Chicken Compost - Deep Litter to Black Gold

[@kenbellchambers4577]

Highly recommend that you use some of your sawdust on the inside of the henhouse. Sawdust is unbeatable for absorption and odour management. Use less hay if it is expensive, maybe half, and replace the other half with fine material. Sawdust is golden, woodchips are next, and almost as good, dry leaves run over with a lawn mower. The fine material is structurally important, and whole straw is also good as it acts as the 'highway' system for mycelial growth. (Normally leaves are best left whole - but this application requires finer pieces. However, dry whole leaves also added into the henhouse topdressing will improve your compost.) Also, if you want even faster and better results, every ten days or so, turn the material in the hen house. Fluff it up a little by tossing through the tines of the composting fork, then return it to its original position, and top dress it with the sawdust, shredded and whole leaves, and hay. This is a good winter strategy, as the litter will warm up substantially as it gets fluffed and increases in volume. The warm compost will make the hens extend their laying, and the warm compost will also richen in worms and other insects which the hens adore. Remember, it only takes one part of nitrogen to kick start fifty parts of carbon, so keep the carbon coming, this all becomes humus in the end. PS, love your sprouts for the hens. Brilliant idea. Also very good to see that you have a proper fork. I see so many people discouraged because they try using a short handled digging fork, which makes the job miserable. The thin tines and long handle make an astonishing difference in the amount of effort needed to turn, and this item is often the difference between success and failure. Thank you for the opportunity to share a half century of experience with you, and thanks for teaching the old dog new tricks. Blessings to your channel.

[@edibleacres]

5 tine or 6 tine lightweight fork with a long light handle is absolutely critical. I make sure the tines stay straight, I almost think I want to sharpen and oil them for better function! Great notes and ideas here. Right now we're using mainly dried leaves to bulk out their deep litter because we have a few bags of them in the coop already. The super snowy and cold days, the hens don't go out much so I can't get in there and turn as easily (there is a little time of funky smell when I first do it so I have to be careful there)... I think bulking out with more dry sawdust would be a great idea. Intensely high c/n ratio there and a good reminder of just how potent their N contribution can be! Thanks for being part of all this!

[@Rytoast99]

Terrific system! You should be proud you are one of the few that’s rebuilding soil

[@columbusmicrofarm]

We only have 8 hens, but we do something similar but sans the sprouts. The hens love piles so we just pile up the deep litter on clean out and give it a soak. The hens will scratch it down, spreading it out and we just pile it back up, turning it at the same time. Adding sprouts would certainly intensify their interest in scratching it up while giving them that additional nutrients.

[@tarantulady8565]

THIS IS AWESOME!!! I do the DEEP litter method in a pretty large coop, cleaned out only twice a year, spring & fall. I use PDZ stall/coop refresher in between layers to keep ammonia in check. It ends up forming a 6’x6’x6’ compost pile that I turn with a tractor bucket. Makes great compost for the garden that feeds us. I’ll use this method here for a smaller coop I just added to my property. I have an enclosed area adjacent to this new coop, and I now want to do a “chicken garden,” but wasn’t sure what I was going to do re: composting fertilizer for it. Your method will work great for me... Thx!!😊🙏

[@holisticheritagehomestead]

I think this is great! This is one of the best channels on KZbin. I have incorporated, some of the things that I have learned from this channel into our composting system.

[@edibleacres]

So incredibly glad that you find these videos useful. Wishing you great success with your chicken situation

[@youtubeaccount5829]

Awesome insights as usual, thank you both, a low-rain period update would be great to see solutions for when there is less available moisture.

[@erector5953]

I am learning from you guys thanks to share . The gratitude to all living things that you have open up my receptivity to learn and accept difference . Thx!

[@grow.nurture.nourish]

This is great :) I've just got 5 chooks - we won't be doing anything near the scale you are at, but I'm looking forward to integrating the idea of sprouted seeds and making the most of their bedding/droppings

[@videolabguy]

Pure genius. So simple. So productive! Also, I love the sound of contented chickens. They are telling you how happy you make them.

