Husband thinks it's ok to compost IN the chicken run. I disagree, who is right?

[JennJenn86]

Hi everyone!

My husband thinks it's ok to pull a buttload of weeds (ex. 5 gallon bucket of weeds) and just Chuck them into the chicken run, where they don't really get eaten and then get floppy. He also dumps huge amounts of kitchen scraps (mostly greens) in the run for the girls. The amounts dumped in there are too much in my opinion, and I'm not ok with using the chicken run as a place to compost. That's what a compost bin is for. He says that the food and garden waste will just break down. I think it will introduce moisture and smell, and eventually disease. He made me feel like an idiot for removing the uneaten greens today before I put down fresh shavings. So, who is right here? Could it be possible that we're both a little right? Appreciate the weigh in!

 

[The Moonshiner]

Hi everyone!

My husband thinks it's ok to pull a buttload of weeds (ex. 5 gallon bucket of weeds) and just Chuck them into the chicken run, where they don't really get eaten and then get floppy. He also dumps huge amounts of kitchen scraps (mostly greens) in the run for the girls. The amounts dumped in there are too much in my opinion, and I'm not ok with using the chicken run as a place to compost. That's what a compost bin is for. He says that the food and garden waste will just break down. I think it will introduce moisture and smell, and eventually disease. He made me feel like an idiot for removing the uneaten greens today before I put down fresh shavings. So, who is right here? Could it be possible that we're both a little right? Appreciate the weigh in!

Oh geez...

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

How big is your run?

 

[JennJenn86]

About 6x12 feet, or thereabout.

 

[iwltfum]

Done mindfully, this can be a really good thing. You need to have an appropriate amount of browns to your greens though. It needs to be a proper compost pile. Not just compostable things piled into the chicken run.

A few of those things in the run, sure of course. Ankle deep across the run? Probably need to rethink it

 

[The Moonshiner]

You're both kind of right.
I think he's right but probably over doing it. That's a guy thing.
I think you're right to see it's too much but surely over worrying. That's a girl thing.
Let him have his way and take care of it when he's not looking. That's a marriage thing.
If he tries to make you feel like an idiot again. Do the I'm just a dumb blonde act. That's a me thing. I just want to hear how it works out.

 

[JennJenn86]

You're both kind of right.
I think he's right but probably over doing it. That's a guy thing.
I think you're right to see it's too much but surely over worrying. That's a girl thing.
Let him have his way and take care of it when he's not looking. That's a marriage thing.
If he tries to make you feel like an idiot again. Do the I'm just a dumb blonde act. That's a me thing. I just want to hear how it works out.

Well said, and wise advice! Ty!

 

[StinkyAcres]

Done mindfully, this can be a really good thing. You need to have an appropriate amount of browns to your greens though. It needs to be a proper compost pile. Not just compostable things piled into the chicken run.

A few of those things in the run, sure of course. Ankle deep across the run? Probably need to rethink it

I mainly worry about toxic mold in compost piles that are not managed well. A pile of kitchen scraps will also attract rats.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Q. Does the heap of stuff interfere with the chickens' ability to move freely about the run? Does it stink? Does it draw vermin?

If yes to any of these, then it belongs elsewhere.

But guess what, Sister. If your husband won't listen to reason from you, he's not going to listen to reason from a bunch of anonymous experts on the internet, either. He's going to keep doing what HE thinks is best until it becomes a problem, not for you or the chickens, but for him. I have no idea what that might look like. But I wish you luck.

 

[Anon112]

I've put some pretty big piles of weeds in my chickens' run before. As long as they had space to spread it all out and dig through it, they broke it down incredibly fast.