• Home
  • Get to Know Me
  • Blog
  • Our Goat Herd
    • Livestock for Sale
    • BiteMe! Herbal Treats
  • Contact Me

The 104 Homestead

  • HOMESTEAD LIVING
    • CRAFTS & DIYS
    • GREEN CLEANING
    • HOMEMADE ALTERNATIVES
    • HOMESTEAD HOLIDAYS
    • SIMPLE SKILLS
  • REAL FOOD
    • BEVERAGES
    • DESSERTS
    • FOOD MATTERS
    • PRESERVATION
    • SIMPLE RECIPES
    • TIPS & TRICKS
  • BACKYARD GARDEN
    • BACK TO EDEN
    • GARDEN TIPS
    • GETTING STARTED
    • ORGANIC SOLUTIONS
    • SEED STARTING & SAVING
  • HOMESTEAD ANIMALS
    • CHICKENS
    • DUCKS
    • GOATS
    • HOUSE PETS
    • QUAIL
    • RABBITS
  • INSPIRING HOMESTEADS
    • URBAN HOMESTEADS
    • SUBURBAN HOMESTEADS
    • RURAL HOMESTEADS
    • FARMSTEADS
    • MORE INSPIRATION

09/29/15

Let Your Chickens Do Your Composting

  • 390shares
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • WhatsApp
  • Share

Chickens & Composting

Much like peas and carrots, chickens and gardens belong together (though maybe not occupying the same space). Chickens want to work. They want to dig and search and scratch. Why not put natural behavior to work for you?

Like peas and carrots, chickens and gardens belong together (though not occupying the same space). Chickens want to work. Why not harness that natural instinct?

B.C. (before chickens) I had a decent compost pile hidden out of sight behind the shed. I added to it when I remembered to, but I rarely remembered to turn it. Did it work? Yes, but was it great? Not so much. It hardly had food scrap content and it never had coffee grounds. The compost pile was slow to break down and the quality wasn’t as high as it could be. Then came the chickens…

Using the Chickens for Composting

I love seeing my girls run for treats at the end of the day. When they were new and exciting, I was practically ripping half-finished apples from my family members so I could go out and throw it to the birds. Now I’ve settled on once or twice a day. The only problem with my new situation was that the compost still wasn’t getting any food scrap materials and darn my girls are picky. One would think out of eighteen birds, someone would eat it, but that isn’t always the case. As a result, I had nasty, slimy food bits in the run. That means flies.

Meanwhile, I had started to add piles of dry leaves in the run. I was hoping the birds would shred them up so I could use them as top mulch in my perennial beds. Boy do those chickens do quick work of shredded leaves! A 3′ high pile in the morning is 6″ of shredded mulch by lockup time in the evening. It got me thinking… What couldn’t you put the compost in the run and let them tear it up like they do the dry leaves?

So I grabbed two pallets from my friendly neighborhood hardware store (it’s good to know people) and I rigged up a 4′ x 4′ bin using my fence as the back wall. I put the compost that had been sitting behind the shed for over a year into the new bin. When it went in, there were obvious layers and it wasn’t broken down much. At the end of the week, the chickens had mixed it and broken it down to beautiful compost. I was sold that this is the way to be doing things.

More Reasons to Compost In Your Chicken Run

  • Manure is added right to the pile. No more trekking across the yard.
  • Food scraps and weeds can be thrown in the pile, so whatever the birds don’t eat becomes compost material.*
  • The chickens are entertained all day long. This keeps bad behaviors at bay.
  • In the winter, the pile creates enough heat to stay thawed, so birds have a warm place to hang out and you can compost year-round.
  • The composting action seems to keep the flies at bay.

What can you compost when you compost with chickens?

  • Weeds From Your Garden 
    I collect all my weeds in a 5 gallon bucket and dump it as it fills.
  • “Spent” Plants
    I compost the deadheads from my flowers as well as most of my annual flowers at the end of the season. My flower beds are 70% self-seeding annuals so the mother plant dies every year. When the plant is nice and dry, I chop it at soil height and walk around shaking it for any seeds that might still be present, then into the compost it goes.
  • Food Scraps
    Any food that is safe to compost can go in, with a few exceptions.* If I am giving my hens a treat that isn’t compost-safe (such as a meat or dairy product), I give it to them in a separate area.

Chicken & Compost Safety

There is a very lengthy list of foods and plants that are not safe for chickens. It’s almost horrifying. I make this next statement safely cloaked in my legal “at your risk” stuff… Don’t worry too much! I have two rhododendrons growing along the fence. No one has every bothered with them. I have acorns galore on my property. No deaths yet.

Some of it is certainly the circumstances. If you’re birds are not eating enough and they are confined in a small space, yes, they’ll eat whatever they can get. My birds have a well-rounded diet and range over 1/8th of an acre (sometimes more, since the fence is merely a suggestion). Most of the time the bird knows what to consume and what not to. In the case of the rhododendrons, there were a few nibbles the first day and nothing since. It either didn’t sit well or it tasted gross.

