I have a compost pile, which is comprised of chicken manure, old
leaves (which I use as litter in the chicken coop, so they are well
mixed with manure), and some grass clippings. All good so far. My
problem is that most compost pile information websites recommend
turning over compost, and it is quite difficult as it is heavy and
stuck together. Is turning over really essential?

--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@ @ @ Please forgive my typos as my right hand is injured. @ @ @
char*p="char*p=%c%s%c;main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}"; main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}
"It's never too late to have a happy childhood."

Ignoramus27199 wrote:
I have a compost pile, which is comprised of chicken manure, old
leaves (which I use as litter in the chicken coop, so they are well
mixed with manure), and some grass clippings. All good so far. My
problem is that most compost pile information websites recommend
turning over compost, and it is quite difficult as it is heavy and
stuck together. Is turning over really essential?



There are two kinds of decomposition that take place in compost: aerobic
and anaerobic. Aerobic decomposition is quicker and results in compost
that smells like good soil. Anaerobic decomposition may take a couple of
years and in the meantime may release disagreeable odors (but probably
won't unless you disturb it). (The disagreeable odors are more common to
compost piles heavy in nitrogen, e.g. from grass clippings and chicken
manure).

Aerobic decomposition requires air, which is what the compost gets when
you turn the compost pile. If you don't turn it you get anaerobic
decomposition. Also, if you have a lot of leaves in the pile, not
turning the pile may result in a lot of leaves at the bottom not getting
the air and moisture they need to decompose, so after a couple of years
you still have leaves at the bottom of the pile instead of compost.

Turning the pile is not absolutely necessary, but it makes the process
much more effective and so you get more useable (better quality) compost.

Labor saving tip:

You don't have to turn it all at once. Since you have chickens, you have
an ongoing source of compostable material. Make yourself three compost
piles, a new one and an old one and a finished one. Whenever you deposit
a load of material onto the new pile, take an equal amount from the top
of the old pile and add it. When you get toward the bottom of the old
pile you will probably have pretty good compost. That then becomes your
finished pile. Your old compost then gets turned at least once, which is
better than not at all. When you declare your old pile finished, start
the third pile, which is then the new pile, and the old new pile becomes
the old pile. You can then rotate the 3 piles and they get turned and
the workload isn't excessive. The 3 piles will probably take up less
space than one pile that never gets turned. (The good stuff on that kind
of pile will be on the bottom, so you have to move the whole pile to get
at it.) PS: use up the finished pile so that you have a place to start a
new pile when your old pile is a finished pile.

(Well, OK, you haven't really saved any labor since you moved the whole
pile either way, but spreading it out this way it doesn't seem so bad).

On 11 May 2004 13:50:39 GMT, Ignoramus27199
wrote:

I have a compost pile, which is comprised of chicken manure, old
leaves (which I use as litter in the chicken coop, so they are well
mixed with manure), and some grass clippings. All good so far. My
problem is that most compost pile information websites recommend
turning over compost, and it is quite difficult as it is heavy and
stuck together. Is turning over really essential?


No. But, turning does help speed the process and makes your compost
more uniform. You are very fortunate to have a supply of chicken
manure.

In article , dps wrote:
Ignoramus27199 wrote:
I have a compost pile, which is comprised of chicken manure, old
leaves (which I use as litter in the chicken coop, so they are well
mixed with manure), and some grass clippings. All good so far. My
problem is that most compost pile information websites recommend
turning over compost, and it is quite difficult as it is heavy and
stuck together. Is turning over really essential?



There are two kinds of decomposition that take place in compost: aerobic
and anaerobic. Aerobic decomposition is quicker and results in compost
that smells like good soil. Anaerobic decomposition may take a couple of
years and in the meantime may release disagreeable odors (but probably
won't unless you disturb it). (The disagreeable odors are more common to
compost piles heavy in nitrogen, e.g. from grass clippings and chicken
manure).

Aerobic decomposition requires air, which is what the compost gets when
you turn the compost pile. If you don't turn it you get anaerobic
decomposition. Also, if you have a lot of leaves in the pile, not
turning the pile may result in a lot of leaves at the bottom not getting
the air and moisture they need to decompose, so after a couple of years
you still have leaves at the bottom of the pile instead of compost.

Turning the pile is not absolutely necessary, but it makes the process
much more effective and so you get more useable (better quality) compost.

