Along with my new hens today I've bought a composter, never had one of these and although it's obvious what you do with them I wondered if anyone had some tips for a good compost.....
Danny
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Composting
CompostingHi All,
Along with my new hens today I've bought a composter, never had one of these and although it's obvious what you do with them I wondered if anyone had some tips for a good compost..... Danny What do you mean when you say you don't like eggs??? Whats not too like????
Mix lots of Browns and Greens together!
I usually have easibed for the run and straw for the nest boxes so when i clean out will put all that in then add potato peelings and grass cutting then another layer of the poop scoops! Its turning over great just keep forking it through once a week! Chicken poo is the best you can get and believe me you will have plenty of that!
Stace Bev xx
http://www.freshstartforhens.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" I have one of those plastic ones with a lid at the top and a little door at the bottom - the big problem is that you cannot turn the compost, its way too hard, hubs tried when it wasn't much more than half full and struggled, now its full it would be impossible.
I haven't opened the door for a month or so, last time I looked it wasn't nice compost - it was slimy. I read some where that its best to empty it and refill it  this should help it sort itself out, but its so flipping wet and muddy in the veg plot that I am not over-excited to do this just yet  My family think I'm nuts because the stuff I make in the pallets comes out lovely! All rich and crumbly. I have about 5 (new ones to be made as soon as the weather gets better) and any bits not properly cooked can just go into the one on the go. I do have as much horse muck as I need. Oh and I cover the them with bits of plastic held down with stones when full.
Kate myself and friends have found that it goes slimy in the plastic. I think you must have to get the ingredients better balanced in those, something I find I can't do.
Yes I have - but was careful to put a variety of stuff in and not too much grass. I also used to tear up loo rolls to balance it. You can get a stick thing that you put in as a stick and when you pull it out wings appear and mix the compost. It doesn't go too deep but it works. I got mine with my green joanna ( a food composter). Helen xx
3 children, 3 grandchildren, 3 chooks, 3 fish, a shrimp that thinks its a prawn and a dappy dog. http://www.acountrygrandma.blogspot.com
You really need 2 plastic daleks to "turn over" the compost mix. When one is full, simply lift the plastic bin up and off, then starting from the top of the pile, start to fill the 2nd bin, so that the least rotted ends up on the bottom and the rotted stuff on the bottom ends up on the top
One of my pallet bins on one of the allotments works a treat 
Like that LL.
Composting they say is an artform and I tend to agree. The thing is that everyone has their own art. All I'd say is don't go too heavy on the chicken poo, it's extremely rich and potent, sometimes too much so. The tell tale of a good one is in the worms and bugs !
Last edited by Richard on 25 Jan 2009, 13:13, edited 1 time in total.
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Nice photo there, Lancashire Lass.
I've got plastic composters and I find them a bit awkward, little plastic lid things at bottom keep coming off, will have to sort that problem out soon. I use well rotted horse muck from the heap, which has a lot of brandling worms in it and add that to the compost bin, the worms are excellent for working their way through anything and helping convert it to compost. I think my problem has not been adding enough green clippings, too dry. http://www.freshstartforhens.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Helping to give ex-battery hens a fresh start! http://thevintagebelles.blogspot.co.uk/
Even a bit of "raw" manure helps to accelerate the composting (the bacteria and urine). Put some on the bottom and this will encourage worms from the soil (and any brandling worms in the manure) and then add a bit of manure on top of the vegetable matter to be composted and let the rain wash it in - you should end up with layers as you put more stuff on top. I suppose any manure will do just as well. BTW urine is brilliant for accelerating composting and increases the nitrogen content  I really need to sort my composter out, but cannot do any heavy lifting due to the tennis elbow
That pallet one looks bril, and I'm sure would be far better than the plastic dalek thing I have now.
Very frustrating not being able to do anything, especially as although its muddy outside it is sunny and calm  I bought a black plastic composter off the council at a vastly reduced rate. I then contacted a friend in another council about buying a green cone they were selling at a fraction of the cost. So I have one of those too. problem here is keeping the temperature up in both composters. So during the winter the composters are are dormant until the better weather.
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