Composting chicken bedding

[becky_jo]

We've just brought our four new hens home (yay! Eggsmeralda, Dobby, Henrietta and Mama Oeuf the Second), and I have lined their nest boxes with straw and the floor of the coop with shavings. Can I put all of this (droppings and all) into the compost bin?

Thanks
Becky

[roitelet]

Yes!!!!!!!!!

[SarrissUK]

haha yes, it's amazing stuff

[veggiechicken]

Welcome to the new chooks
I compost in their run! Add all the used bedding to their covered run (about 15' x 10') and all sorts of greens, weeds and shredded paper - and let them turn it for me. Once it looks OK, I clean it out and use it on the garden - and start again.

Please add your new girls to our thread at https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ave_25436.html

[Snoop Puss]

I add mine to our dalek, but I have to admit I find it a bit slow to compost down.

Any suggestions? I can't adopt VC's approach as the chickens free range a lot of the day and the dogs would make short work of any chicken poo (dogs do have some ghastly habits...). Can it be used direct as a mulch or is it a bit strong for that?

[veggiechicken]

My chooks are out of the run when I'm out too - and you're right about the dogs ghastly habits.
Snoop, can you spread it on a bed to overwinter in situ - then plant in it in spring?

[Snoop Puss]

^Yes, thanks, that's a possibility for next year at least.

[hamesy]

I've been using the bedding as a mulch. It's excellent stuff.

[Snoop Puss]

^Straight away, hamesy, or after composting?

[fishpond]

Of course you can and your garden will thank you for it.
Well done on getting cluckies.

[MyWifesBrassicas]

Welcome to the new chooks
I compost in their run! Add all the used bedding to their covered run (about 15' x 10') and all sorts of greens, weeds and shredded paper - and let them turn it for me. Once it looks OK, I clean it out and use it on the garden - and start again.

Please add your new girls to our thread at https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ave_25436.html

Do you just throw it randomly in or do you create a specific compost heap within the run, ie a pallet composter with which the birds can climb inside, scratch and turn?

[veggiechicken]

You should know me by now, MWB, its chucked in randomly!!

Their bedding is woodchips, bought by the bale, its put in their coop and the nest box and, roughly every week, is cleaned out into the run. The chooks turn it over constantly.
I add all the lawn mowings, autumn leaves and shredded paper and any odd veg leaves.
The run is covered and most of it stays dry. If its too dry, I empty their water drinker on to it. They seem to prefer drinking from puddles than form the drinker!!

They also have their "old run" which is all sorts of prunings and garden waste. When its dry, they're in there in the day or roaming around the garden with me and the dogs!!
Must go now - its time to put them to bed and read them a story.
?Twas the night before Christmas
And the chooks were so sleepy,
Someone was coming.
Looking quite creepy.
He had a white beard
And some more on his tail.
............

[MyWifesBrassicas]

[QUOTE=veggiechicken;1684563]You should know me by now, MWB, its chucked in randomly!!

Ha, I should have known better