I wouldn't worry too much. Anything that has lived or from something that has lived can be composted, period. I have known people that have composted their pets and chickens in their compost piles. Think of a forest floor. Compost happens. Your barrel is not the ideal method but works, and will work better if you don't add the chlorinated water from your hose in it, try rain water. I apply compost to the garden in the Fall with both fresh and aged manure in it. By Spring, when I plant in it, it is all good. I start new piles of compost in the Fall after the garden application. It does not break down well and really slows down in temperatures below 55F...I add chicken manure to that pile all Winter long and as Spring temperatures rise it begins to cook and the pile shrinks. I add grass clippings and manure all Summer long. When the temperatures begin to get below 60F at night in the Fall that is when I apply to my garden and start new piles with Fall leaves, grass clippings and chicken manure...and the cycle continues year after year. Never have we had an illness related to our produce. I think folks side dress with compost too close to their plants during the growing season and that is why the possibility of illness has increased. Sun and rain exposure to fresh droppings will pretty much sanitize it within 2 weeks. By then, if it is resting on good living soil it is already being broken down by microbes anyway. Also, folks make compost tea and water their plants with tea made from poorly aged compost can cause the same illnesses.
All this is so fascinating! Thank you so much for sharing. You’re right, you could add fresh manure in the fall if you’re not actively harvesting until spring.
Good information - thank you. I started out with a huge drum that we made a stand for turning like what you have. I began with 3000+ red wiggler and night crawler worms. I then added a hungry bin by greentools which I love. Makes worm tea mixed with water - great fertilizer for garden. I use most kitchen scraps from fruits and veggies. List of what shouldn't go in isn't huge but like you said, there are some. I also keep my most immediate (#3 barrel) for the everyday cleaning of coop - when that gets filled, I add to the large barrel. But #3 is where my soldier fly larvae reproduces and the hens get those each day. So cheap (free) compared to buying mealworms. 26 years ago, my backyard was red clay but is now black rich soil. You can also go to coffee houses and get free spent grounds. Starbucks gives me huge bags full. But, unless it's organic, I only use it for non eatable areas of the garden. I began composting long before I got my hens but it's just one of those very rewarding benefits of having chickens.
Thanks Sara! It's all new to me and I don't know much. I am just using pine shavings in my run, similar to your old coop. I throw in treats from time to time, they pull some of their feed out and scratch, they also scratch for bugs and their own homemade dirt baths. I am hoping to take it all out in the Spring and let it sit for six months, then use it for growing food in the house, whatever trees I can find, lots of herbs and whatever else I can figure out.
@@realsimplemama we just got our new coop built. Its mostly bare bones but we put in a cheapish vinyl shower floor and just put new shavings in when it starts to break down. We will see how it goes over time. All I know is its easier to clean... since I'm not actually cleaning it 😂
Hey, Sara. I have chickens AND a dog. Do you know if I can compost the dog poop in the tumbler with the chicken poop? I know people compost dog poop, but I don’t know if it needs special treatment.
I wouldn’t compost dog poop at all personally. In my LIMITED research dog poop isn’t nearly as useful (for anything) as chicken poop. And remember that chicken droppings need 6-12 months to break down before you can use them since the chickens have their urates in with their droppings. I always just pick up the dog poop and put it somewhere on the back of my property to break down on its own.
It’s safest to keep them completely separate. Chicken poo can be composted down to use in any garden, including food crops. Dog or cat poo isn’t recommended for use in a garden, but can be composted for disposal.
I have a worm tower that I no longer use. All you need and card board. Wet it and toss banana's and the worms come. Just keep it wet and out of sun. Add waste food and your done.
Oh no. I’m so sorry. I don’t have experience with wry neck but I would hand feed and water, isolate, and offer lots of vitamins. A boost of something extra, whether mashed mealworms or scrambled eggs or Greek yogurt, can help too.
Ah yes. Molting suuuucks. That video is up on my to-do list so I’ll do it this week for sure! Basically chicken feathers aren’t constantly growing like our hair so once a year they shed and grow new. She’ll be uncomfortable and probably not lay eggs, so give her extra protein/treats and leave her be.
You can tell she isn’t from the south. Old country boy like me can barely keep up with. Great information and fun to listen to.
But I am! Texas girl born and raised 😍 I know I was bad about talking too fast in earlier videos so thank you for being patient with me. ✌🏻❤️🐓
I wouldn't worry too much. Anything that has lived or from something that has lived can be composted, period. I have known people that have composted their pets and chickens in their compost piles. Think of a forest floor. Compost happens. Your barrel is not the ideal method but works, and will work better if you don't add the chlorinated water from your hose in it, try rain water.
I apply compost to the garden in the Fall with both fresh and aged manure in it. By Spring, when I plant in it, it is all good. I start new piles of compost in the Fall after the garden application. It does not break down well and really slows down in temperatures below 55F...I add chicken manure to that pile all Winter long and as Spring temperatures rise it begins to cook and the pile shrinks. I add grass clippings and manure all Summer long. When the temperatures begin to get below 60F at night in the Fall that is when I apply to my garden and start new piles with Fall leaves, grass clippings and chicken manure...and the cycle continues year after year. Never have we had an illness related to our produce.
