Feeding compost

[SubArcticFowl]

There are a million composting threads on here and I just read the 30 page one on the gardening forum, but there are still two questions I have.

1) It is often stated not to feed chickens mouldy or food that had gone bad. Well that is exactly what happens in a compost pile. So do people that compost with chickens just ignore that rule?
2) Is there any concern with poop mixing with food? If chickens are climbing and scratching through the compost pile, they are pooping on it. Also, I see people mixing poop from under the roost bar in the compost pile. Is this a health concern for the chickens that are pecking through and eating from the poop contaminated pile?

I've been an gardening and composting for 15 years, but only been keeping chickens for one year. After reading some of the other posts on here about composting with chickens I am interested in integrating them. I just want to make sure I am protecting their health.

 

[azygous]

First of all, no, compost should not be fed to chickens any more than fertilizer should be fed to them. By its very nature, compost is decomposing and that requires pathogens along with anaerobic bacteria to assist in this process.

Compost piles can be very dangerous if chickens have access. I myself learned this the hard way when pullets dug down deep and found pathogens that ended up killing them. Now I no longer put anything in my compost bin except horse manure. It can still be risky if there are any anaerobic layers that harbor dangerous bacteria.

Most seasoned chicken keepers do not allow their chickens access to compost. The risks are too great.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Apart from the composting many of us do (deep litter, an AEROBIC slow compost method where the chickens themselves help ensure a shallow pile is frequently turned over), I'm not a huge fan of "feeding" from what we are trying to break down to turn back into soil.

BSFL composters and other compoosters to produce insect larvae for chickens are also AEROBIC composting systems, with the birds eating a byproduct - the grubs. While its "a step removed", there are still pathogenic concerns - mostly managed by strict control of what goes into the composter to be broken down.
There are people who do feed their birds on compost - the one guy has a business and a youtube channel about it - I can only assume his birds only have access to the recently deposited, still well aerated sections and/or he uses some large scale mechanical aeration process to reduce risks. Since he sells the compost when done, I'm inclined to think he's doing something to make it more efficient than the typical landfill.

As Azygous says above, Anaerobic breakdown is where most of the concerns arise from the process itself. So concerning that, in places where septic is impractical , but sewer is too costly, aerobic composters (ATS) are being installed to deal with household human "waste". When the system stops working, a bright light (usually mounted on the house) flashes and a klaxon sounds that would put a burglar alarm to shame. Its that important.

As to chickens eating poop - they do it all the time. They aren't injesting anything not already present in their environment. In a closed system, that's not cause for concern beyond their ability to spread things (for good or ill) from one chicken to another. Heck, its one of the ways they share beneficial bacteria. In an open system? If you can't control the inputs, poop eating only speeds the rate of exposure - but the problem is the open system, not the poop eating behavior.

As long as your garden waste is spread in very thin layers, over large areas, I'd not be concerned. Big thick piles? NO GOOD.

 

[Alagirl]

Could they have meant that the waste - not necessarily the rotted stuff - is put in with the chickens?
they eat what you cut off in the kitchen, or pulled from the beds and you clean it up every week, or more frequent?
you have to put chicken poop in the compost pile, or it burns the plants (In larger amounts, naturally)

(wich reminds me, I still have not build my compost heap)

 

[SubArcticFowl]

Thanks for your input. That does reinforce my initial concerns. I think I'm going to back away from having an active compost pile in the run and keep my usual system going. I still want to add lots more carbon sources to the run and will give them veggie scraps.

I also just sourced some free fruit/veggie scraps from a juice bar down the street from my place. So that's pretty sweet. The chickens love it and it makes the run smell nice a fruity.

 

[Alagirl]

Thanks for your input. That does reinforce my initial concerns. I think I'm going to back away from having an active compost pile in the run and keep my usual system going. I still want to add lots more carbon sources to the run and will give them veggie scraps.

I also just sourced some free fruit/veggie scraps from a juice bar down the street from my place. So that's pretty sweet. The chickens love it and it makes the run smell nice a fruity.

yeah, it sounded weird. I guess from the old picture books of the rooster on top of the manure pile....

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

I have a large compost system in my run. A healthy, aerobic pile presents very little risk to chickens. Sure, if you have a badly managed pile it’s a risk, but it’d also smell so bad you’d not go near it.

And the funny thing about a healthy compost pile…stuff doesn’t mold in it. In fact, if you put moldy things in it, the mold goes away during the decomposition process.

The guy with the big chicken operation is Karl with Vermont Compost. You can find videos about it on YouTube. Also on YouTube and worth a look is Edible Acres…they do a smaller (but not small) compost system in their run.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

gratuitous chickens on compost pic!

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

By its very nature, compost is decomposing and that requires pathogens along with anaerobic bacteria to assist in this process.

With all due respect, this is completely FALSE.

Composting by definition is the AEROBIC (with oxygen) decomposition of organic material. Also, when properly done, composting KILLS pathogens.

You can (but shouldn't) compost anaerobicly (without oxygen)...this is what those waste-to-energy setups do...ferment organic waste without oxygen to produce methane.

 

[azygous]

With all due respect, this is completely FALSE.

Composting by definition is the AEROBIC (with oxygen) decomposition of organic material. Also, when properly done, composting KILLS pathogens.

You can (but shouldn't) compost anaerobicly (without oxygen)...this is what those waste-to-energy setups do...ferment organic waste without oxygen to produce methane.

Saying my statement is false is a bit harsh, but I will admit it is overly simplistic. What you say is true, that proper composting involves heat that kills dangerous pathogens. However, speaking from personal experience, not all composting is complete.

In some locales, such as mine, it's generally too cold and too arid for proper composting in a shallow, open compost pit. The soil freezes for months during winter, low moisture causes drying out, and good pathogens do not materialize and thrive. The result is compost that does not receive proper oxygenation and moisture, and in spring, when it thaws, anaerobic bacteria at the lowest level has thrived. That is what causes trouble for chickens when they dig deep into the pile soon after the thaw. Many BYC chicken keepers have lost chickens to compost pile woes, including me, and many of us have decided it's just too risky to allow.

Composting in much of the country where climate assists it is a splendid thing. Go for it.