. I wash it every time I dump it.

This...in terms of home compost, especially something chickens can access, these bags are plastic and plastic is bad.

 

[MBarnstormer]

Thanks for your responses. That's about what I was thinking, that they aren't good for the chickens and might not even break down. I guess we'll just keep washing out the bowls each time we dump.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

A little shredded scrap paper in the bottom of the bowl is a easy way to reduce bowl cleanup. Clean (non plastic/super glossy) paper is good carbon for the compost

 

[vpatt]

What about ink on envelopes and cardboard....I'm thinking of all those Amazon boxes, especially.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

What about ink on envelopes and cardboard....I'm thinking of all those Amazon boxes, especially.

I can’t say for sure what’s in those inks but in this day and age I’d assume nothing toxic. You may be able to google around find more.

I compost both shredded paper (junk mail, etc) and shredded cardboard (mostly shipping boxes including Amazon).

It’s pretty amazing to think that when I was a kid (I’m mid-40’s) the bulk of “waste” or recyclable paper was newsprint. Now it’s mostly cardboard. Major under the radar change in a short period of time.