New Member and New Chicken Raiser with compost question

mfischer · Oct 13, 2011

Hi I am a real newbie. Hope to get some pictures up this week. My 6 week old hens (3) have been in their coop for about one week. I want an easy way of keeping the coop clean and getting all the benefits of the wastes saved for my vegetable garden. I know I have to compost it to prevent burning of plants.

Years ago I had a compost pile and I really don't want to go back to the turning and worrying about keeping it at the correct temperature. For the last few years I have been using a method my mother taught me - this is simple and direct. You just accumulate some kitchen waste and then bury it. Reading one of my chicken books I found that there is actually a name for this type of composting " trench composting ". For me it is simple and I don't have a lot of kitchen wastes -- so my question is: Should I just trow in the chicken poop when I bury my wastes for would it be better to compost it separately.

I have places in the veggie garden without plants that I could bury the waste where there are no plants. I want to keep the coop very clean removing the poop every day or two I want something that is very simple and easy.

I read about the deep litter method and thought it might work for me, but my concern is that I only have three hens and the litter might not have enough moisture in it to compost properly.

Any thought would be greatly appreciated.

GoldDogsMom · Oct 13, 2011

Welcome to BYC mfischer!

I use mine without composting...I use pine shavings in the coops and during the fall and winter I spread it over the garden. In the spring it gets well tilled into the soil and through the summer months when the garden is planted and growing I actually spread it between the rows. I know this means I am walking on some poop but it keeps between the rows less muddy and that way it doesnt' burn the plants and I always have barn boots on anyway!

Fred's Hens · Oct 13, 2011

I garden professionally and I rarely compost in a pile. I love sheet composting and trench composting. Why make it more complicated?

The only caveat is maintaining the "no apply" period 90 days before harvesting or 30 days before planting rule. But, this still allows me to apply directly from September through early April. From mid April through August I merely stock pile the litter or use it on the trees, flower beds, bare spots in yard, etc.

dawg53 · Oct 13, 2011

Welcome to BYC.

galanie · Oct 13, 2011

I would just throw in the poo like you say, but be sure not to plant root crops there for a while. The 90 day rule mentioned above is pretty good but it depends on the amount you have in one "ball". Naturally the more mixed in with the soil, the faster it will be safe for root crops. I'm trying to decide how to deal with it now myself.

I was just making compost tea then dumping the solid stuff on my apple tree. But now I don't need the tea and the apple tree has had plenty poo. And with more birds, I now have a lot more to scrape off the poop boards than before. So, I'm trying to decide where I'm going to put it for composting. Problem with sheet compost for me is, the gardens are year round so I can't just compost it in place over the winter. It has to be somewhere else. But I have lots of options so far as where to put it. I'm ruminating on it is all.

redsoxs · Oct 13, 2011

Greetings from Kansas, mfischer and . Great to have you aboard! Not sure of the best way to compost but I do pretty much what GoldDogsMom does. Best of luck to you!