Run accessible compost ... Yes/No??

[classyq]

Hey gang!
I have a new coop and run (I'm a newbie) and have done oodles of research. I've had a vegetable garden for years and started canning. The next step was a no brainer, chickens...for eggs and entertainment. I've never had a compost. I know that chickens and compost are beneficial for each other...
The chickens will help turn the compost and help the decomposition and the compost will produce nice little bugs and treats. I want to add a 3x3x3 compost adjacent to the run that the chickens will have access to. (When I open their access, not 24/7)
But I've also read, among my research, that the compost should be far away from the coop/run.
I'd love to hear your thoughts!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

You don't want them eating anything moldy or spoiled...it can kill them. Also they can get sour crop from fungal infections.

 

[AxisOfBeagles]

A healthy compost presents no health problems to your chickens - quite the opposite. Some years ago I was inspired by Harvey Ussery's book "the small scale poultry flock" and in it his references to the Vermont Composting Company who use chickens to help manage a commercial size composting operation. So inspired, I built a 2 bin (5x5x5) compost setup immediately putside the chicken run. Our birds are free to range all day, but encouraged to visit the compost bin. It's been an unparalleled success - for both the chickens and the composting.

I encourage you to get that book, if you haven't already, and I applaud your plan to locate your compost bin alongside the chicken run.

 

[classyq]

@AxisOfBeagles
Thank you for your response....I too saw a special on the Vermont Compost, that's where I got the idea. I understand the moldy or spoiled issue. However, the plan is to use plant scrap (no meat or processed foods) with some brown and the manure. It's going to be fairly small and well maintained.
Thank you for the encouragement!
This is our first year as chicken keepers and I'm trying to do my part in being well educated, folks like you help make it all the easier and more fun!

Have a great weekend

 

[speckledhen]

Depends. If it's shavings and old feed that gets wet out in the open, absolutely NOT. I've lost birds who somehow managed to eat moldy feed from the bottom of the pile when it pushed against the fencing surrounding it and we didn't realize they were eating from it.

We do not compost kitchen food here because there is never much to compost, very little excess. So, our pile is shavings and poop from the coops, which naturally has some feed in it. That gets wet and the feed molds underneath.

 

[sunflour]

I am in the process of adding a chicken friendly compost bin for my small flock to work/play in. There are a number of sites on the web that show it is safe and they do the turning and aerating - things I never seem to get around to in my past composting attempts. Will add only chicken safe items to the bin. If it does work out, I'll post pics.

 

[Sill]

One thing that helps is to have more than one bin. I have three. One bin is for storing extra "browns", one is for compost that is actively cooking and is hot while the last one is for finished or nearly finished compost. My chickens don't have access to the bin that is cooking since I do put old bread as well as litter and feed in it. Once it gets to the point where it's not getting too hot I let them at it and start the next bin cooking. My bins are made of old pallets and I can close them up totally so they can't sneak anything.

Also, the more you turn your pile the less likely it will go anaerobic. It will cook faster too. It's amazing how fast it heats up after a good turning.