[@colinhall2194]

I have been learning and planting in zone 5b for 6 years. Fortunately, u have most of my mother plants and, thanks to your help, I am going to the next phase. I just ordered some currents and a mulberry from you. I hope they are cultivars that I don't have but that's not all that important. I will try to order earlier next year. Thanks so much

[@edibleacres]

Thanks for your order with us. We're excited to send you some plants soon! Happy fall planting to you!

[@nadinemurtaza1]

I love your chicken compost series. Thank you for blazing the way and for sharing

[@megankelley5083]

We are going to be starting a composting system in our chicken run this weekend! I just made 4 wire rings to go around some new plantings inside the run too, super simple! Great ideas, thanks!

[@calmperson101]

Thanks for creating constant GREAT Content that is very educational and entertaining

[@matildawhittington7132]

Yup- love the magic hens!

[@gabbyrico4877]

Do you only feed sprouts and grains to your chickens they look beautiful

[@maryhumphrey1470]

I have learned so much from you chicken man thank you.

[@beaskelly]

Wow!!! You give me more ideas in feeding chickens organically. Thank you

[@susanaesmerald2291]

Excellent!!! Thanks for the video! I do similar. Which seeds you used?

[@HJG-1019]

I think you answered my question. You said at the end of the video that you do move this compost into other areas. How often do you do that throughout the year? Also since I am new to your channel, I don't know if you demonstrate what you do during the winter months for fresh greens for the chickens? And much thanks to you, again, for all that you present to us. It really helps all of us feel like a tight-knit community... even if we've never met! 🍃🐥🌱🐔🌿🐣🍃🐓

[@edibleacres]

Thanks for the kind words. I have a 'chicken' playlist you may want to poke around and explore. I go over a lot of other ideas there, including how we manage their needs for fall/winter... I'll also post updates as things evolve over time.

[@allenpost3616]

Them are some happy healthy hens. Outstanding compost system there friend. I wish I could keep hens but last time I tried the coyotes and hawks wiped them all out over a three year period.

[@MrMcGillicuddy]

Interesting that you posted this right as I was sifting deep litter for seedling soil and potting soil today lol Good looking operation man! You have lots of rich soil everywhere ! I have 22 chickens so can't quite generate that much volume but I do make some luxurious leaf based deep litter soil and mix it with leaf mold as peat moss alternative and a little maple ash from the stove and some beach sand and bam homemade potting soil! It's a good feeling to finally make my own potting soil without outside inputs I built a greenhouse ( glorified cold frame really lol ) for the chickens 4 years ago and everyone told me not to do a dirt floor out here because it gets wet. I didn't listen because I knew deep litter would compost really effortlessly overtime by having contact with the earth. Makes it a no brainer to passively compost well with the natural wicking moisture regulation and the microbes in contact. Deep litter is SOOO awesome. I have lots of hardwood leaves, mainly all red and sugar maple, and I bag up probably 20 truckbeds full of them packed down. I start out by putting down a little 6 inch layer of hay let them poop then put 6 inches of leaves each week after and do that for 8 weeks before the snow sticks permanently. I wet the first couple layers during the layering so that some heat builds up then I lock it in with a finishing heaping foot of leaves once the snow falls hard in December. Those little buggers have so much fun digging huge holess all day into the warm lower levels. I'd say it's a solid 4 feet of deep litter in there but settles eventually down to a foot or 2. I just make sure that chicken coop diaper is hella absorbent and never get the ammonia. It smells minty and earthy in April after they crap all winter lol It's astonishing! Black gold indeed. Say I got the idea to grow something cold hardy on the other side of the greenhouse where I have a partition. A 10 x 10 area for some grass or grain seed. I was trying to think of some really super cold germinating seed I could sprinkle on that side and let it grow in that stuff so in January I could open both doors and let them onto the other side to play around in some fresh winter lawn lol. Not sure if they'd like barley and rye? What do you think Sean? Those are the only things that come to mind that would germinate during this time of year. The greenhouse cold frame deal isn't airtight but if it's not cloudly it will get 30 to 40 degrees over the outside temp. Any ideas on what seed blend to use would be nice

