Comments on: Compost

By: custom rubber molding

custom rubber molding — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:01:53 +0000

I’ve been composting for the last 11 years and I have to say I have an enormous compost pile at the very back of my yard. I only recently decided to check out youtube for some gardening tips and discovered how much effort you can put into creating nice compost. I don’t do anything except rotate some of the matter once in a while. I find nature does it’s own thing. I was surprised how quickly logs will even break down in my damp climate. I try to make sure there are no tree parts in the pile aside from leaves but I have found decaying wood at the bottom of the heap from the previous owners. Even doing it “wrong” still seems to work, thankfully.

Thanks for your tips and I’ll definitely check out your sifter post too.

By: Bill Miller

Bill Miller — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 05:42:08 +0000

This past April, I set up my 4 rabbits, up to 19 chickens now and one pot-bellied pig all in one (Chicken yard) about 30 by 40 ft. and every 2 or 3 days, I rake everything into a corner of the yard along with what ever hay falls out of the rabbit cages and since there are tall trees around and above the whole area, all the leaves and small twigs get raked into it as well. From reading up on composting, it sounds like all I need now is some nitrogen. Please give me your input

By: Rachel hartley

Rachel hartley — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:17:30 +0000

I’v been wondering weather an open compost would help get it moving along quicker, or if the usal bin type thing doesnt make any differnce?
Im not very eloquent sorry!

By: Rob

Rob — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 20:37:19 +0000

Hi Natalie. Well, everything composts over time, but having just the right mix really speeds up the process. If you don’t have enough “greens” to get your compost moving along and you’re in a hurry then dump in a load of fresh grass clippings or other green matter and keep the pile lightly damp and aerated. If your not in a hurry and a clean coop is a bigger priority, then just put the litter in your compost pile and let it compost naturally on its own.

To answer your last question: I use the shavings for both: 1) for how well it works with keeping the smell down and absorbing the moisture in the litter, and 2) for how well it works in my compost.

On a related note: Good quality chicken compost is expensive. I figure I can buy lots of shavings and compost them with chicken litter for about the same $$ or less than buying chicken compost pre-bagged… but I have the benefit of knowing exactly what is in the compost (from my hens) and it helps with keeping my hens happy and clean.

By: natalie peterson

natalie peterson — Mon, 26 May 2008 23:46:01 +0000

Hi,
I have chickens as well, 8 pullets and some eggs in the incubator.I will probably be keeping around 20 hens. I use pine shavings and am wondering how long it takes to compost them.I think I read before that you are starting to do the deep litter method and I understand that would probably speed up the process for composting but what if you just want to rake it out more often and use it in the compost bin? I hate to have the hen house get real dirty so I am not sure if using the shavings would be worthless if there is not enough chicken waste with them, or is it good to at least use the shavings? I guess what I am wondering is are you using the shavings more for the chicken waste in the compost or for the shavings themselves?