Hot composting with chicken bedding and garden waste

[Amberjem]

ok.. had thought the bad smell was something with anaerobic or something anyways bad bacteria versus good bacteria...

 

[vehve]

Well, I'd say that's more of a stench, but yeah, if it smells of death, then you've got anaerobic breakdown (rotting) going on in there. My smell problems have been with the ammonia, it's a bit nitrogen heavy but I don't really want to waste more bedding either, so I'd rather let it be a bit out of balance. And then when it's starting to heat up, my box can put out a bit of a smell. Since I put kitchen waste in there too, there's sometimes some interesting stuff in there. Imagine what a fish carcass smells like when it's been at fridge temps spoiling for a few weeks and then suddenly starts to warm up... I try to bury that kind of stuff a bit deeper in there, but because I'm turning it daily the smells do escape a bit.

 

[Amberjem]

I think I am just going to do some posts and chicken wire around it toss in the composting stuff at this point... I am fairly sure I will be putting it on the far end of the free range area at this point... I have had a heck of a time deciing on a good spot.. I want it far enough way it doesnt stink stuff up...close enough it will be used effectively..and the spot I picked is partially shadey

 

[vehve]

What I like about our setup is that the chicken and compost spots are so close to each other that turning the compost is basically just an integral part of the chicken chores. After the coop has gotten it's 2 minutes daily clean, the stuff is dumped in the bin, and it's turned quickly, takes about a minute. Also, it's close enough to the house that it's easy to take kitchen waste out to the bin too.

 

[lazy gardener]

No windows? North side? Nice set up.

 

[vehve]

The house doesn't have any windows on this side, it's sort of built like a row house even though it's only two apartments. This end faces north west, the windows are on the north east and south west sides, and the south east side faces the other apartment. The windows are decent sized though, so plenty of light inside. But in our climate you have to balance window area with heat loss. So traditionally windows haven't been that big. Nowadays when quadruple glazing is becoming the industry standard, that isn't as much of a problem anymore. Our windows are only triple glazed though.

 

[lazy gardener]

I assumed it was north for energy conservation. We built our house in 76, so, double pane is all we have. But, well insulated, small and heats easy. Only 2 windows on the north.

 

[vehve]

Our's is built in -82, but it was completely redone two years ago, only the brick walls were left up. But all electrics, plumbing, insulation, roof, windows and everything was redone, at the same time the roof was raised a bit to allow for more insulation. I think we used 14MWh for both heat and other consumption in 2014.




The apartment is about 70 square meters, and the sauna compartment an additional 30 square meters, but I keep it a bit colder than the rest of the apartment.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Ok, @vehve, so this is what I have to work with... area is behind and to left of our house and back deck... can't go more left, cousins house is too close and can't safely go more right as we have an underground wet weather spring at other side of house...

My pallet stack... was thinking of filling in the slat spaces with fencing wood slats...

My original idea was to turn this sideways and cut out door to make a tumbling composter, but Jim said it wasn't big enough for our needs... any and all thoughts are greatly appreciated!

 

[hennible]

I would to make both... The tumbling ones produce soil so fast. Then you can do the insulated one out of your pallets for the overflow...