[@edibleacres]

Sounds like a really lovely and healthy system you are evolving. So great! I would think anything that is green in January would be something chickens would love! I don't have a ton of experience with deeply cold sprouting seeds, but if the soil is warm underneath the rye/wheat makes sense. I might also strip seeds and save from various brassicas and lettuces in the gardens that bolted and are hanging out this fall and sow them. I bet you could get a salad greens mix going that you may end up wanting to eat!

[@pricer39]

sugar snap peas and spinach will germinate at 40F (may take about 4-5 weeks) see more choices at: nwdistrict.ifas.ufl.edu/hort/2014/01/27/soil-temperatures-for-vegetable-seed-germination/

[@learningaswegocitygonecoun6805]

We have 20 hens and 5 roosters and we use the deep bedding method too. We just did our first deep clean and it went really well. The bedding and waste on the bottom was already dirt.

[@edibleacres]

Wow!

[@peterellis5626]

"magic glowing hens" lol. You know in the MMRPG's that's the sign that they've got special drops, right? ;)

[@TheVigilantStewards]

Rare loot

[@captainsleeman9787]

Well done. Love it.

[@StillSwirling]

Happy chickens! We use the deep litter method as well! So much nicer for the girls.

[@Mandy-cn5cl]

I give my hens horse manure food scraps weeds straw leaves they love it & have never looked so healthy even when it's muddy I need a covered area to make it really good though. It's kept me well supplied with compost much better than waiting & working it myself .thanks for your inspiring videos 👍

[@barrypetejr5655]

Absolutely luving the building of rich soil. Getting ready to rebuild our chicken run......how tall is your outside perimeter ? Does all of the compost attract many unwanted rodents ?

[@edibleacres]

Our fencing is about 6' tall I think. We get some rodents and beings in there, but no big deal.

[@CorinHaines]

This is awesome. Thanks so much for the ideas. Going to start on this process with the sprouted grains

[@edibleacres]

Yay!

[@heatherj3385]

We did something similar for our chickens, without the use of soaked seed. Soaked seed takes a good thing to an entirely different level! We recently moved to a new farm and have just started composting in the chicken yard. Here in northern Colorado, we are quite cold right now. Do you believe we could start this now, or should we wait until the temperature raises in spring? Thank you!

[@jopperdepopper]

Nice to see 👍 Do you grow your own vegetables on this compost? Would love to see that!

[@DorisSchmitten]

I've learned so much from you. Thank you for your good ideas!

[@ol4509]

thanks for sharing

[@swingmette]

Thank you so much for all your videos, so inspiring. We're thinking of getting hens to our yard in the city and I will definetly try to incorporate some of your ideas. Some neighbours are worried about rats tho, do you have problems with rats or have any thoughts on it? Especially with the amount of food scraps that you add to your system, cos the tips I've read are to not have food lying around... best wishes from Berlin!

[@DorisSchmitten]

Wir haben die Idee, Grünabfälle von Restaurants den Hühnern zu verfüttern von edible acres übernommen und haben bisher, nach einem Jahr, noch keine Ratte irgendwo gesehen. Allerdings füttern wir auch kaum Essensreste, sondern nur Grünabfälle und ab und zu altes Brot. Der Restaurantbesitzer trennt das netterweise für uns....und wir haben zwei Katzen die jegliche Maus oder Ratte "erledigen".

[@edibleacres]

We've had just about no rat problems. If/when they come in it is for a short amount of time and they have never been mean to our chickens. They are beautiful and work hard and when they are there they tend to burrow down in which helps open the compost more anyway, so they are welcome. We miss them as we haven't seen them this summer!

