In article ,
Sarah Dale wrote:

Well, I can't put in chicken or other light bones in case the cats get at
it. But you raise an interesting point in one of your other responses to
this thread. So many people on URG have said don't put meat or bones on
the heap because it attracts rats - you're saying that it doesn't make any
difference.

In general, it doesn't. That doesn't mean it never will. I don't
keep cats, but I agree that they raid the heap - the only solution
there is to cover the bones, because cats won't dig far.

In my household, all vegetable based scraps - cooked and uncooked go on my
(cold heap, sarah-rigged wooden containers, open topped) compost heap, as do all
prunings and garden waste. All meat bones and inedible bits (skin, gristle
etc.) are binned. All the meat is eaten.

I'm willing to have a go by putting in big bones, gristle and skin - what
sort of decomposition rate should I expect based on the fact I run a cold
heap? And possibly I would need to look at putting some sort of lid on the
heap perhaps... Mind you given that the compost bins are starting to need
rebuilding (PLEASE wait to Autumn!) that could be interesting!

I run a cold heap, too. I find that most chicken bones go by the time
I use the compost (12-18 months), but leg bones that dry out need to go
round again. Large mammal bones are a bit more durable, and beef leg
bones can take a decade!

But there isn't a problem, as all the decomposable matter has gone
within a month or so, inside the bone and out, and the stray bones
are 'clean'. My wife isn't een on them in the flowerbeds, but that is
really the only issue :-)

There is no long-term accumulation, even of the heaviest bones.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.