Built Compost Bins to Supplement Chicken Feed

[jlwquilter]

After do some research and chatting here with @gtaus DH and I built 2 compost bins adjacent to the chicken run. Our intention is to provide natural feed opportunities to the hens and reduce reliance on commercial feed. They will still have 24/7 access to dry feed and I will continue to feed FF morning and evening for the foreseeable future as we test how this works out.

The bins are made of pallets we’ve collected over time. We decided to make a bottom of pallets as well as we get a lot of summer rain and flooding happens where it stays wet for weeks. However the pallets have spaces between the boards to little creatures can still gain access.

We placed the bins off the shed wall for a couple of reasons. It gives shade and additional grass access, it gives us an alley to walk along for weed whacking, also to walk along to herd hens as needed. In the bottom picture you can see a single pallet that ‘connects the 2 bins’ that really is a gate that moves easily to allow the access.

I didn’t take pics of the west side but we left a pallet wide opening into each bin. Both wheelbarrows fit thru the openings to allow for easy dumping of new compost material.

We were able to immediately fill the bins with a combination of green leaf mulch and wood chips and cow manure. I also added a bag of cardboard cross cut from boxes I got from a local big box store. I sprinkled veggie scraps on top.

You can see the hens have already learned to go right in! It was only set up this afternoon.

I plan on talking to some places
About getting veggie scraps but can’t do that until we return from an extended vacation. I don’t want to ask and then immediately disappear for weeks!

This is a work in progress and I am excited to see how it goes. The main criteria to determine success is how the hens fare.

Thanks for allowing me to share!

 

[gtaus]

Very nice setup. I was surprised to see how much the chickens dig through this stuff and continue to find things to eat. I have no idea what they are eating, but it seems to agree with them. My commercial feed is available 24/7 to the chickens, but they eat only about half as much feed now that I have given them a compost/mulch pile to pick through. Also, they still have some grass in the chicken run. Anyway, they seem to prefer to forage for food before eating the commercial feed. As long as they are healthy, I consider it a win.

I have also offered fish remains and other meat products to my chickens in the compost pile. But I choose not to leave it in the bin very long because I don't want to attract predators.

 

[jlwquilter]

I sometimes (rarely) feed shrimp or meat to the hens. I give it separate so I can dispose of any leftovers. I don’t think I’d add it to the compost even temporarily - it would be a PIA to remove.

I did add some older FF to the compost tonight that I didn’t want to feed to the hens anymore. I usually rinse any FF off into plants in the run. Now I’ll add it to the compost. Maybe the flies it draws in will lay eggs and I’ll get some maggots.

It’s a fun experiment!

 

[aart]

I did add some older FF to the compost tonight that I didn’t want to feed to the hens anymore.

But they have access to the pile, correct, so can still eat it?

 

[jlwquilter]

Theoretically yes. Specifically not in this case. It was mostly the fermented liquid left over. It drained into the pile. I had also poured it away in the corner and they didn’t go over there.

Why?

 

[aart]

Theoretically yes. Specifically not in this case. It was mostly the fermented liquid left over. It drained into the pile. I had also poured it away in the corner and they didn’t go over there.

Why?

Just that you didn't want them to eat it but put it where they could get it.

 

[gtaus]

I sometimes (rarely) feed shrimp or meat to the hens. I give it separate so I can dispose of any leftovers. I don’t think I’d add it to the compost even temporarily - it would be a PIA to remove.

Yes, I do have separate rubber feeder pans that I use for things that I don't want to add to the compost pile, like fish or meat remains that I would want to remove before they stink and attract rodents or predators.

In the garden, I do have some trench composting going on. So I can dump meat remains in the trench and cover it up immediately with dirt. So far, that has worked well for me.

 

[jlwquilter]

Just that you didn't want them to eat it but put it where they could get it.

Oh ok. The fermented feed was still good but I like to start new batches every few times and this one was a big batch to begin with.

Well, we’ll see how adding shrimp to the compost goes after all. DH visited a neighbor this morning and came back with some shrimp heads. He was determined to add it to the pile. I’m newly sick with a cold and just don’t have the energy to fight with him over it. I got him to agree to bury deep in the compost what the hens don’t eat. Then I fell asleep!

In the garden, I do have some trench composting going on. So I can dump meat remains in the trench and cover it up immediately with dirt. So far, that has worked well for me.

How deep are the trenches? Are they pre-dug or you basically dig a hole when needed? Trying to envision what you’re doing.

 

[gtaus]

How deep are the trenches? Are they pre-dug or you basically dig a hole when needed? Trying to envision what you’re doing.

When I dig a trench, I usually go about 1 foot deep, and pile the dirt alongside the trench. Dump in compost material, and then cover with dirt. But I also just dig holes where I want, and basically cover the compost material. It amounts to the same thing. For me, it is better than a compost pile because I don't have to turn buried compost material - I let the worms do the work. Also, material buried directly into the ground breaks down faster where I live in northern Minnesota. My compost piles take about 1 year to break down. A trench compost, or hole, breaks down in just weeks, depending on how many worms there are in that area. Also, you can bury meat and dairy products in the ground that you might not want sitting in a compost pile above ground.

 

[jlwquilter]

Ah got it. Thanks. I don’t even think we really have worms here. We rarely see any. Lucky you!