I think folks side dress with compost too close to their plants during the growing season and that is why the possibility of illness has increased. Sun and rain exposure to fresh droppings will pretty much sanitize it within 2 weeks. By then, if it is resting on good living soil it is already being broken down by microbes anyway. Also, folks make compost tea and water their plants with tea made from poorly aged compost can cause the same illnesses.
All this is so fascinating! Thank you so much for sharing. You’re right, you could add fresh manure in the fall if you’re not actively harvesting until spring.
Good information - thank you. I started out with a huge drum that we made a stand for turning like what you have. I began with 3000+ red wiggler and night crawler worms. I then added a hungry bin by greentools which I love. Makes worm tea mixed with water - great fertilizer for garden. I use most kitchen scraps from fruits and veggies. List of what shouldn't go in isn't huge but like you said, there are some. I also keep my most immediate (#3 barrel) for the everyday cleaning of coop - when that gets filled, I add to the large barrel. But #3 is where my soldier fly larvae reproduces and the hens get those each day. So cheap (free) compared to buying mealworms. 26 years ago, my backyard was red clay but is now black rich soil. You can also go to coffee houses and get free spent grounds. Starbucks gives me huge bags full. But, unless it's organic, I only use it for non eatable areas of the garden. I began composting long before I got my hens but it's just one of those very rewarding benefits of having chickens.
Wow! This is so amazing! I can’t wait to get started. Thank you so much for sharing! I’d love a photo or two that shows all your barrels.
@@realsimplemama Your welcome. I couldn't find your email address to send pics
Thanks Sara! It's all new to me and I don't know much. I am just using pine shavings in my run, similar to your old coop. I throw in treats from time to time, they pull some of their feed out and scratch, they also scratch for bugs and their own homemade dirt baths. I am hoping to take it all out in the Spring and let it sit for six months, then use it for growing food in the house, whatever trees I can find, lots of herbs and whatever else I can figure out.
I’m still learning a lot too but heard about the salmonella issue at a recent garden class so I wanted to run on here and teach you all too!
What do you do with the weekly fresh poop if you can’t keep adding it to the compost bin? Should you have two bins and where would you store the poop?
That’s up to you. You can just make a pile of it somewhere so it can break down or you could have a second place to store it! ✌🏻❤️🐓
Your place looks AWSOME
Chicken and gardening go hand in hand. Like fishing and worms.
Have you ever heard of the deep litter method? That's what Im doing, and I'm super excited for spring good rich compost. For free
YES but I was wary of trying it since we were new to this coop and I didn’t know about leaks/drainage/etc. You’ll have to let me know what you think!
@@realsimplemama we just got our new coop built. Its mostly bare bones but we put in a cheapish vinyl shower floor and just put new shavings in when it starts to break down. We will see how it goes over time. All I know is its easier to clean... since I'm not actually cleaning it 😂
Lol! Right! I think I was just paranoid about the big cleanout and what I would find 😳
Props on the Blessed Mother statue
I made some small (2) 2' x 2' squares one 1/2" and other 1/4" rabbit wire and shift the poop though it. It also get ready of larger rocks.
Hey, Sara. I have chickens AND a dog. Do you know if I can compost the dog poop in the tumbler with the chicken poop?
I know people compost dog poop, but I don’t know if it needs special treatment.
I wouldn’t compost dog poop at all personally. In my LIMITED research dog poop isn’t nearly as useful (for anything) as chicken poop. And remember that chicken droppings need 6-12 months to break down before you can use them since the chickens have their urates in with their droppings. I always just pick up the dog poop and put it somewhere on the back of my property to break down on its own.
It’s safest to keep them completely separate.
Chicken poo can be composted down to use in any garden, including food crops.
Dog or cat poo isn’t recommended for use in a garden, but can be composted for disposal.
Nice farm simple Mama
What do you use for bending in chicken coop.
I use pine shavings in nest boxes and PDZ under the roost bars to collect poop. On the ground level it’s just top soil!
how do you compost in winter? will the compost just freeze?
In theory it can, but you can continue adding things and mixing it hp
@@realsimplemama oooo i happen to live in a tropical climate so ive never experienced winter
I would trench compost or build a worm tower
I have a worm tower that I no longer use. All you need and card board. Wet it and toss banana's and the worms come. Just keep it wet and out of sun. Add waste food and your done.
how can i cure wry neck on an 8 month old Rhode island red?
Oh no. I’m so sorry. I don’t have experience with wry neck but I would hand feed and water, isolate, and offer lots of vitamins. A boost of something extra, whether mashed mealworms or scrambled eggs or Greek yogurt, can help too.
My chicken is molting...why
Ah yes. Molting suuuucks. That video is up on my to-do list so I’ll do it this week for sure! Basically chicken feathers aren’t constantly growing like our hair so once a year they shed and grow new. She’ll be uncomfortable and probably not lay eggs, so give her extra protein/treats and leave her be.
You do not have enough experience on chicken composting to put this video out
Thx
Concerned