Who uses their chicken compost?

[mrsteiner]

Black Gold, it is! The best natural fertilizer. We have an organic farm and use all of the poo, chips and straw that comes from my laying hens and meaties! We put it into the compost pile along with all of our garden waste, weeds, kitchen scraps, (no meat or citrus). Keep in mind that you should keep un-composted manure off of a fruit/vegetable bed for at least 120 day prior to harvest.

We put in into the compost pile from March through October, and put it right onto the garden soil from November to February.

 

[Xtina]

I sort of "compost" my chicken poo. I need to take this to the next level of actually making sure it's got proper aeration and to turn it occasionally. But I have what used to be an empty black planter bucket near the chicken coop and I periodically shovel out from under their roost and pitch the poo in there. Then I cover it with a layer of sawdust. I'm not putting other compostable stuff in there, but I suppose I should instead of just turning it over to the city of Portland every week.

Now I'm inspired.

One problem with my situation is that there's no lid. The other problem is that it's small and nearly full already. The third is that I'm too grossed out by this pile of poo and wood shavings to go near it and turn it. The final problem is that with no lid, it gets rained in and (most disgustingly) the ladies like the bucket. I see them digging and pecking in there all the time. So it's going to get moved out of the chicken area so that they don't contaminate themselves with worms or something. That's a good project for tomorrow. I just don't have the money to buy a compost tumbler and I don't have a whole lot of brown material besides the sawdust to add to it.

 

[Nicole01]

Keep the lid off! I believe rain is essential for help breaking down the poo into dirt. My compost pile does not smell at all anymore unless I throw a 50# bag of poo and it freshly rains. I have hubby turn it over and it's beautiful black"gold" dirt! Mine is in a large pile on the ground. The bugs help it too!

 

[Mattemma]

I dump my shavings in piles and the chickens go through them.Once spread out it composts quickly. I had an old pile I used in a flower bed,and boy did it look just like the expensive mulch I buy....only better.

 

[GardenerGal]

I clean the poultry barn twice a day, and collect the "sweepings and scrapings" of poop, moulted feathers, pine shavings, etc. in two large buckets (the kind used for horse stalls). When they're full, I spread the contents on one of my garden beds or my bamboo plantings. I'm on a small city lot - 60'x116' - and the barn is 12'x20' but I have never run out of space to spread the daily cleanings. I don't have lawn, only shrubs, bamboo, perennials and ornamental trees, so that helps.

The earthworms and other soil life break down the mix very quickly, especially during the warm months. In the winter, there is not much activity but the barn cleanings work like mulch and insulate the soil. As soon as the weather gets above freezing, the soil organisms start working on the compost.

I've found that the mix of poop and shavings is a good balance. The poop is rich in nitrogen and other elements, while the microorganisms that consume the shavings and other non-poop matter require nitrogen to help them break down the matter. So, there is enough nitrogen to turn everything into soil with plenty left over for plants, but the poop doesn't get a chance to get hot and burn plant roots because it's broken down so quickly.

Does that sound coherant? The caffeine hasn't kicked in yet.

 

[chiques chicks]

Newspaper and cardboard can be used as the "brown" component. Leaves work. It's all pretty simple. My city friend was amazed when I turned my pile how sweet it smelled. O also use newspaper and cardboard under mulch and as pathways in my garden. You might be surprised how well it works. Used scrap pieces of drywall, too. I'll just till it all in in the fall/spring.

 

[NeTNChknLover]

Keep in mind that you should keep un-composted manure off of a fruit/vegetable bed for at least 120 day prior to harvest.

I've heard this once before, but could you explain why you need to keep it off that far in advance?

 

[dwbicefam]

Black Gold, it is! The best natural fertilizer. We have an organic farm and use all of the poo, chips and straw that comes from my laying hens and meaties! We put it into the compost pile along with all of our garden waste, weeds, kitchen scraps, (no meat or citrus). Keep in mind that you should keep un-composted manure off of a fruit/vegetable bed for at least 120 day prior to harvest.

We put in into the compost pile from March through October, and put it right onto the garden soil from November to February.

Why no citrus? I have composted for years and know about the ban on meat, but I guess I have glossed over the citrus part.
CB

 

[HenFriend]

I shred the newspaper I use in the chicken shed and add it to my compost bin with garden waste and peelings etc from the kitchen. when I empty it anything not completely rotted goes back in. My chickens love the emptying and help spread the compost over the garden when they scratch for worms and bugs! I also dig trenches before I plant my peas and beans and fill them with the stuff out the shed.

 

[Nicole01]

My compost is pretty far from the house. I wonder if I should have a plastic bag in the garage for the food peelings and scraps. This would make it better. I'm always peeling potatoes, cutting onions, garlic, cracking 2 dozens of eggs each week. I think I'll give it a whirl and bring it down every 2-3 days.