Will the DL method make compost if I use wood chips?

[squeakyballs]

I asked my husband to pick up pine shavings yesterday, and he came home with a ton of pine chips (pine fines? is that what it is called?)

I was really looking forward to all the great compost... will it still compost with the wood chips? Or will it still be woody and chunky next year?

 

[bills]

It will take longer for wood chips to break down, but they will eventually, a lot depends on the size of the chips. To accelerate it's breaking down, try to layer it with green stuff, then chips, green stuff then chips, etc.. Turning it frequently, and keeping it moist will help as well.

The chips, as any high carbon based compost, uses quite a bit of nitrogen as it breaks down, The nitrogen in the chicken poop should help, but you could add some urea fertilizer to hasten it further.

Chip compost may also be higher on the acid scale, so the addition of lime to the pile won't hurt. When you eventually dig it into the garden you could then do a soil test, and add lime if needed.

 

[squeakyballs]

Thanks for responding! I just went to the feed store and bought a bag of compressed shavings... I would rather just do it the right way I would be really grumpy if my plan to have awesome compost was foiled

I'm not sure what to do with the wood chips now...

 

[chookchick]

Wood chips make awesome compost! I use them for landscaping mulch, and also in my chicken run where they work beautifully. The chickens scratch around in them, their feet stay nice and clean, and the poo just disappears! In the spring, and again in the fall, I will pull out a lot of wood chip and replace them. I'll put the wood chip (with poo addition) in my garden area in February, and by May it will be a wonderful soil. I do also add some slow-release fertilizer to the vegetable garden areas. I also put piles of leaves in the run all winter--the hens break these down searching for bugs and scratch, and work it into the chip. If you don't want to use the chip in your coop for some reason, try it in an area of your run. The chooks will love it!

 

[squeakyballs]

Thank you chook! I was stuck between using it around the new garden beds or in the run

 

[Harrietsmum]

Yes, add the wood chips to your run, then give the chooks fresh grass clippings, leaves etc, and let them make your compost.

 

[oberhaslikid]

I mulch around my blueberries and lilacs and a plum tree and a hazel nut bush with mine.I dont have to buy mulch I use out of the chicks boxes.I also grew som great big gourds last year in a bed I dumped chips in.I havent used them in the raised gardenbeds yet.

 

[sonew123]

My Dh and I are doing something wrong with our DLM. we started with about 6 inches in our coop/garge add 2 new bags of wood pine chicps every week-it smells of ammonia so bad in there we dont know what to do?? It is not air tight and plenty of cracks where air circulates but pee-youu...Were thinking about empyting the whole thing out and starting all over-I even used a ton of DE too???

 

[oberhaslikid]

I add grey lime to mine.They also call it Dolomite lime or slag.
You do not want the hydrated white lime it will burn their feet and blind them if they scratch their eyes.

 

[Organics North]

Quote:
Do you have moisture? If so, find its source and get rid of it. If the droppings dry out then you will not have the smell.

I use all kinds wood in my compost. The chips will take longer to break down, but with a good hot compost method, it will not be long at all. If you still have chunks, screen your compost with a 1/2" screen to get rid of the 1/2" or larger. Some smaller chunks are good they give your soil air and good drainage!

ON