Chicken Compost - Sifting, Feeding hens AND growing nursery crops AT ONCE!?!

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Happy growing!

[@peterellis4262]

Something about your chicken compost system that I think is worth highlighting: You've found a solution to at least two "problems" by combining them. Your chickens need to be contained to a limited run, which would rapidly be denuded of life and turned into something of a mess, were it just left as a stationary chicken run. You have a need for substantial amounts of compost to provide fertility through your gardens. By putting your composting operation into the chicken run space, you've reduced the work you need to do in the composting process, provided the chickens with a stream of food and activity, turned that potentially barren overworked chicken run into a source of fertility and life. All through a bit of observation and creative combination of elements. It's wonderful

[@lyrebirdkate]

Permaculture in action

[@jakes2221]

I mimic Sean’s system with 20 hens and it has brought my 1/3 acre urban farm to the next level. Similarly I have tomatoes that I HAVE NOT watered this season during some extreme drought and they’re as healthy and productive as any tomato plants I’ve ever grown. Sean thank you!

[@conradhomestead4518]

Well said

[@edibleacres]

Very kind sentiment here Peter, and much appreciated. I think calling any system 'permaculture' requires solutions that weave together multiple goals, multiple beings, activities, etc. 'Integrate rather than segregate' begets a ton of benefit. Sometimes it takes a while to learn how the puzzle pieces can fit, but if we all set that intention then the picture unfolds and reveals a way to move towards it. Thank you for articulating all you did here.

[@beckymay439]

@@edibleacres I have a bit of a puzzle. It seems most of our compost is stuff chickens 'aren't supposed to have': coffee, onions, avocado skins, raw potato peels, citrus. I'm growing weary of having 2 separate compost buckets in the kitchen and 2 areas out in the yard. Do you separate out the 'no-no' foods or do they get everything?

[@valdeck553]

The chicken's little talking is so relaxing.

[@wojomojo]

Been a subscriber for years and have seen so many Chicken Compost video. Always learning and re-learning. Even if you repeat information 100x I'll probably still watch them :-)

[@edibleacres]

Hopefully we are offering some new ideas here or there :)

[@CharlieLemmink]

Lots of new ideas, and the repeated ones help get into this mindset to come up with my own similar ideas. Plus, watching these videos is a great relaxing way to sit and have coffee.

[@rodhatte]

Repeating information makes it stick, even in my chicken brain. 😆

[@quercusrobur128]

Love your chicken TV, more chickens please 😁

[@CornfedLady1]

Yes!! 😍

[@cltier7257]

Yeah , more vids about chickens 😄

[@edibleacres]

We can try to make that happen :)

[@thenextpoetician6328]

Chickens are machines. They don't need a reason - they just need opportunity. Always a pleasure to drop in on them.

[@edibleacres]

We really enjoy who they are

[@joannc147]

I bought baby chicks in Apr ‘22 and knew NOTHING about these birds. Now? I can’t imagine my life or garden without them ❤ So dang personable and those lil hen sounds are just wondrous and relaxing. Plus…eggs and fertilizer? Wowee!

[@triciascott9254]

I want to live inside your 'obscenely overproducting' high tunnel. Magical!

[@edibleacres]

It's chaotic to the point of non-functional at this point, but neat to see how tight plants can pack!

[@triciascott9254]

@@edibleacres it looks like my living room. Lol. I live in a tropical forest inside my home here in Spokane WA.

[@paulmisterovich1250]

the chicken tv is very cute😻

[@beckymay439]

Why have a dust bath when you can have a dust shower! Such a sweet family. 💖

[@carlacowling1789]

It's been a really rough week and you can't know what your calm voice, peaceful demeanor and a little "chicken tv" means to me this morning! Watching twice.

[@edibleacres]

Sorry you had that experience and it brings us peace and joy to know these videos can have a positive effect for lovely folks like you. Be well

[@theapocalypsehomestead3430]

The organized chaos of your gardens triggers my OCD but still so enjoyable to watch. I love the A-frame compost system. Chickens really are amazing animals.

[@AndYourLittleDog]

I live for chicken tv these day

[@edibleacres]

So sweet. I think we can do more chicken TV soon

[@DianeHartwick-vk8mw]

I love that the Chickens are being made happy such a great idea❤😊

[@danielslater4602]

Thank you for showing the composting sifting A-frame. That is a great idea.

[@edibleacres]

It has been good to us

[@angelfromtheotherside1439]

Thanks for the awesome content my friends. Love you guys. I model so much of the property in which I live on what I have learned from you guys. ❤️

[@edibleacres]

That is amazing, hoping your systems thrive and grow!

[@amyjones2490]

We’ve also integrated ducks into our system. We fill a kiddie pool for them and use the water to irrigate our orchard.

