What is the 'correct' way to compost chicken poo and bedding?

[Bad Wolf]

I was reading a book and it briefly discussed making sure you compost your chicken poo correctly. I am currently just adding it to my compost pile. Is there another or correct way of composting it?

 

[jeepguy982001]

I've been looking for something similar. It seems like its not how you compost just not putting it straight in the garden. Then i've read people doing that. I think i'm just gonna till all mine in this fall when the gardens done.

 

[JeffOeuf]

I'm not sure there's a "right" way and and "wrong" way. As the old saying goes, Compost Happens.

Keeping your green to brown ratio correct will make the compost happen faster, but cooking compost in the least amount of time possible takes a fair amount of equipment and enough compostable material ready all at once to get the party started.

For most of us, throw your chicken coop cleanings in with yard waste, kitchen waste, grass clippings, leaves in the fall and anything else you can round up, turn it when you think about it, water it down if it is dry, turn it more often if it is stinky, and stand back. It will happen all on its own. In fact, if you never turn it or water it, it will still happen...just a bit slower.

Now, all that said, I would like to address the issue of chicken droppings spread directly on the garden. Unless you're dealing with a flock of more than 10 or 15 birds, I wouldn't worry too much. It's hard for a half dozen chickens to generate enough poop to burn a plant. I've been side-dressing with coop cleanings all season, and they're doing great things. Just keep them back a little from the plant stems and use some common sense. Yes, if you mound up a bunch of chicken litter around one tomato plant it will likely get too much nitrogen. If you spread that same mound out over 10 plants, it's all good. The admonition against using fresh chicken manure stems from the use of cleanings from commercial growers. Wire cages with no bedding, plus hundreds if not thousands of chickens in one place generates a pure chicken poop that is very strong and really does need to be handled with care.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

What do they mean by 'correctly? Composting is composting, its not biohazardous waste-right? Just toss it in with everything else, it'll be fine.

 

[WasabiChicki]

I think the main concern w/ chicken manure is that it needs to be composted longer & more thoroughly than other manures.
The brown green ratio is something to consider because that hot of poop will burn ur plants...
I put the deep litter straw in a pile in the garden 2 times a year, flip it w/ a shovel & take from the bottom every season... thats my concentrate. (Or you can make an awesome compost tea w/ that!)
The yard of the chicken run gets raked a couple times a year too, & that along w/ piles I remove from the coop (not too much & includes other debris) get mixed into a barrel that use for kitchen scraps & other compost... stuff that is already broken down some from being in the house compost container.
But yeah, there is no "right way".... thats the fun part about life

 

[WasabiChicki]

I'm not sure there's a "right" way and and "wrong" way. As the old saying goes, Compost Happens.

Keeping your green to brown ratio correct will make the compost happen faster, but cooking compost in the least amount of time possible takes a fair amount of equipment and enough compostable material ready all at once to get the party started.

For most of us, throw your chicken coop cleanings in with yard waste, kitchen waste, grass clippings, leaves in the fall and anything else you can round up, turn it when you think about it, water it down if it is dry, turn it more often if it is stinky, and stand back. It will happen all on its own. In fact, if you never turn it or water it, it will still happen...just a bit slower.

Now, all that said, I would like to address the issue of chicken droppings spread directly on the garden. Unless you're dealing with a flock of more than 10 or 15 birds, I wouldn't worry too much. It's hard for a half dozen chickens to generate enough poop to burn a plant. I've been side-dressing with coop cleanings all season, and they're doing great things. Just keep them back a little from the plant stems and use some common sense. Yes, if you mound up a bunch of chicken litter around one tomato plant it will likely get too much nitrogen. If you spread that same mound out over 10 plants, it's all good. The admonition against using fresh chicken manure stems from the use of cleanings from commercial growers. Wire cages with no bedding, plus hundreds if not thousands of chickens in one place generates a pure chicken poop that is very strong and really does need to be handled with care.