kalikoo Posted July 24, 2005 Share Posted July 24, 2005 Just managed to get two free compost bins from our local council today and just wanted to ask a question, as I've never done home made compost before can I put the chicken poop in the compost bin, not sure if the answer to this is obvious, I know I've read I can put it directly on my veggie patch (not a great success, well it is my first attempt maybe I'll do better next time) any advice would be much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna 1 Posted July 24, 2005 Share Posted July 24, 2005 We put all our chookie offerings in our compost bin - including the straw sweepings when we clean out the house. Mixed in with everything else it seems to help speed up the composting process and makes great, rich compost. You could also try the Composting Network (!). They have info and fact sheets you can download if you're new to the whole idea! http://www.communitycompost.org/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalikoo Posted July 25, 2005 Author Share Posted July 25, 2005 Thanks Anna hopefully my compost next year will work wonders on the veggies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Frugal Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 We put everything possible in the compost bin - chicken poo, the wood shavings from the droppings tray, veggie peelings from the kitchen, finished bedding plants, shredded paper, tea bags, coffee grounds etc and they make wonderful compost which has done wonders for my runner beans and pumpkins!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleHen Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Just wondering if anyone has bought any worms for their compost bin. I see on the Wriggly Wrigglers website they sell worms for composting... but what I' wondering is, do I just buy the worms Or do I need to get some bedding or anything else for them as well We just have a standard plastic compost bin and we could do with speeding things up a bit I think..... Also - I have read somewhere that it should be placed on bare earth - but ours is on paving slabs (no-where else to put it) - is this one of our problems All our chicken & kitchen waste goes in (except for meat / bones) and any garden waste so I think we have a good mix of greens & browns..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 We found out that is was better to have a compost heap entirely for chicken poo and there paper and everything mixed with a little of the other stuff. And you have another compost heap just for food waste. This is because we let our chickens go onto the food compost heap and it's not good for them if they did about in their own poo. I only know this as it was in Practical Poultry and Country Smallholding last year sometime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 We've always put our chicken poo on the compost heap too, which has been fine, however I've just shoveled out a thick compacted layer of poo + hemcore + spilt layers mash out of the run this afternoon, I'm ashamed to say. It stank (underneath - it was fine till I disturbed it!) How do you think this will compost? I'm afraid it might be rather acidic, though it did have earthworms in it. I put some on the compost heap, and some in a garden sack (as the compost heap is now full). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 Just wondering if anyone has bought any worms for their compost bin. I see on the Wriggly Wrigglers website they sell worms for composting... but what I' wondering is, do I just buy the worms Or do I need to get some bedding or anything else for them as well We just have a standard plastic compost bin and we could do with speeding things up a bit I think..... I think the worms they sell are to top up your wormery, if you have one, although I am sure you could use them for your own requirements. The wormeries take a while to get going, so may not speed things up. Have you seen the stuff they sell for speeding up composting? Theres a product to put in with leaves and another for grass clippings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PurpleHen Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 Hi Claire, I don't have many grass clippings or leaves so not sure how that will help. I might give them a call as I think I've read on here before that they are veyr helpful with advice and stuff... will let you all know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helly Welly Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 Just wondering if anyone has bought any worms for their compost bin. I see on the Wriggly Wrigglers website they sell worms for composting... but what I' wondering is, do I just buy the worms Or do I need to get some bedding or anything else for them as well We just have a standard plastic compost bin and we could do with speeding things up a bit I think..... I think the worms they sell are to top up your wormery, if you have one, although I am sure you could use them for your own requirements. The wormeries take a while to get going, so may not speed things up. Have you seen the stuff they sell for speeding up composting? Theres a product to put in with leaves and another for grass clippings. If you want to speed up the composting process, try urine!! I know it sound gross but if you can get the gentlemen of the house to use a bottle and then pour it in, then it really helps. Urine from men can also be "sprinkled" around the garden to ward off foxes. It does have to be male urine though, apparently womens urine doesn't have the right pheromones or something. I always knew men were more smelly!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannie Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 Urine from men can also be "sprinkled" around the garden to ward off foxes. Yes. I try to tell myself there must be a positive side of all those "Ooops, word censored!"nal fans who wee down our alley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Licken Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 I have bokashi bran to speed up my composting - it hsa EMs (effective micro-organisms - The girls also quite like to eat it and it neutralises their poo from dissolving the garden - the only trouble is the bokashi smells horrid and has currently been moved into my shed where it is probably a nice snack to the fieldmice overwintering htere. I am new to this composting malarkey and have only had a compost bin since january!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Looney Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 Oooh I love the smell of Bokashi - it reminds me of Marmite! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 I love the smell of it too, but I don't think it smells like Marmite Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 It reminds me of roasted hops. (Used to live downwind of a brewery)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 YES! Thank you - thats the smell!!! There used to be a Brewery in Henley, & that smell is so evocative of my childhood- the whole town smelt of it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Licken Posted February 4, 2007 Share Posted February 4, 2007 It smells a bit like molasses which would tie in to the brewing process I think. After a few days in the brisk outdoors I will bring it back into the cuboard under the stairs!! Here's hoping it works. I went on an allotment gardening course yesterday - first of 4 sessions, to learn that I shouldn't really have been digging and weeding my plot all winter as it removes nutrients from the soil - time to add some manure I think!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
