Help with simple composting for beginner

[LynnTXchickenmom]

I live in the Dallas area. In September, temps still high 90s, I started a compost pile of pine shavings and chicken manure from coop clean out—I scoop the heavy poop from under the roosts every 3 days and put down more shavings …the rest is deep bedding method. Co-op is 5x8). It heated up quickly and I turned it/watered it every few days. Before it was finished, we dumped it into a hugelbeet experiment. So I started another pile. But this one won’t heat up. Same thing, just poopy bedding from the coop. Our winters are mild and warm—50s-80s unless a cold front comes through; only lasts a few days, then back to warm again. We have highs in the 70s-80s now. So I don’t think it was too cold for most of the past four months. Why did it heat up before but won’t heat up now? Thoughts?

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

I live in the Dallas area. In September, temps still high 90s, I started a compost pile of pine shavings and chicken manure from coop clean out—I scoop the heavy poop from under the roosts every 3 days and put down more shavings …the rest is deep bedding method. Co-op is 5x8). It heated up quickly and I turned it/watered it every few days. Before it was finished, we dumped it into a hugelbeet experiment. So I started another pile. But this one won’t heat up. Same thing, just poopy bedding from the coop. Our winters are mild and warm—50s-80s unless a cold front comes through; only lasts a few days, then back to warm again. We have highs in the 70s-80s now. So I don’t think it was too cold for most of the past four months. Why did it heat up before but won’t heat up now? Thoughts?

Temps shouldn't be the issue at the numbers you're talking. Heck, I'm up in Rhode Island and as long as it's above freezing I'm getting some activity in the piles. Is the moisture level sufficient? That's my first thought.

Only other thought is if the bedding didn't have that much manure in it, which would mean slow decomp. The fix there is to mix in some green grass clippings, food scraps, etc.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

 

[5 Points Wingfeather]

Temps shouldn't be the issue at the numbers you're talking. Heck, I'm up in Rhode Island and as long as it's above freezing I'm getting some activity in the piles. Is the moisture level sufficient? That's my first thought.

Only other thought is if the bedding didn't have that much manure in it, which would mean slow decomp. The fix there is to mix in some green grass clippings, food scraps, etc.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

I wondered about nitrogen content too. Get some moisture and some green nitrogen based stuff and it should start to work

 

[Sammster]

So happy to have found this thread. We currently have compost bins that are stationary. I'm a woman who's getting up in years - so need to keep it as simple as possible. I can't begin to turn that compost. I can't have compost piles because of the dogs. I've been thinking of getting a large, tumbling composter. I could really use some advice, so I don't spin my wheels and waste my money. Do any here who use tumblers have any tips or product recommendations?

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

So happy to have found this thread. We currently have compost bins that are stationary. I'm a woman who's getting up in years - so need to keep it as simple as possible. I can't begin to turn that compost. I can't have compost piles because of the dogs. I've been thinking of getting a large, tumbling composter. I could really use some advice, so I don't spin my wheels and waste my money. Do any here who use tumblers have any tips or product recommendations?

Tumblers can work well. I would recommend getting one with multiple compartments, so you can have some compost breaking down/finishing while you're adding to another compartment.

The tumblers will only hold so much and getting the carbon to nitrogen ratio is key - the natural inclination is to go heavy on the food scraps/nitrogen.

But they work, they can be a bit slow, especially in cold weather since they don't have the mass to heat up, but if you're looking for "no turn", "no bend", it's the way to go.

Good luck!

 

[LynnTXchickenmom]

Temps shouldn't be the issue at the numbers you're talking. Heck, I'm up in Rhode Island and as long as it's above freezing I'm getting some activity in the piles. Is the moisture level sufficient? That's my first thought.

Only other thought is if the bedding didn't have that much manure in it, which would mean slow decomp. The fix there is to mix in some green grass clippings, food scraps, etc.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Thank you! My neighbor gave me a bag of grass clippings. I worked them in and watered the pile. 4 days later, I turned it and steam came up. Hot compost! It needed more nitrogen. Good to know that chicken droppings and pine shavings from the bedding don’t have enough nitrogen. Guess we will have to start collecting our cut grass in a bag rather than letting it stay in the yard.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Thank you! My neighbor gave me a bag of grass clippings. I worked them in and watered the pile. 4 days later, I turned it and steam came up. Hot compost! It needed more nitrogen. Good to know that chicken droppings and pine shavings from the bedding don’t have enough nitrogen. Guess we will have to start collecting our cut grass in a bag rather than letting it stay in the yard.

Glad that got it moving! Other options for items with nitrogen are food scraps and coffee grounds. Some coffee shops will give you their spent coffee grounds for the asking.

 

[Chris2018]

Start here ---
https://www.compostmagazine.com/compost-carbon-nitrogen-ratio/

There is a lot of useful information there.

 

[Percheron chick]

So happy to have found this thread. We currently have compost bins that are stationary. I'm a woman who's getting up in years - so need to keep it as simple as possible. I can't begin to turn that compost. I can't have compost piles because of the dogs. I've been thinking of getting a large, tumbling composter. I could really use some advice, so I don't spin my wheels and waste my money. Do any here who use tumblers have any tips or product recommendations?

The simplest and laziest way to have a productive compost pile is to turn the chicken run into a compost run. Just place all the compostable materials you collect into the run and let time and chickens do all the work. Will be a year long process so not ideal if you need it for this year's planting.

 

[Sammster]

The simplest and laziest way to have a productive compost pile is to turn the chicken run into a compost run. Just place all the compostable materials you collect into the run and let time and chickens do all the work. Will be a year long process so not ideal if you need it for this year's planting.

I have read up on this, a little. I'm thinking it would attract rodents. We have mice and voles. If we had more land, it might work. But, I'm in the burbs, with neighbors. Thank you, though! ♡