Mobile compost bin(s) in the chicken run

[IamRainey]

Looks like you've worked something out! Good for you!

 

[gtaus]

Looks like you've worked something out! Good for you!

Thanks, but the credit goes to everyone who responded to my thread and helped me refine my idea. The chicks love it, and that is a win in my book.

 

[gtaus]

I've had the garden cart in the chicken run for a few days now. I now have all the sides up on the garden cart so when the chickens scratch through the material it no longer is scattered all over the run. I ended up making another chicken ramp going up to the sides of the cart, but at least I can see all my chicks are taking advantage of it. There are typically 3 or 4 chickens in there at one time, and then it gets too crowded. I have been putting all the clippings, kitchen scraps, weeds from the garden, etc. in the cart only and the stuff is being eaten down. Best thing, for me, is that I no longer have to rake up the grass on the chicken run every day as everything not eaten stays in the garden cart.

This concept design has worked out better for me than I had hoped. I think I will make a wire stand out of old 2X4s, perhaps just a bit longer than the garden cart, so more chickens can be in there at one time. That way the wife can get her cart back for use in the garden. I have some old lawn mower wheels around the garage, so I may add them to the 2X4 frame, but honestly, since the thing is elevated, I could probably get by without wheels. Still, it's nice to be able to move the unit around in the run so the wheels are a bonus.

 

[gtaus]

1 week update: I was worried that the grass clippings in the garden cart would start to get all wet and slimy if left in the cart. We had a few days this past week with rain. Last night I checked the grass clippings in the cart and, despite rain over a few days, the clippings were dried out like hay and I did not see any slime, or mold, at all. This may be due to the cart being elevated off the ground and there is wire mesh on the bottom and sides, so the grass clippings can breath and the water is able to drain through. The chicks love scratching through the pile in the garden cart and I see them using it more and more. I don't know what they find to eat in there as I have not had much kitchen scraps to feed them. Whatever they are finding, they seem to enjoy it. As I have said in other threads, my chicks are eating less than half their commercial chick starter feed despite the fact that I always have it available to them in the coop. They just prefer whatever they find out in the grassy chicken run and this mobile compost garden cart thing.

 

[jlwquilter]

I've had the garden cart in the chicken run for a few days now. I now have all the sides up on the garden cart so when the chickens scratch through the material it no longer is scattered all over the run. I ended up making another chicken ramp going up to the sides of the cart, but at least I can see all my chicks are taking advantage of it. There are typically 3 or 4 chickens in there at one time, and then it gets too crowded. I have been putting all the clippings, kitchen scraps, weeds from the garden, etc. in the cart only and the stuff is being eaten down. Best thing, for me, is that I no longer have to rake up the grass on the chicken run every day as everything not eaten stays in the garden cart.

This concept design has worked out better for me than I had hoped. I think I will make a wire stand out of old 2X4s, perhaps just a bit longer than the garden cart, so more chickens can be in there at one time. That way the wife can get her cart back for use in the garden. I have some old lawn mower wheels around the garage, so I may add them to the 2X4 frame, but honestly, since the thing is elevated, I could probably get by without wheels. Still, it's nice to be able to move the unit around in the run so the wheels are a bonus.

I’m just reading this thread now as I was searching for compost feeding chickens info.

I love the idea of a raised compost platform to also provide shade. I am always looking for shade opportunities. I have many ideas zooming thru my head now- love it!

Thanks for this thread!

 

[gtaus]

...I love the idea of a raised compost platform to also provide shade. I am always looking for shade opportunities. I have many ideas zooming thru my head now- love it!...

The mobile cart has worked out better for me than I had hoped. The chickens love the shade under the cart. I move the cart to a different location in the run about once a week to let sunshine on the grass below so it does not die off too fast. I fill the cart with grass clippings, kitchen scraps, etc... over a week or so, and then once it is full, I just wheel it out to the garden compost, dump it, and start over.

Since this cart is elevated, I think it is really a great idea for people with small chicken runs. You add more feeding room in the cart for the chickens as well as provide shade underneath the cart.

 

[jlwquilter]

I’m glad it’s working so well for you and your flock!