* Some foods I won’t compost because the risk is too high:
Foxglove, hollyhocks, avocado and apple seeds.

For an extensive list of plants and foods that are toxic to chickens,here is a very in-depth list.

Don’t miss ⇒ The ultimate guide to raising laying hens.

Like peas and carrots, chickens and gardens belong together (though not occupying the same space). Chickens want to work. Why not harness that natural instinct?

You May Also Like

  • Black gold. It's essential in the garden. Most choose the bovine poo, but there are many manure options to choose from, each with their own unique benefits.What a load of… Manure
  • Urine (aka: pee) contains nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which are essential in plant health. If you include wood ash in your compost, you've replicated most commercial fertilizers.If You Love Me, You’ll Pee in the Compost
  • What my chickens consume, my family consumes. That's why I prefer to try herbals, essential oils, and natural remedies before bringing out the big guns.Using Herbs & Essential Oils with Your Backyard Chickens
  • Wing clipping can be scary, but it might be something you need to consider for your chicken's safety. Here are answers to some of the frequent questions that come along.How to Safely Clip Chicken Wings
  • 390shares
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • WhatsApp
  • Share
The following two tabs change content below.
  • Bio
  • Latest Posts
My Twitter profileMy Facebook profileMy Google+ profileMy Instagram profileMy Pinterest profile

Jessica Lane

I am a non-traditional homesteader. What is a non-traditional homesteader? I'd like to think we are the people who don't fit the mold. I am a busy mom on a small bit of property with not a lot of financial resources, but I am figuring out how to live the life I want. A homesteader's life.
My Twitter profileMy Facebook profileMy Google+ profileMy Instagram profileMy Pinterest profile

Latest posts by Jessica Lane (see all)

  • How to Make Vapor Rub with Essential Oils - March 7, 2018
  • Bringing a Barn Cat (or two) to Your Homestead - February 7, 2018
  • Creating a Silvopasture to Benefit Your Farm & Goats - January 18, 2018
  • Garden Supplies You’ll Want This Season - December 27, 2017
  • Instant Pot and Slow Cooker Meals for Dinner - December 23, 2017
Home » Homestead Animals » Let Your Chickens Do Your Composting

21 Comments
Homestead Animals

Subscribe

« How to Store Fresh Produce for Winter
DIY Poultry Feed & Water Hanger »

Comments

  1. Sapphira says

    August 27, 2019 at 10:00 pm

    I would like to see a picture of your compost set up as well please. I could not find it in the comment.

    Reply
  2. Brianna Loftin says

    January 10, 2019 at 2:04 pm

    How large does the run need to be to use it as a compost pile. I have a basic coop with run for up to 4 chickens. I was thinking about adding a chicken tunnel to my compost pile. Wondering if combining them would be easier, or if it would build up too much in the small run.

    Reply
  3. Lisa Loperfido says

    April 6, 2017 at 5:18 pm

    Hi! I love his idea, you sound like a super genius! I too would love to see a photo of this compost area. I noticed in the other comments that you say you posted some but I don’t see them anywhere. Thanks in advance! 🙂 Happy Homesteading

    Reply
  4. Janet says

    January 27, 2017 at 5:39 pm

    Any problems with rodents? I worry the compost will attract rodents who will then be attracted to the chickens, eggs and their feed in the coop.

    Reply
    • Jessica Lane says

      January 27, 2017 at 10:23 pm

      They either consume the scraps or mix them into the bin pretty fast. We do tend to empty the bin in the morning for that reason though. It gives them all day to eat or bury so we don’t attract late night visitors.

      Reply
  5. Vicki says

    August 5, 2016 at 8:51 pm

    Did you ever post pictures of your compost box in your coop? Love the idea. My hens eat all our food scraps and my compost pile has been unproductive.

    Reply
    • Jessica Lane says

      August 8, 2016 at 8:41 pm

      I posted a pic in the comments, but I’ll try to remember to take a video if it in action tomorrow and add it to the post.

      Reply
  6. Emily Heise says

    July 30, 2016 at 1:39 pm

    Great article.

    Reply
    • Jessica Lane says

      August 8, 2016 at 8:42 pm

      Thanks!

      Reply
  7. Kay says

    March 11, 2016 at 9:39 am

    How long does it take for the compost to be work over by the chickens before you can use it in the vegetable garden?

    Reply
    • Jessica Lane says

      March 13, 2016 at 6:05 pm

      It really depends on what you are putting in and what ratios your greens and browns are. It’s usually between 6 months and a year depending on those things.

      Reply
  8. Misty says

    February 6, 2016 at 1:07 am

    Can I see a photo of your compost pile with the pallets? 🙂

    Reply
    • Jessica Lane says

      February 23, 2016 at 1:48 pm

      I haven’t forgotten about you, I promise 🙂 I am going to get on my boots and snap a few photos right now for you.

