I have chickens and over the winter I cleaned out the coop about once a week.I now have a pile which I have now layered with leaves that I also had in a pile.It is very hot,will the heat harm the worms and how soon can I use the mulch.Also I have raised beds 4 ft X 8 ft with 3 ft space between could I use chicken poo between the beds or will it still be to strong.
composting
- Thread starter zakirezoe
- Start date
vfem
Garden Addicted
I have you turned the pile at all? Did you add any other organic matter like fruit veggies or egg shell?
I'd be sparing with it if its all chicken poo and leaves.
I'd be sparing with it if its all chicken poo and leaves.
patandchickens
Deeply Rooted
Don't worry about the heat of the pile hurting worms - they just stay/move elsewhere (like down in the soil) til things cool back down enough for them.
I wouldn't use the compost while it is still warm; when it is cooled, it is not necessarily finished yet but at least it is not AS fresh as it was when the poo first came out of the coop.
It will be less of a problem used between beds than in them; in principle I think it should be fine unless you go totally berzerk, but I have never actually done it myself so that is theory not experience speaking.
As far as how soon you can use it, that just depends on what for and how comfortable you are with a bit of a gamble. Six months from now it should be *fine*; right now, might be ok for whatever you're planning, might not -- I certainly wouldn't plant anything directly into it right now, nor use it around perennials or woody plants that I deeply cared about, except possibly in very thin amounts.
GOod luck, have fun,
Pat
I wouldn't use the compost while it is still warm; when it is cooled, it is not necessarily finished yet but at least it is not AS fresh as it was when the poo first came out of the coop.
It will be less of a problem used between beds than in them; in principle I think it should be fine unless you go totally berzerk, but I have never actually done it myself so that is theory not experience speaking.
As far as how soon you can use it, that just depends on what for and how comfortable you are with a bit of a gamble. Six months from now it should be *fine*; right now, might be ok for whatever you're planning, might not -- I certainly wouldn't plant anything directly into it right now, nor use it around perennials or woody plants that I deeply cared about, except possibly in very thin amounts.
GOod luck, have fun,
Pat
- Thread starter
- #4
momofdrew
Deeply Rooted
why would you want to put compost between the raised beds...I would think it a waste of black gold...but you could put it anywhere you wanted after it has stopped 'cooking' [giving off heat]...I would use some kind of mulch between the beds...some people use gravel, wood chips, sand, pine shavings...black plastic landscape cloth covered with any of the above...
by the way
by the way
- Thread starter
- #7
Thank you all for your imput what I was thinking was putting the chicken poo between the beds to keep the weeds down and next year adding it to the beds.My concern would be this year would the poo run under the beds and harm the roots.The raised beds are 2 X 12 with about 10 in. of soil .
My suggestion (since I do the this with all my chicken droppings and such) is have another pile or a few containers. Three consecutive bins is a great way to do it. Started compost (all the new material), partially broken down, and just about done (until it finishes and can be added to your garden. I do this from my large bin, into the smaller containers. Right now I am waiting for last years pile to thaw out so I can move it to the garden so I can start all over. I have a large pile of chicken poo and beddng ready to go into the compost bin too.
