Hot composting safe around chickens?

[pnwchickenn00b]

Hi everyone!
I'm new to chickens, and I'm in the process of optimizing my coop/run area for my first 3 chickens coming this summer. I have a hot compost pile in the area where I'd like to put the run. To give you a better idea I have a coop/small run combo attached to a larger run area 60sqft or so that has my 4'x4' hot compost pile in it.
I know chickens can be great composters, but will the hot compost be too hot for them? it gets up to 150 and I worry that that is too hot.
Anyone have a hot compost pile in/around their run?
Do I need to move my pile?

 

[Dayrel]

It's more a question of if the chickens will be a problem for your compost pile.

Chickens won't go into an area that is too hot for them if they have alternatives. From my understanding, hot composts aren't uniformly hot and the main heat is actually well inside the surface.

Chickens do love to scratch around to look for bugs, worms and other goodies and a compost pile is naturally attractive that way. If the pile is not fenced off (and not too hot), they will want to get into it, scratch around and spread it out. This is great for helping to mix it and break down the material. Chickens are actually rather enthusiastic compost helpers. You would have to periodically rake it back into a more organized pile.

So, I wouldn't worry too much about it harming the chickens, but more about if you are okay with them doing some rearranging of your pile for you. I have my compost contained in a chicken wire fence and both the chickens and compost coexist just fine.

 

[aart]

It's more a question of if the chickens will be a problem for your compost pile.

Exactly!
They'll tear it up and it won't stay hot.