      Reply
      • Reese says

        April 14, 2016 at 1:17 am

        Great post. Also interested in pictures. I am curious about if you feel like it would be worth digging down for anti-tunneling (rats). We are in Seattle, and I worry that an warm, open compost bin with food scraps would attract rats or worse, raccoons. Do you close it up? We have a clean system right now, but are not utilizing manure in attempts to close our compost loop. Thank you.

        Reply
        • Jessica Lane says

          April 22, 2016 at 12:16 pm

          Ours has a lattice lid that any handy creature could figure out how to open or get through, but we have been fortunate enough to not have any unwelcome visitors. I think the ducks do well scaring away most critters.

          Reply
  9. Michelle says

    December 15, 2015 at 1:25 pm

    We are planning to start our chickens this coming spring. We started rabbits last year – just as much for the manure as for the meat, so I am looking forward to incorporating chickens into our “farm ecosystem”.

    We currently have three compost areas – one that is resting, one that is active, and a smaller one inside the garden as part of the garden rotation. Now I am thinking about how we can include the chickens in the compost process… Great post, thanks!

    Reply
  10. Lisa M says

    October 29, 2015 at 10:22 pm

    I always put dry leaves and grass cutting in the run but I’ve never tried actually composting in the run. Great idea!

    Thanks again for linking up with Green Thumb Thursday.
    Lisa

    Reply
  11. Lisa M says

    October 8, 2015 at 1:49 pm

    My chickens think my garden fence is ‘merely a suggestion’ too! lol I love that term….I’m totally using it from now on!

    Thanks for linking up with Green Thumb Thursday. I hope you’ll join us again this week!

    Lisa

    Reply
  12. Anonymous says

    July 21, 2014 at 10:25 pm

    I have been scared off of providing potato peelings and onions to the hens. If I were to just throw my kitchen compost in the run, it would contain those things plus coffee grounds in the filter, citrus peeling…etc. Do I really need to separate out my compost into different buckets or just not worry about it?

    Thanks!
    (oh – and my compost pile right now consists of those scraps, straw and chicken poo….what about coccidiosus…we had that and lost one hen…..)

    I really want my pile to be in the run, but I’ve become paranoid…

    Reply
    • Jessica says

      July 21, 2014 at 11:13 pm

      Deep breath 🙂 I completely understand your concerns. For liability reasons I can’t say “oh, they’ll be fine” BUT in my experience the birds wont eat what is harmful. One thing to remember is that many of the no-no foods have to be consumed in large quantities. Ex: One apple doesn’t contain enough seeds to cause arsenic poisoning. Unless you are dumping in straight potato peelings every day, I don’t think you need to worry. Adding a variety is the key (which most people would do when composting normally).

      Regarding coccidiosis, great question! It is true that warm and moist environments allow the disease to survive. I think it comes down to how long they are in that environment. My girls flock to the bin when I first dump stuff in, but after the “good stuff” is gone, they move on. They don’t loiter around. I do have a few girls that like to sunbathe in the compost bin, but I have yet to see any ill effects come from it. Is there a risk? Probably. Do you really need to worry about it? I’d say no.

      Reply
  13. Mike @ Gentleman Homestead says

    June 11, 2014 at 11:21 am

    People think I’m nuts when I tell them I’m more excited about our chickens’ compost output than I am their egg output.

    I almost built a mobile tractor for my first flock of layers at this house, (and still will someday), but I went with a stationary coop so I can use the Deep Litter Method in their 8×12 run and turn it into a compost-making machine. I don’t even have another compost pile now because I just throw all of our food scraps into the run, along with dry leaves, grass clippings, or straw every now and then.

    Yay chickens!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Welcome! My name
is Jessica Lane. I live a nearly self-sufficient lifestyle with my three beautiful children on 5 1/2 acres in Maine. We raise Nigerian Dwarf goats, ducks, and chickens, and we grow as much food as we can. What we can't grow or produce ourselves we barter for. If we can homestead where we live, what's stopping you?

Read More…

Search This Site

Now Trending

Many people aren’t raising goats to earn massive profit, but taking stock of cost versus benefit is essential to making the most of your time and money.
Sand is becoming a very common coop bedding and it's easy to see why. Sand has so many benefits and when used properly, I think it's a bedding that you wont regret using.
If you live in a location where ordinances prohibit keeping chickens and ducks, then quail may be right for you. Why you should consider quail farming.

Keep In Touch

  • 58,652 Pinteresting Followers
  • 19,827 Fabulous Fans
  • 4,950 Twitastic Friends
  • 2,185 InstaBuddies
  • 81 Subscribers

BiteMe! Goat Treats

  • Home
  • Homestead Living
  • Real Food
  • Homestead Animals
  • Gardening & Outdoors
  • Inspiring Homesteads

Disclaimer

I am not a doctor, lawyer, veterinarian or Martha Stewart. Please use the knowledge acquired from this site responsibly.

See Our Privacy Policy

Disclosure

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Work With Me

Become a Contributor/Guest Writer
Meet Our Current Contributors
Advertise on The 104 Homestead
Contact Me

Copyright © 2019 · Novelty theme by Restored 316

© 2013-2019 Jessica Lane of The 104 Homestead