[@AMonikaD]

Sound like a great idea. QUESTION: Do you ever have an issue with giardia or coccidia parasites from the hens digging through their own manure? No birds ever fall ill?

[@edibleacres]

I think because we try to keep things as a healthy and vibrant soil ecosystem those issues haven't come up. Turning the soil, adding in ample carbon, etc seems to breathe the life into the soil that helps break down negative populations and promote the soil life we'd hope for. Fingers crossed, but it's worked beautifully for us and the hens for years now.

[@AMonikaD]

@@edibleacres thank you!

[@stormyhaddan3363]

I love this idea. I use fodder for my chickens during the winter but this is such a great idea

[@michaelrourke9830]

I have an old brooder area set up that's still in use from time to time that is about 5x5 and roughly just under 3 feet of wood chips sawdust and straw mostly wood chips any good ideas what I can do with it I am planning on removing that brooder setup as it is currently falling apart. I'd love to make my own black gold and I'm new to this! Thanks in advance

[@edifying]

Great ideas to incorporate into our operation.

[@TheH20please]

Another lovely video. Please remind us what seeds you soak to sprout for the chickens.

[@edibleacres]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eqjVZGmXl8aknsU - Check out the sprout video.

[@hessywilliams6488]

Thank you for sharing!

[@rainbowconnected]

Brilliant, as usual! I am curious though...are you fortunate enough to have an organic/non-sprayed source of hay and straw? I would be concerned about aminopyralid contamination, given how persistent these herbicides are in the environment and how damaging they can be. They even make it through animals digestive systems and composting! I don't know how prevalent their use is, but it seems quite a risk.

[@edibleacres]

We source only hay for mulch if we're getting that type, and ask the farmers if they use any sprays on it to help reduce mold, or control weeds, etc. We try to ask in ways that don't seem insulting or leading, but just curious. If they say no to any spray we pay them what they ask!

[@lucyenemaku8801]

Can I add some water to the bedding pile if no rain before adding the soaked seeds/grains

[@edibleacres]

Sure, why not. That may be helpful in keeping things moving

[@TheSealya617]

You mention hay often in your videos. Is is explicitly hay? Or straw? I’ve recently learned the difference haha. Hay is much more expensive, usuallly for eating, and can mold. Straw usually does not and often used for bedding. I’m having a hard time deciding what if either would work best for this system

[@edibleacres]

When we can find local hay that isn't sprayed with any chemcials that we can buy as mulch that is our ideal. We can often find bales for 1-3 dollars a piece which is a great price, and it breaks down into amazing compost over time. Straw is fine if you can find completely unsprayed but that somehow is often harder to find (in our area)

[@conradhomestead4518]

That’s a lot of magic 😁 Thanks for sharing. Great content

[@McCoysOakHillFarm]

Nice way to help break down the chicken bedding and feed the chickens too.

[@jensummer3549]

Great info! Thank you! I will start doing this method.

[@hilaryboyd8594]

I’ve missed your chickens! 😄😍

[@GrowHealthTV]

Hi, always enjoy your vids.

[@iriscast10]

Where do i get the seeds from and what type for this purpose?

[@krisyallowega5487]

Many thanks again for the content. I have a couple ideas but they may be too extreme for most people. I think the one aspect that I would prefer not to do is manual compost rotation. I do on the other hand enjoy taking things apart and putting them back together. If I had the storage space for a second coop, I would re-orient the chicken coop every month. I would be wary though if I were relying on egg production. As I feel the chickens get used to their spot in the coop and might not appreciate the move thus interrupting their egg production.

[@edibleacres]

I wonder what is more work. For me, cleaning out the deep litter once a month is about a 15 minute job.

[@spymaine89]

THANK YOU

[@dermiker]

I'm curious about the possible bacterial content using this method. I got my chicken babies partially to be little compost producers, but I was thinking I needed to carefully hot compost to kill e. coli, etc.

