Since I have started my organic gardening craze and the blog as well, I have been purposeful in keeping it all natural and organic. I raise chickens for their great personalities – oh, yes as well as beautiful eggs and the natural manure to feed my pesticide-free garden. I have learnt so much but if I do not put it into practice, then I am just a big wind bag of hot air! I need to pursue what I believe is good for the earth and it starts with ME!
So – I am so excited when I can take my heaps and heaps of garden and kitchen and chicken refuse and turn it into gold! The great smell of sweet earth makes me smile! It’s not a glamorous job but it is very rewarding!!
The first and very active composting heap is in the Chicken Run. Every week I rake up the straw and poop and add it to the heap. I sprinkle with compost activator and leave until broken down – about 4 – 6 weeks. The ration of carbon (straw) to nitrogen (chicken manure) should be balanced 50/50. Oxygen is also important to produce heat. Keep the heap damp and water when dry. This makes for a great compost!
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Well broken down compost[/one_half]
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Collecting for the garden[/one_half_last]
I hope you can turn your garden waste to something useful! AND it’s for free!
Happy Gardening xxxx
10 replies on “My own Compost”
It’s nice to hear someone else mention the chickens personalities. So many people think chickens are dumb but they are anything but. I have 5 roaming around our property and they are all so unique in their own way.
I think the chemical companies in our country like to make it seem so easy to garden with chemicals when it is oh so much easier to garden organically…the veggies are so much better and it is better for us to eat and use less chemicals…I just love your chickens Barbie.
Rich compost–good for you. It’s not that hard to garden organically, is it?
No – it seems to make the most sense! I am going to try and not spend any money and see how the garden grows!
Is not having farm animals the greatest for gardeners? When I had horses the straw and manure was like having a pile of black gold so to speak. It was so desired people would pay us to take it away.
You know Donna, my neighbour has horses and I really want to get my barrow and bring it into my garden like I did last year! It is THE BEST! And good exercise! 🙂
I bet the plants just love this mix, too!
Fun photo of the chicken! I’ve been a happy composter for years! 🙂
Bravo! I doubt you even need the activator, as long as you just mix some finished compost into the heap. I wish I had a sunny spot along the edge of my garden — my compost heap is in shade and is feeding the trees in the area. I still enjoy creating beautiful soil back there, and move the pile every few years.
I have a great idea to build a compost turner – I just need a place to put it!