Labor saving tip:

You don't have to turn it all at once. Since you have chickens, you have
an ongoing source of compostable material. Make yourself three compost
piles, a new one and an old one and a finished one. Whenever you deposit
a load of material onto the new pile, take an equal amount from the top
of the old pile and add it. When you get toward the bottom of the old
pile you will probably have pretty good compost. That then becomes your
finished pile. Your old compost then gets turned at least once, which is
better than not at all. When you declare your old pile finished, start
the third pile, which is then the new pile, and the old new pile becomes
the old pile. You can then rotate the 3 piles and they get turned and
the workload isn't excessive. The 3 piles will probably take up less
space than one pile that never gets turned. (The good stuff on that kind
of pile will be on the bottom, so you have to move the whole pile to get
at it.) PS: use up the finished pile so that you have a place to start a
new pile when your old pile is a finished pile.

(Well, OK, you haven't really saved any labor since you moved the whole
pile either way, but spreading it out this way it doesn't seem so bad).

thanks for your thoughtful post. I think that I will try to buy a
garden fork (?), it could become easier with it as opposed to a
shovel. Yes, I would like this to turn into complete compost by next
spring, as well as stay warm over the winter.

--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@ @ @ Please forgive my typos as my right hand is injured. @ @ @
char*p="char*p=%c%s%c;main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}"; main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}
"It's never too late to have a happy childhood."

In article , Phisherman wrote:
On 11 May 2004 13:50:39 GMT, Ignoramus27199
wrote:

I have a compost pile, which is comprised of chicken manure, old
leaves (which I use as litter in the chicken coop, so they are well
mixed with manure), and some grass clippings. All good so far. My
problem is that most compost pile information websites recommend
turning over compost, and it is quite difficult as it is heavy and
stuck together. Is turning over really essential?


No. But, turning does help speed the process and makes your compost
more uniform. You are very fortunate to have a supply of chicken
manure.

thanks

See my chicken at

http://igor.chudov.com/tmp/son/

They live in a 34 or so cubic feet area in my shed, at shoulder level.

We feed them boiled and mashed kitchen leftovers, mostly. Also, one
Russian deli gives us various unused meat cuts for free, which I grind
in a meat grinder and add to the mashed chicken food.

They produce probably about 1.5-2 lbs of manure per day.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@ @ @ Please forgive my typos as my right hand is injured. @ @ @
char*p="char*p=%c%s%c;main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}"; main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}
"It's never too late to have a happy childhood."

On 11 May 2004 13:50:39 GMT, Ignoramus27199
wrote:

I have a compost pile, which is comprised of chicken manure, old
leaves (which I use as litter in the chicken coop, so they are well
mixed with manure), and some grass clippings. All good so far. My
problem is that most compost pile information websites recommend
turning over compost, and it is quite difficult as it is heavy and
stuck together. Is turning over really essential?

The heat of composting materials is generated in the center of the
pile. Composting of the center will take place if the pile isn't
turned, but the outside edges will contain uncomposted materials and
one thing you don't want is live weed seeds that find their way to the
edges of the pile.

One method of turning is to have side by side bins so the compost can
be shoveled from one bin to another. My personal favorite is a
barrel composter, but I'm reduced to buying mine from the city's
recycle center. I wish you the best of luck with your efforts.

Regards,

Hal

Ignoramus27199 wrote:

.... Yes, I would like this to turn into complete compost by next
spring, as well as stay warm over the winter.



You can't count on it staying warm over the winter. Once the composting
process is done, there is no more heat generated. However, winter won't
hurt it.

Since you have chickens that presumably supply material over the winter
as well as the summer, the new pile will probably stay warm, but the old
pile may cool off. A small pile could even freeze, but if the dimensions
are more than a couple of feet, the inside will probably stay unfrozen.

In article , dps wrote:
Ignoramus27199 wrote:

.... Yes, I would like this to turn into complete compost by next
spring, as well as stay warm over the winter.



You can't count on it staying warm over the winter. Once the composting
process is done, there is no more heat generated. However, winter won't
hurt it.

well, if composting is done, then I do not care if the pile is cool.

Since you have chickens that presumably supply material over the winter
as well as the summer, the new pile will probably stay warm, but the old
pile may cool off. A small pile could even freeze, but if the dimensions
are more than a couple of feet, the inside will probably stay unfrozen.


Makes sense, thanks.--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@ @ @ Please forgive my typos as my right hand is injured. @ @ @
char*p="char*p=%c%s%c;main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}"; main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}
"It's never too late to have a happy childhood."