[@auntylinda7640]

Hi, yours is a channel with all my favourite elements. Chickens, plants and eloquent delivery of enthusiastic, wholehearted narrative in a small holding self sufficiency lifestyle. I'm here for every minute! Much love ❤❤❤ ps I live the way you care for your birds. I just wish everyone who had chickens put as much care and imagination in them as you do. Xxx

[@edibleacres]

So lovely to have you with us!

[@PegsGarden]

Oh what fun for your chickens!!! They are living the life, what an amazing idea for you and your chickens!!🐔

[@edibleacres]

It has evolved slowly over time

[@tycoonadonna]

Your natural and artistic approach is inspirational for me. There is not s right or wrong but it feels very connecting.

[@tycoonadonna]

I am preparing the ground , coup area and pen for the young hens I am getting this week. Living in an urban area,. I feel more confident that I will be able to figure it out as i go.

[@melanieallen3655]

Love this idea!!!great video! Cheers from Australia.🙂

[@tyronefrielinghaus3467]

Love your idea of 'function stacking'. Way to go! Chicken composting...brilliant.

[@edibleacres]

Glad you like it!

[@CK-solutions]

I'm sure to your chickens, you're the absolute legend at scratching for food!

[@edibleacres]

Ha! I wonder sometimes what they think of us. They certainly get amped on life when we show up and even more so when the stick with prongs shows up!

[@CK-solutions]

@@edibleacres 😂

[@mariafurlong2944]

I love how you talk. ❤You’ve thought so deeply about all of this. It’s just so interesting. And useful. Thank you for your passion.

[@Gabi-lt4mx]

Chicken TV - yeah

[@fourdayhomestead2839]

Awesome system. Tends to nursery needs & feeds chickens (a few eggs & lots of entertainment for you).

[@carlafawcett6494]

I could watch chicken tv all day !! Love them

[@JenniferMoleski]

I'm digging your channel lately! Pun! Pun!!!

[@gretahancock4725]

This is so great- thank you so much for sharing your system. We have chickens in a large enclosed area as well because of the massive predator pressure. This gives so many ideas to make the chicken yard beautiful and productive!

[@edibleacres]

So very glad you found some value in these shared ideas

[@dimitrinoahutz9547]

I love it in soooo many ways. So respectfull!

[@edibleacres]

So glad you appreciate!

[@peterellis4262]

Over yielding is a tough problem to have ;)

[@sharonloves]

I just happened upon your channel and immediately subscribed. Everything you do speaks to me and I love your choice of words and the sound of your voice. Thank you for sharing as I learn to better grow my food while caring for my land.🙏🏾

[@edibleacres]

So glad our content resonates with you, and welcome to this really lovely and thoughtful community of other like minded folks :)

[@livesoutdoors1708]

Your girls are helping!😁😁😆❤️

[@edibleacres]

They really are

[@memdass747]

Wow, amazing seeing the evolution in your gardens and systems throughout the years. Thanks so much for sharing!

[@edibleacres]

Always happy to share. I think the chicken system will never stop evolving but it is at a decent spot right now

[@gardensforliferiverton]

That's our kind of extreme! You guys and your chicken ladies make inspirational compost.

[@edibleacres]

Thanks for such kind words!

[@onlyintime9914]

My future paw paw tree starts are in there!! 🙂

[@edibleacres]

Ha! Lots of folks future food forests hang out next to chickens when they are kids :)

[@LittleJordanFarm]

Love the sifter🙌

[@dawnteskey3259]

New subscriber here, I love watching your hens enjoy the compost screen! I'm going to work on implementing something similar for mine. Thanks for the very creative idea!

[@wudangmtn]

I do not have chickens yet, but I definitely intend to try this system when I get some. It seems very productive.

[@edibleacres]

Hope it works well for you!

[@debrakessler5141]

Brilliant!

[@Aermydach]

Excellent processes! I am keen to emulate your chicken composting system when I can finally get my own chooks.

[@edibleacres]

Hope it serves you and them very well

[@leafrenee3058]

mine come in tomorrow and im so excited

[@therealprtrhsenteal]

Always so many great ideas. Thanks for the insight Sean!

[@sarac2575]

I love chickens ❤, thanks for the video .

[@hhwippedcream]

Incredible value and practicality in your videos. I will be incorporating this system! Thank you much for sharing your experiential knowledge!

[@jmayers3]

Learning a great deal from you. Thank you so very much.

[@antiowarr9467]

Very beautiful system, nature at it's best; I need to say no more.... cheers

[@edibleacres]

Many thanks!

[@hugshoney3409]

I am always so mesmerized at you working alongside your chickens. Some persons see them as destructive at times while you see them as help mates. Love the Chicken TV ❤️

[@edibleacres]

It depends on where they are in the system. Chickens free ranging in a market garden is miserable, but in this system they are in the right place with the right work and it lines up as a benefit for all...

