How is your flock today?

[416bigbore]

I can not imagine the efforts cold weather folks have to go through to keep chooks safe and warm.

Living in an extreme cold weather areas is no joke and will stress test your knowledge and building skills if you don't know what you are doing. Trying to keep any livestock safe and warm in those cold conditions is a full time job in it's self.

I can fully understand why retired people from the northern states like to migrate south for the winter months. IMO, cold weather gets old after awhile. LOL

 

[416bigbore]

It dawned on me that my compost tumbler was topped off and it was tme to lock it and let it bake.

I am just curious about the advantages of a compost tumbler VS having a compost pile on the ground? I see different types of compost bins on CL for give away all the time and thought maybe they didn't work that well and or just a wait of time?

 

[Sally PB]

I am just curious about the advantages of a compost tumbler VS having a compost pile on the ground?

The tumbler helps by mixing and aerating the contents.

I have one. It was a total waste of money, IMHO. It's too heavy to turn, so I can't even get the stuff out of it! Bad design flaw: no crank handle. Dumb me didn't think of that when I bought it.

I'd rather do the Berkeley hot rot method anyway. I get the best compost ever doing that. I don't mind turning the pile with a pitchfork; my arm muscles need the workout.

 

[TropicalBabies]

Good morning chicken, duck, goat and compost people!
Like @Sally PB said, for aeration (mixing, spreading moisture). It makes the turning easier so you can turn more often and it cooks faster. I can get BEAUTIFUL black gold in as little as 2-3 weeks. That is a big advantage. It also helps to contain my bugs, keeps them in a barrel if you will, so fun snacking for the girls. It attracts soldier flies, Mango beetle who lay and their larvae falls out the bottom into a 1/2 barrel.

I use my double tumbler for kitchen scraps and chicken poop and bedding. I have a few other composting stations. Cold composting and big mounds of horse poop we turn by shovel but none are like my tumbler. I got it from Costco 6 years ago and dreamed of it for 30 years b4 that. Best, absolute best composting method for quick compost. I have been a composter for ... 30 sum odd years. Mind you I am in a warm climate but good results should be had in spring, summer and fall in colder climates.
Anywho. My rubbish is down to a small 1 gallon, does not stink or collect flies and that makes me happy.
Sorry... I think composting is pretty exciting lol. We also have limited space. You folks on the mainland get to stretch out much more. Lucky ducks.

 

[BlueBaby]

It sounds like you have quite the operation going with a double hatch. I am curious to see your new baby ducklings. I am not sure if I asked you this yet or not, but do you plan to keep and start raising ducks with your chickens?

IMO, duck eggs are awesome, people who bake regularly love them. Maybe there might be a demand for duck eggs in your area for people who bake and or can not eat chicken eggs because of being allergic to them. Duck egg money would be a great way to help with their feed expense.

I will most likely sell any duckling's that hatch.

 

[TropicalBabies]

ALSO!!! The ease of poop scraping and depositing is the best. Beautifully contained in their run. See in the back. K. I'll stop now...

 

[Sally PB]

Sorry... I think composting is pretty exciting lol. We also have limited space. You folks on the mainland get to stretch out much more. Lucky ducks.

Me too! 2020 was my first summer with chickens, and wow! what a difference their poop made! My compost looked so good, I wanted to eat it. No, not really. But it sure looked good.

@TropicalBabies, my compost tumbler looks nothing like yours. I bet yours do work well.

 

[TropicalBabies]

Me too! 2020 was my first summer with chickens, and wow! what a difference their poop made! My compost looked so good, I wanted to eat it. No, not really. But it sure looked good.

@TropicalBabies, my compost tumbler looks nothing like yours. I bet yours do work well.

This double is pretty darn good. I love that I can close and cook and then fill the other.. After composting in bins for so many decades and weighing my efforts by the cup if at all after months and months... I tell ya, pouring out 10- 15 gallons of black gold after thoughtful efforts and a few weeks... works for me! It really is the best!

What does yours look like? What does not work for you? I am sure I need another but maybe should avoid your brand?

 

[Sally PB]

I'll try to get a picture. It'll have to be tomorrow, as it's getting dark-ish now.

 

[TropicalBabies]

I'll try to get a picture. It'll have to be tomorrow, as it's getting dark-ish now.

Thank you!