My compost pile is not getting hot!

[KrenzHenz]

Hi everyone!
New to the forum but a chicken owner going on 6 years now. 1st year Composter. My pile is not getting hot at all. I have a mixture of chicken manure, pine shavings, grass clippings, kitchen scraps and sand from the run. I believe I have the proper ratio of 1:1. Any help would be appreciated!

 

[barred2rock]

The standard to go by is two parts nitrogen to one part carbine. A one to one ratio will result in a slow cool compost. There's nothing wrong with a cool compost if you're willing to wait, some prefer it.

 

[Percheron chick]

Try adding some water to the pile. Limit the amount of sand too.

 

[jvls1942]

right, go easy on the sand, it doesn't decompose.
add coffee grounds. you can even include the coffee filters.
I agree, moisten it if it seems dry, don't make it sopping wet, though .
maybe try to pile it higher and leave an indent in the middle of the top of the pile.
the indent will catch and hold rain water better than a crowned top which will shed water..

patience, grasshopper..

 

[KrenzHenz]

Try adding some water to the pile. Limit the amount of sand too.

I have put a wheel barrow of manure sand to over a yard of chicken bedding and dried grass and watered then turned. Five days later there is no temperature rise. Is there too much sand?

 

[jvls1942]

what is done, is done,
I don't think you could take the sand out if you wanted to.
just keep adding more biodegradable material.
eventually it will compost, maybe it won't get noticeably hot, but it will rot.
I forgot to mention,, used coffee grounds.
not fresh. the acid is taken out when it is brewed..
you can use lots of coffee grounds. go collect it from a cafe if you can..
if you can, roll the pile onto spread opened cardboard boxes.
earthworms love cardboard and coffee grounds.

 

[barred2rock]

If you happen to have alfalfa pellets or cubes around, it's a great nitrogen booster. A couple handfuls would go a long way.

 

[jvls1942]

how about alfalfa hay ?
my neighbor has alfalfa planted on three sides of me.
I wish they made a tiny hay rake I could pull behind my rider lawn mower. my lawn gets away from me pretty often and looks like a hay field.
I mow about an acre of lawn.
.....jiminwisc........

 

[barred2rock]

how about alfalfa hay ?
my neighbor has alfalfa planted on three sides of me.
I wish they made a tiny hay rake I could pull behind my rider lawn mower. my lawn gets away from me pretty often and looks like a hay field.
I mow about an acre of lawn.
.....jiminwisc........

I'm not sure, the stalks may be high in carbon which may defeat the purpose.

 

[lazy gardener]

Compost happens. Provide the materials, and even if they are not in the proper N:C balance, the material will still break down. That pile looks small to me, but it may just be my eyes not interpreting the photo correctly. In order to compost well, a pile should be at least a cubic yard, (3' x 3' x 3') and it needs to be as moist as a wrung out sponge.