[@edibleacres]

You should do what feels best/safe by you but we've never had a single problem with that concern in 6 years... Just one experience for your reference.

[@briantorsell]

Will you be selling any glowing hen chicks on your website?

[@edibleacres]

It's a special filter on our iphone camera lens, it's called 'dirty fingers' and it's actually pretty DIY :)

[@d.j.robinson9424]

Excellent job. I think it's a fantastic system. Only one thing I might suggest, is sprinkle a bit of Azomite over your piles before a rain or soaking. Great job !@ 💛💚👍👍🐓

[@edibleacres]

The Azomite recommendation is to provide a wider range of trace minerals I'm guessing, right?

[@d.j.robinson9424]

@@edibleacres yes, and I'm going to try it on my compost piles.

[@d.j.robinson9424]

Yes.

[@markroeder2491]

Do you ever add any char in the hen house to control ammonia levels?

[@edibleacres]

Yes, once we get into charcoal making season. We're just starting.

[@nilkolllu5036]

So fantastic system, for the beautiful and healthy girls! Very much envious!! I wonder if any ants issue for you, as I have in the yard but without chickens?

[@edibleacres]

We see ants but have never been bothered by them.

[@sharonhenry4685]

Forget the Easter Eggers, I want Magic Glowing Hens! 😀

[@edibleacres]

:)

[@MyQuaintCottage]

We use pine bedding and straw for our hens. I love that you add sprouts after clean out. I need to incorporate that into our system. What do you sprout? Perhaps I missed it. Thanks for another great video. 👍

[@gonnagetya1433]

@@jessicaserna2068 Actually they use soaked grains, the grains pick up the nutrients in the poops to grow more and the chickens eat the sprouts. Seems a bit better than just feeding the grain directly. Does it cover the loss to the compost pile? Not sure. But it does seem to keep the chickens happy.

[@edibleacres]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eqjVZGmXl8aknsU - Check out our sprout video.

[@theresam567]

Beautiful! ❤❤❤

[@TheVigilantStewards]

I like your videos, they have such great and surprising info. My wife and I do not consume flesh for our own health, but I love learning about animal husbandry and systems of generating the highest quality and most compost for the least amount of effort/most fun. Always therapeutic to watch chickens on youtube until we get a place of our own. In this particular video I'm confused as to what they eat, is it the sprouts or is that just to clump and breakdown the nutrient accumulation while attracting worms for them to eat?

[@edibleacres]

They eat the greens, the seeds below, the roots, the fungi attached, the worms, the bugs and the compost we bring them... All the things!

[@TheVigilantStewards]

@@edibleacres oh, that's nice!

[@therustedsouth2599]

When you say grain (soaked grain), what type of grain is that? Thanks

[@edibleacres]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eqjVZGmXl8aknsU - I cover it in more detail here.

[@tienfamily3282]

Hay quá! Good job !

[@Princess_Persephone]

Do you use diatomatious earth? I've seen those who do and don't in this method

[@edibleacres]

We try to remember to put it out under their coop where they dust bathe.

[@kanrikanri639]

You don't. It will kill good microorganisms that make compost.

[@KumiOriFarm]

Good idea, I may have missed it, what type of seed are you soaking to add to the litter?

[@deannajohnston3585]

I think they are using wheat grain. That is what I use also. I live in Montana where a lot of wheat is grown and I can generally get it for less than $20 for a 50 lb bag. Just make sure to get wheat intended for human consumption. Wheat grain for seed generally has fungicide on it or is packaged in a place that has it in the facility. If it has been coated with fungicide it will be pink but like I said, if it is for animal use it might have spent some time in a facility that has fungicide in it. I asked about it at a local seed supplier and they said if the grain tests low on something like germination rate, they then sell it to an animal food processor. It won't have been coated but it could have come in contact.

