I need the honest to goodness truth

Maximus · Post by **Maximus** » Fri Sep 16, 2016 4:34 pm

Does anyone have a successful compost 'pile'? By successful I mean actually makes you soil for your gardens etc? Or is it just a heap of wood chips, flat bedding and chicken

like mine?

Im ready to haul it all to the dump.

I need a recipe. I really want it to work because that was an agreement I had with myself and chicken waste, was it was going it make me rich composted soil. So far I am failing miserably.

This weekend I will be flipping the pile again. I'm hoping it was just so dry over the summer that not much went on, but I'm very frustrated and disappointed in this pile of crap that hasn't done what it was suppose to do.

Suggestions? Truth stories? Just give it to me straight, I can handle it.

Maximus · Post by **Maximus** » Fri Sep 16, 2016 4:39 pm

I should add, this is my guideline.
Anything in this pile is at least in this list, but not everything on this list is in the pile. Flax isn't on the list, but it's in the pile.

Post by **Killerbunny** » Fri Sep 16, 2016 4:51 pm

OC has it down, hope she chimes in here.

TomK · Post by **TomK** » Fri Sep 16, 2016 5:00 pm

Depends on what you put in the pile, Sandy...and the moisture content...and it shoukd be turned...i dont spend too much time on my pile..it will break down eventually...i have two of those black plastic erth machine composters for all the kitchen trimmings..that works fast and once full, the stuff at the bottom is great compost but not a huge quantity...i usually let nature moisten my pile but this year its been too dry so it got under the sprinkler a few times...and i turn it a few times with the fork...woody material takes forever to break down as does corn material like husks and cobs...straw isnt great other than keeping things loose...just some thoughts...patience my dear, patience...lol

Brebis · Post by **Brebis** » Fri Sep 16, 2016 5:09 pm

The best compost I've made is with the bedded pack from our sheep pens. It's a combo of sheep manure, urine, straw and some hay. Once dug out and piled it will make the most beautiful dark compost in several months. Even inside near the openings that get wet it'll make nice compost.

The secret is getting all the elements just right-carbon, nitrogen, air, bugs and moisture to heat it up and get it going.

I've had the same problem as you with the chicken manure with shavings and my theory is there's too much nitrogen from the chicken manure and the shavings don't compost well or hold enough moisture and available carbon levels are too low. I wonder if the micro flora may not be as good either. We used to have a local market gardener come and clean out our barn when we had a large flock it made such good compost.

I'd suggest mixing in chopped straws, some of the rabbit manure, wetting it well and piling it so there is a good mass of it. Most piles should be 4-5 feet wide and that tall. I find the chickens always get into the pile and spread it around too so it never stands a chance! I much prefer using shavings for the bedding with the chickens but I think the trade off is the problem of composting it.

I also confess that instead of really trying to compost the chicken litter, I'd thow it into the 50 acre field that was feet away from their coop! I can't do that now so this fall and next spring I'll try mixing the chicken bedding into the bedding from the small sheep pen near their new coop and see if that helps with the composting.

Maybe you need some sheep to add to your collection to help you solve the problem!

Maximus · Post by **Maximus** » Fri Sep 16, 2016 5:16 pm

Hmm. Patience isn't my strong point, especially now that fall is here and the main coop will get its clean out in the next month or so and more will be added to my heaping pile. Ugh. I didn't add water this summer. It's getting plenty of rain now. I've been adding kitchen scraps, like when I canned etc. Usually the chickens are in the pile every day scratching away.

Should I tarp it over the winter? I did last winter and it looked exactly the same as when I tarped it.

I take the chicken

off the tarp every day and put in the pile. Yet, miracles are not happening.

Post by **Home Grown Poultry** » Fri Sep 16, 2016 5:19 pm

give it time, add lime to speed it up? I am no expert but had a great pile of composted compost at the old place. it was in direct sun and I never really did anything to it. still working on the pile at the new place. I do deep litter and by the time I remove 90% of the litter in a run its pretty much compost as is. i clean runs once a year in fall after treating birds unless another reason forces me to do it earlier. shoot thats now!

Maximus · Post by **Maximus** » Fri Sep 16, 2016 5:22 pm

I will have a lot of straw heading in once I clean out the raised bed area for the season as well.

My plan over the weekend (it's raining all day tomorrow) is to flip the pile from point A to point B (right beside) to get a good flip and air flowing through. Maybe I'll do the straw from the raised bed area as well this weekend and almost layer it. Thoughts?

A guy down the road has horses. I'm sure I could get a wheelbarrow or two of horse crap out of his field. Will that help?

Post by **Home Grown Poultry** » Fri Sep 16, 2016 5:54 pm

I bet the reason why the compost worked so well at the old place was because we had the large livestock. plus when we moved in every stall and both coops were extremely deep and completely composted allready giving me a head start. we no longer have those animals and I guarantee thats why im having such a hard time getting it to work right here, plus the birds flatten the pile and spread it everywhere. now that makes lots of sense to seed a fresh compost pile with old manure to get the ball rolling. damn im guna have to buy manure and I dont even need it for the gardens LOL.

Brebis · Post by **Brebis** » Fri Sep 16, 2016 6:05 pm

I would think if you kindly offered to help remove the manure, they'd be happy to give you some! Just have to find someone who needs their barn cleaned out! Too bad you're so far from me, I'd be happy to have you help clean out ours for a pile!!

Compost pile starter culture!