So you decided to keep the cart. You were thinking of building something slightly bigger so more chickens could get in at once and the cart could go back to your wife. You decided to not do that?

I have a raised platform that a large pre-fab coop sits on. The hens hang out under that most of the day now it’s so darn hot. I also have a canopy providing shade. The canopy may have to come down as we get hurricanes and tropical storm and I don’t think it’ll last thru something like that. I’m always looking for more shade especially if it does double duty and justifies being a permanent build into the run.

I am however thinking of putting the compost area adjacent to the run instead. Maybe elevated for shade in that new area which currently has none. Then I can open it up for them to go into as I want. Or I can enlarge the run and incorporate it that way. Lots of ideas! Just have to figure out which one to try

I new to composting on purpose so am learning. I say on purpose cause I’ve been receiving truckloads of vegetation for years from a tree service guy and that naturally composts. I spread it as mulch, fill for low areas (most of my land), or mixed in with soil for planting. I have great soil now!

But now I have chickens and they need protection all the time so I can’t let them out into the yard onto a mulch pile. So I figure to bring the mulch/compost to them .
I’m researching so I do it right.

 

[gtaus]

...So you decided to keep the cart. You were thinking of building something slightly bigger so more chickens could get in at once and the cart could go back to your wife. You decided to not do that?

The cart is working so well, I'm leaving it where it is for now. The rebuild idea is still good, but it got moved down on the To Do list as other projects were more important - like my wife wanted a new built in shoe rack, for example. (I have little control over the priority of the "Honey-Do-List").

...I am however thinking of putting the compost area adjacent to the run instead. Maybe elevated for shade in that new area which currently has none. Then I can open it up for them to go into as I want. Or I can enlarge the run and incorporate it that way. Lots of ideas! Just have to figure out which one to try

Originally I was thinking of an elevated compost pile, but with wire mesh below and around the sides of the cart, the grass clippings dry out like hay and not much real composting gets done. Still, the chickens scratch through the kitchen scraps and grass clippings, pooping in the clippings, and it will all be good when I do dump it into a "real" composting pile. I would only suggest that you just try something and see if it works.

...I new to composting on purpose so am learning. I say on purpose cause I’ve been receiving truckloads of vegetation for years from a tree service guy and that naturally composts. I spread it as mulch, fill for low areas (most of my land), or mixed in with soil for planting. I have great soil now!

I just started getting wood chips this year, but I have to take my small utility trailer to the county landfill and load it up myself. I could only wish that someone would deliver truckloads of wood chips to my house. I am using the wood chips in my coop as deep litter and also as mulch in the garden and on my potted plants. I hope someday the chips will turn into great soil, but like I said, I just started this year.

But now I have chickens and they need protection all the time so I can’t let them out into the yard onto a mulch pile. So I figure to bring the mulch/compost to them . I’m researching so I do it right.

Bottom line, that is exactly what I was thinking and my garden cart idea was my attempt to bring a mulch pile to the chickens. I don't let my chickens free range as there are too many predators around here and they would not last long if not confined to a covered chicken run. Anyway, my girls like the compost/mulch pile in the garden cart and/or resting in the shade under the cart on the hotter days.

 

[jlwquilter]

I do get a load of wood chips every blue moon from the tree guy but mostly it’s chipped nuisance plants - mostly leafy and some woody branches mixed in. It’s still gold to me and he saves $$ not having to pay to dump. Win-win. The wood chips break down to more of a sandy consistency on their own. The leafy stuff turns into the black dirt. Just my experience.

My husband would commiserate with you on the to do list priorities! Lol! I change it up on him all the time.

I think I’m Going to try the ground level big rectangle pallet box adjacent to the run first. I can make a Chunnel for the hens to use to and from it and with deer netting over the box that’ll provide overhead predator protection.

I have to rethink overhead protection right now anyway for the regular run. A red shouldered hawk has been sitting on the high wires several days now near the run. I’m sure he/she is figuring out how to make a strike.

I may not end up using your great ideas but they sure have inspired me! Thanks again!

 

[gtaus]

I may not end up using your great ideas but they sure have inspired me!

Lots of people have inspired me to try something just a little different but still my own for my situation. If you come with a good idea, I hope you post it for others to consider.