Hot composting with chicken bedding and garden waste

[aart]

Yeah, I would probably just use it in a mostly broken down form as a "mulch" on the bushes in the front yard, they're non etable and nowhere near where I'll be growing food (behind the house), but, like I said, chances are, if I have a garden, there will be dogs, cats, and birds pooping in it all the time anyway. I mean, a year or 2 ago I had peppers growing in containers and the dog peed on them every day... so I don't think that the dog poop in the ground is going to effect things as much as that did, especially since he was peeing directly on the leaves and immature peppers... gross little rat... but if he wasn't, the stray cats would.. so oh well.

Urine is much different than feces tho, suprised it didnt kill the plant.

Parasites, if they're there, will be in the feces not the urine.

 

[HennyPennyCO]

Urine is much different than feces tho, suprised it didnt kill the plant.

Parasites, if they're there, will be in the feces not the urine.

Urine is sterile when first voided.
Penny

 

[vehve]

It's been a while since my last update. When I last emptied the compost, the quarter inch marine plywood separating the two halves had finally given up after 2½ years. Haven't gotten around to fixing it yet, and I don't know if I'm going to. We emptied the run and cleaned the bunny pen properly on Saturday, so the compost bin that was filled to about a quarter of capacity was suddenly full. I Probably poured about 60 liters of water in there (15 gallons), and today the bin has heated up like crazy. My thermometer only goes up to about 55C/125F, and it's placed in the far back corner on the top, as far from the core as possible. It's maxed out, and if I were to venture a guess, I'd say we're close to 80C/175F in there, if not more. I think this is going to be the quickest batch I've had so far. I have honestly never seen the box get as hot.

 

[lazy gardener]

I'm guessing it's b/c of the extra volume. You'll probably crank out twice as much compost, and much faster, with the single bin

 

[scottcaddy]

It's good to see that your still at it!
Thanks for the update, how's that tree?
Scott

 

[Bugseye]

I'm glad someone is at it. My pile is in disarray.

 

[politicalcenter]

I have just started hot composting but I am using horse manure. The first batch is just three weeks old and it is still heating...and shrinking. The second pile consists of two pickup loads in one pile. I was worried at first because of the wood chip bedding but it seems to be working. I have been turning the first pile and wetting it down in the process. It is amazing how fast the pile dries out. When I get the next load I think I'll clean out the coop and compost it along with the horse poop. My first batch should be ready in about two weeks. We will see.

 

[Birdy Buddy]

I'm new to BYC. I am in Sacramento CA. I saw this thread about composting and read through some of it. I just built a tractor coop so I don't plan on having a whole lot of chicken bedding to use as compost. Last time I had chickens I would add bedding to their coop and run until I had used up a whole bale of wheat straw. Every six months I would rake out the coop bedding and build a huge pile.
To make compost I would make a wire ring about 4 feet diameter and fork the chicken bedding a little at a time and wet it as I went. I got some real hot piles that way.
Recently I made another pile with horse manure and straw. I build the pile and wet it as I go. My present pile is the second this year and is already over 160 degrees F. I will turn it a few times before it is ready to plant veggies in. Most of the weeds are killed by the heat and I get very productive crops when I mix the compost with my heavy clay soil. I am hoping for some more of those 10lbs or heavier Crenshaw melons again soon.

 

[politicalcenter]

I'm new to BYC. I am in Sacramento CA. I saw this thread about composting and read through some of it. I just built a tractor coop so I don't plan on having a whole lot of chicken bedding to use as compost. Last time I had chickens I would add bedding to their coop and run until I had used up a whole bale of wheat straw. Every six months I would rake out the coop bedding and build a huge pile. To make compost I would make a wire ring about 4 feet diameter and fork the chicken bedding a little at a time and wet it as I went. I got some real hot piles that way. Recently I made another pile with horse manure and straw. I build the pile and wet it as I go. My present pile is the second this year and is already over 160 degrees F. I will turn it a few times before it is ready to plant veggies in. Most of the weeds are killed by the heat and I get very productive crops when I mix the compost with my heavy clay soil. I am hoping for some more of those 10lbs or heavier Crenshaw melons again soon.

I love Crenshaw melon. May I have a slice?

 

[vehve]

Well, still running hot, the temp has been above the capabilities of what my thermometer can register (55C/130F). Been adding some pee soaked bunny bedding and watering and turning every once in a while.

Lazy, yeah, if I were to build the compost today, I would just have made it twice as big to begin with, with two compartments, or maybe even three. But the problem I'm facing now is that I can't leave one side to rest while building the other one, so I might have to build a new composter. Also, the two compartment system has been handy in winter when you've had a small "flame" going all the time.

Scott, hey there, long time no see. I haven't been walking in that spot in a while, but I'll try to remember to grab a pic for you next time we're there.

@Birdy Buddy That's a nice looking pile. If I had horse manure at my disposal, I might do the open air thing too. But the problem in this climate is that we have a long winter to get through as well, and I don't produce enough of the stuff to be able to keep it going throughout the cold period.