[@edibleacres]

Check out our sprouting video, has lots of details: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eqjVZGmXl8aknsU

[@WhatInTheFlagnod]

I love your vids!! You are a wonderful teacher!! BTW I am now selling Bee Barns at the farmers market!! Thanks to you!!

[@edibleacres]

I'd love to see photos of them!

[@rxlo1062]

Awesome 👏

[@bluesalamander8351]

Thank you . great info for my coop !!!!!!!

[@wildedibles819]

Great and yess we are doing simular with rabbits and the weeds they like to eat... The right amout of wood chips bedding and biochar... We use charcoal for now it works well... It's said deep bedding or move them around with rabbits moving is hard to do but the right layers it will not smell

[@theonghantan862]

Thanks enjoy your vedio🥰🥰😍

[@BurtHaynes]

What kind of seeds are you using?

[@edibleacres]

We sprout mainly wheat, with some sunflower and millet, and a few others.

[@snarkydinkfarm329]

I was under the apparently wrong impression that chicken manure needed to be aged at least a season before anything would grow in it because of the high nitrogen levels..?.. And, I'm really interested in what you called, the rest of the compost pipe line. Also, don't y'all worry about your hens getting sick from wallowing around in their own poo all the time....? Thanx so much for sharing, I've learned a lot from your channel!!!

[@edibleacres]

Check out our chicken playlist for lots of details on our overall system.. The concern about 'wallowing in their own poo' is legit if there is no interaction/design around it. By adding carbon bedding every day to the roost and then adding sawdust/charcoal/chips/etc at many points in the system, piling it, mixing it, having them kick it apart, it begins a very rapid decomposition into healthy soil...

[@claytonleal7947]

just curious, seems obvious since your hens seem healthy but does eating food thats in their own poo not run the risk of making them sick/spreading sickness between them?

[@edibleacres]

Anything is possible, but so far this system does not seem to create a scenario that has caused health issues that we have observed.

[@marksadventures3889]

Them chickens are smart pal, I took one t' library all he said as he moved about was book, book, book.

[@kajsaftw9694]

👍 💕 😁

[@mehmetkeskin6302]

Maşallah ♥️🐤🐤🐤🐣🐣🐓🐓🐔🐔🐥

[@1rednose11]

Don't you worry the seeds will become weeds when you go to use the compost for your garden?

[@pokeweed10k15]

The heat in a thermophilic compost pile will kill weeds

[@edibleacres]

Good question. They go in VERY early in the system, so by the time they have been piled and kicked apart 10+ times most every seed has sprouted and been eaten.

[@DonnaRatliff1]

I do the same thing with my ducks. Now I don't sprout greens for them because my ducks dont eat grain, but I use the composted hay poop material , with my horse poop, rotted hay, wood chips leaf mold and move it along in garden for next year. So I do deep litter method too and compost it. 👍. If I had chickens, is the same. 😀. I don't know though just maybe my muscovy tick eating, egg laying ugly ducks might like the grains sprouted? Hmm..

[@raczjozsef6941]

Hey man. Any top tricks to keep ducks happy? Just inherited two female muscovy ducks and now they are in here, chilling with the chickens but other than making them a paddling pool, not sure what other treatment would they enjoy particularly. I've noticed that they stuck their beaks deep into the compost pile to fish some insects out and then the chickens start their pecking apart jobs from those tunnels.

[@MistressOP]

ty for chickens. I hope at the other place you might get ducks.

[@edibleacres]

Someday perhaps.

[@brianwhite9555]

Chickens aren't very bright. They don't even realize someone dumped poop in the salad bar. :)

[@edibleacres]

I actually think they are genius, they realized excellent quality salad came up from where once there was just poop!

[@brianwhite9555]

@@edibleacres, But have they ever questioned why sprouts don't show up underneath their roosting bars? :)

[@edibleacres]

There is a pamphlet in their coop that explains everything to them..

[@brianwhite9555]

@@edibleacres, Ah, yes, information is power! :)