Worm Composting With Chicken Manure And Pine Shavings?

[TheChickenQueen]

I've been looking at doing Worm Composting. And it is all around great sounding so I think I'll give it a try.

But, I would like to know if you can use chicken manure and pine shaving in it as that all around would work the best for disposing of it.

Also if anyone has some tips or anything please share them.

 

[lazy gardener]

I don't think that the shavings and manure would be the best combination for worms. The shavings are quite abrasive, and the manure is too hot. They'll move out of the bin if things are too hot for them. A lot of folks use peat moss or shredded newspaper. I use the newspaper because it is free. My worms were harvested from under a pile of cardboard/newspaper in the garden. They've been happy in their bin for 2 winters.

 

[TheChickenQueen]

That's what I was wondering. Thank you.

 

[jruhle]

I use composting worms and they love the chicken litter! I had great results and dug out over 1000lbs of compost this spring and sold half of it and made a nice profit on my chicken poop! Going to plant a nice garden with the rest.

 

[lazy gardener]

So, can you give a bit more information? Were these the red compost worms? Outdoors, in a pile? Or in a bin? I may follow your example and inoculate a pile of litter this summer. But it's pretty rugged, strong ammonia right now. Any one have experience composting litter with PDZ? I'm thinking about using some of that in my coop.

 

[MelissaZeno]

If the chicken litter has time to break down in the compost with both yard waste and veggy food scraps can you use that on all gardens?

 

[lazy gardener]

Absolutely. That is the main reason why I got chickens.

 

[MelissaZeno]

Thank you, I have a persistent aunt and uncle who say it is not safe to compost chicken litter.

 

[lazy gardener]

That's why I have 2 ears. One to let the nonsense in, one to let it right back out again. You can waste your breath trying to educate them, or you can just say that if they're concerned, they don't need to be eating any of your fresh veggies. That being said, I wouldn't put fresh chicken poo on any crops that I will be eating raw. But if it's composted, or mixed into the soil, covered with mulch, all is good... better than good. Chicken compost is incredible fertilizer!!!

 

[shortgrass]

I use coco coir in my bins for worms... I started out with shredded newspaper, but the coir is just so much fluffier and keeps moisture better... I'm in serious dry country lol, so I need all the help I can get

I do put some of my worms directly into the compost pile, and I put my chicken coop clean out right into it... The nestle in the middle of the pile to stsybmoist and cool in summer, and warm in winter. They won't survive our winters without it, they don't burrow, so they need protection from our 20 belows...

Trying to think of other tips.... Oh, NO ONION or orange peels... Too much acid... No meat cheese dairy... Obvious reasons... Rotting meat yucko to worms... The bin might get fungus gnats but they don't bother anything else, and I've used nematodes with great success without bothering the worms...

I wouldn't put chicken poo directly with the worms, but mixing a little bit into the compost shouldn't bother them. If it does, they'll move

They are so awesome