[@kolapyellow7631]

like your farming style. i want to follow your style. thanks for sharing.

[@joydavis4087]

Thanks for the vid. Appreciate you guys.

[@edibleacres]

We are thrilled to share

[@mwatson3302]

So fun to watch them get to work haha!

[@edibleacres]

They live for it

[@kolapyellow7631]

like the vegggieee patch in the chicken yard.

[@kolapyellow7631]

what a beautiful black gold you have in your yard. mine is all clay

[@taylor-brookehill7073]

beautiful!

[@Crina-LudmilaCristeaAuthor]

Happy chickens!🤗

[@1337farm]

We bought 14 acres and we have so many 20-40’ persimmon trees! They are currently dropping their fruit now.

[@edibleacres]

Thats amazing, what bounty!

[@leafrenee3058]

yummy love the jelly my mom made from that fruit once

[@tim47012]

Beautiful compost! I have created a system similar to yours and I can't wait to see the results.

[@edibleacres]

So glad!

[@TibtheBear]

i feel like this would work even better if the mesh was horizontal that way you can stack a bunch of compost on the mesh and the chicken would do the sifting.

[@thehillsidegardener3961]

Yes! Plus if you want to finish the job off, or get things done faster you can get a hammer drill and just lean the barrel on the frame and run it and watch it all vibrate through.

[@edibleacres]

Perhaps a split-the-difference model could help... mainly flat but a little tilted to aim the larger stuff in a direction?

[@TibtheBear]

@@edibleacres patent 2.0 incoming

[@ThatBritishHomestead]

i love my chicken composters! Ill be moving their compost to my mushroom patch lol

[@k.r.5400]

Couple questions about this video: the Japanese walnuts look like they are growing through the chicken wire. Are you going to have to cut the wire to get them out? Were you able to learn anything from the nursery crop that didn’t make it (the one That you planted beets over)?

[@oberlinio]

Great content thx

[@edibleacres]

Happy to share

[@JoseReyes-xs3js]

Ur soil looks rich and very black i like it looks healthy and moist .did u use biochar

[@JulesGardening]

Slick solution. 👍

[@lancethorne9410]

I love your videos

[@edibleacres]

We love that you enjoy them!

[@davidchester429]

If you can make a ramp you can push a wheelbarrow up, you can put a screen on the other side with another wheelbarrow underneath. Then connect up something like a sander and put 2 decent size pieces of wood starting on the outside from the middle and diagonally towards the middle. The vibration of the sander would be really efficient in sifting the compost. If you put a 5 gallon bucket at the end you could capture most of the run off and run it back through quickly. You would easily capture the sifted compost in the wheelbarrow underneath. I'm a bit sad though I love shed engineering and you'd need a power supply for the sander. It could work with gravity I guess but would be less effective

[@edibleacres]

Fun ideas. We've learned over time that sifted compost is really not a necessary thing for us so we generally skip that step, but a good reminder of neat ways to approach it

[@Jonathan-wo6kf]

Do you ever have issues with parasites since the chickens live in the same area year round?

[@ThewildGame]

nice video keep it up i am spot up

[@frankstockton4480]

Okay, I have a HUGE question if you were restarting a chicken area how or where would you start?

[@edibleacres]

Way too complex a question to answer in a comment, but something I will keep in mind for a video topic sometime, or a live chat would be a great time to bring up that question!

[@hawksroostbooknook6440]

A quick question kinda related to this video. Can you plant tall shrubs and small trees on the perimeter of your chicken run to discourage the chickens from flying over the fence and escaping?

[@joannc147]

Hmm, the answer is likely to be “it depends”. Which breed of hens? I’ve got some smaller hens that get some height and some heavy girls that couldn’t. Sure like your idea of those shrubs and trees and they provide great protection from hawks. I do everything I can to keep my eight hens on my property, but they are not fenced in.

[@pilkyish]

I really like your system. How do you protect against predators?

[@edibleacres]

We have a nice fence around the area and have a sturdy coop for night

[@pilkyish]

@@edibleacres thanks for replying.

[@mr.skipper4544]

Cool 👍

[@Sharkdog11b]

I’d turn the chipkins loose into the tunnel and have them have a blast cleaning up the low growth of all the crowded plants that would be super fun

[@Sharkdog11b]

I love chipkins

[@taitcowen5578]

I’m moving into a new home and the maples have black spot fungus on the leaves. Will it be ok to use them in my compost system. Love your videos!

[@edibleacres]

I think that is reasonable. I can't say for sure but I know we've added in a ton of Maple leaf in the past with spots and haven't seen issues. Aim for composting that gets hot for a bit and that should be helpful I'd think.

[@taitcowen5578]

Thanks for the info. You’re an inspiration. The Bob Ross of permaculture. ❤

[@victoriaperman5917]

💜💕🙋‍♀️🌟Oregon 🌲

[@robb5984]

You're going to need to bust out a scythe to get through that high tunnel! If my plate wasn't full, I'd offer to drive down and give you a hand getting through there. Enjoy that abundance!

[@edibleacres]

That is a pruner situation, and we'll make the time. The day Sasha is ready to make a bunch of sauce we'll tackle it, and the chickens will certainly enjoy a ton of greens and old tomatoes for our lack of management!

[@jessicaj8148]

Are the red hens with flecks of white red stars? I have one and she looks just like them.

[@edibleacres]

They might be. To be honest I don't know the types of many of the chickens we have!

[@SamStone1964]

Do you get any venomous snakes on your property? I googled snakes in Trumansburg NY and it says there are three but they are uncommon. I love to let my garden ramble and go wild but I have at least four higly venomous snakes on my property so I have to be constantly mindful of that especially in the chook coop. The world's second most venomous snake comes into my verandahs so I know they are thriving. I want to build greenhouses and shade houses but am reluctant because they'll make such cosy homes for snakes.

[@edibleacres]

As far as I'm aware, if there are any venomous snakes around they are very very rare. In fact, I had to remind myself how to spell venomous to respond to that. That is a much more complex picture to be aware of snakes that can harm. I am not sure how best to advise at all on that, but I hope you can figure a way to have them exist in harmony with you!

[@abbywaterson2140]

When will you be offering paw paw trees for sale? Very interested and I'd love an excuse to take a day trip over that way.

[@edibleacres]

We opened up yesterday on the website, edibleacres.org/purchase. There may be some trees left, but if not, we generally have more available for people that come locally

[@flowerstone]

Do you have to buy chicken feed over what compost gives them?

[@edibleacres]

We get whole grain locally that we soak and sprout and put out for them, but that is more or less everything they get

[@laurayarbrough8165]

I am raising chicks. I want to be grain free. How do I provide for them properly without grain

[@sandylee1717]

How do u keep chickens safe at night

[@edibleacres]

We have a pretty robust and safe coop for them that is closed at night

[@vonries]

Wouldn't that work much MUCH better if you raised it up off the ground, but laying flat. That way you could more easily harvest your screened material. You would also be able to load much more material for the girls to scratch through. When it's at an angle like that most of the material falls down hill and off the screen. Laying flat you could leave it several inches/cm thick.

[@edibleacres]

I like your thinking. Something to experiment with and certainly hoping folks reading your thoughts will explore it and see what makes the most sense. For me, the fact that it 'tumbles' down is helpful since it keeps them super engaged and moves the material around in a good way, but yes, your idea makes sense for sure

[@NHamel123]

What kind of chickens are those?

[@edibleacres]

There are probably 20+ types... Black Australorp is a main type, Barred Rock, and many others

[@NHamel123]

@edibleacres I have a few just like the orangish ones, that's why I was asking. We went with "Hatcherys choice " to save a couple bucks but now I have no idea what we have lol

[@delphine88313]

Its 12 est and you are sold out ALREADY?? Whats going on? I wanted the comfrey.

[@CharlieLemmink]

I was surprised, too! I wonder if they wrote 12 P.M. EST when they actually meant 12 A.M.? I checked at around 6:45 this morning, and not only had the sale started unexpectedly, but most of what I wanted was gone! So it goes with a small nursery, I suppose. If by some slim chance you happen to live near Newaygo, MI, I'd be happy to offer you some comfrey...

[@delphine88313]

@@CharlieLemmink I'm in Florida and the time was 12 MIDNIGHT. Im 62 years old and I'm in bed and sleep at that time.Thank you for the offer.To be fair I called and he told me to send a email but I couldn't get the email to go through. Im not good with this technology. Oh, maybe next year. Thanks

[@edibleacres]

We're trying our best... We're a tiny nursery with a wonderfully large amount of interest in what we do. Clearly we haven't been able to find the perfect balance there, but each year we try to offer more plants to more folks... Please explore edibleacres.org/permaculture-nurseries for a list of folks we know and trust that have great plants!

[@delphine88313]

@@edibleacres Thank you.im not downing you .Its my fault also I wasn't THINKING midnight. I will check the other sites out.Do you have anyone in Florida or the warmer climates on your list.I heard its best to get things that are use to your climate. Thanks again

[@CharlieLemmink]

@@edibleacres Please don't feel bad for my sake! I'm pretty sure there was an AM/PM mistake, but even that is no big deal, and the mistake could've been mine, anyway. The "problem" is that you're super popular on KZbin, and just don't have the nursery size to match it. But from what I can see, it all works out pretty well for everyone involved. And I'm excited about the stuff I ordered--$50 for 30 elderberry cuttings is an absolute steal!

[@CristalPNL]

❤️ 🐓 📺 ❣️❣️❣️

[@noramaegomez197]

But don’t you want the 🪱 worms???