Two composting Methods (Hay + Chickens + Manure) = Rich Soil

[@theJustinRhodesShow]

Love the size of that compost pile!

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thanks, it's taking a while. I think the chickens do a better job at composting. 😀

[@dollyperry3020]

This is how I make compost as well. It works very well. And I find that it helps the chickens keep active and interested as well.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Awesome and good to know. Thank you ☺

[@Steve-kg8zk]

Very nice chicken setup

[@arcanecrisis]

I produce soil professionally, and also on my farm as my own custom made compost based garden soil. Complete with crushed clam and lobster shells to balance the ph. Quality control tests have taught me alot. Now im makig it work for me on my farm, and i make yearly, more than half of my professional wages just on my farm soils.

[@babe9293]

I just love how attentive your dog was at the beginning of the video. Too cute.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Mia's always with me while I'm working, while my other dog Toby gets tired and has to lay down just watching me work. 😂

[@vclubamp]

I like to work in layers of "live" green material...grass clippings, cut weeds, pruned clippings from whatever...it really heats up quick. I did a big pile last year making the sandwiched stack up from fresh grass clippings and wood chips, spraying down each layer as you did. Stirred it several times and then left it alone. By November, mushrooms were fruiting all over the pile. I moved the whole pile to turn it one last time, and this spring, there were mushrooms going all through this stuff. It has been the most amazing fertilizer. I have to add wood chips on top or it will grow anything that lands on it.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@CamilleTylerbrand]

I am using hay in my coop too. Great job 👏

[@radcliffemike]

Did you do a follow up video with the compost? I can’t seem to find one

[@birdog6259]

I run a a couple of lengths of perforated pvc pipe down into the middle of the pile. It helps aerate the pile and carry moisture.

[@lynngraffigna5152]

Hi Pete I'm new to texas by canton how do I know when I get hay its not been treated with pesticides or has grass burs in it only reason I haven't done hay yet

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

When you buy the hay, try to buy from the place it was grown and ask if they spray any broad leaf herbicide in their fields. But if you're using it to compost, then most if not all the herbicide should be composted out in 6 months to a year.

[@Steve-ps6qw]

I'm really digging your chicken coop....I would prefer one like that for the egg layers....well done. I am glad I found your channel!

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you 👍

[@eozen81]

Wonderful tips on creating black gold Pete, thank you. I most liked the idea of laying hay on the chicken run, it looks very cute as well :)

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thanks

[@HSKY412]

Hi mate, do you put kitchen scraps or anything in the hay in the chicken run? How did it work out? Thanks

[@4RTigers]

Thanks for the video, keep us updated on the progress.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you, I do an update soon. 🙂

[@aurelia4297]

Your dog is so cute

[@troy1672]

I actually connected my run to my garden, put the hay in the garden, and then let chickens have access during the off season. They took care of the seeds and I didn't have to spread the manure. This spring will be the first season of growing so we will see how well it does. If this works well I may consider doing 2 gardens and rotate the chickens each year. But you are right. Those chickens broke it down quickly.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@brianwhite9555]

Hmm! Two gardens! Interesting! Would you plant a cover crop in the off-season garden, as forage for the chickens? I bet your fertility would really go up.

[@troy1672]

You know, never thought about a cover crop. I was just focused on letting them turn the soil and spread their wonderful fertilizer. That is a good idea. Thanks for the input.

[@brianwhite9555]

@@troy1672, I've never grown a cover crop. My garden isn't big enough to warrant one. And I'm not able to keep chickens in my situation. :( I protect the soil, and increase fertility, by mulching with grass clippings in summer and putting down a thick layer of leaves in the fall. If I had your situation, and wanted to alternate between gardens, I might sow peas in the garden that's "resting". Peas put nitrogen into the soil, and should be a good source of protein for the chickens, which might cut your feed bill. You could add a layer of leaves or straw to help balance out the nitrogen the birds put down. It would be interesting to see how this might affect egg production. You can find info on chicken forage crops online, but here's a random link. www.ufseeds.com/product/packer-forage-pea-seeds/?attribute_pa_size=1-pound&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI6o6XmKD14QIVCLnACh1ewA4ZEAQYBCABEgIM2fD_BwE

[@Livepilot512]

Love seeing your Doberman over react when your working lol. Great video and good info!

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you 🙂

[@mtcarmelman632]

AWESOME COMPOST PILE, THANKS!!!!!

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you

[@SlackerU]

I saw your swamp & you should probably add some subsurface drainage to reduce pathogen habitat... like hookworms... Maybe some field-tile or French Drain in the important areas. If installed properly you'll never regret it.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@Denny_E_Lee7575]

Great tutorial Pete thanks for sharing your knowledge. 👍

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you ☺

[@gardeningwiththecharming1944]

I love the doggie!!!! Is there an update?

[@adus123]

I bin making compost for years but I carnt make it as well as my hens can I call them my waste management team. I run a 3 stage composting system 1st stage compost pile outside of run where everything goes in fresh. like Grass cuttings, wood chips, horse manure, after a month or so I move it in to the chicken run to the big compost pile I turn it from time to time to help them mix it up. then I move the good black rich compost out the run to let it rest befor i use it. I can tell you its good very good. I add wood chips in run fresh as well just not Grass cuttings as i find this can lead to problems so i like it to break down first outsit the run. my hens love compost and go mad for it.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@chaddesantis4191]

That hay in the coop is gonna take longer than you're expecting to break down. It turns to big lawn thatch, holds water, and you have to turn it pretty frequently, which is a little more work than it's worth at times. I started doing what you're doing, and eventually got tired of the mess. I started pitching the hay in a wagon and putting it in my regular compost pile when I would have turned it. I turn the compost pile at the same time, and more or less get what you're doing in the second pile. It works out nice.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thanks for the info👍

[@MsFishingdog]

This helps me out. Thanks

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@markblairharley2890]

It helps me a lot as well Subscribed I now live in Thailand. It is hard to get some composting material But hay and chicken manure no problem The soil here is very sandy So good compost will help a lot. I am worm composting at the moment But the time to start a compost as one vlogger said, Was yesterday That's for a great vid much appreciated Mark

[@jessemiller2858]

What ever happened with compost pile. I was interested in seeing how it broke down

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

The compost pile did not do well. The chickens broke down what I put in the chicken run in about a month. So I used the other pile to start another pile with leaves, hay and manure. Here's the video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/h2GQmISVbq-ka68

[@kevinvu9802]

I thought you have 2 doberments. where is the other one. I love yours

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you, my other dog was either sleeping or getting into trouble 🙂

[@michelleschweizer9000]

Lovely Doberman. How many chickens do you have?

[@carolleenkelmann3829]

Hi, Pete, (are you kidding with those jingle balls - toys for chickens. They're only interested in pecking - at likely food sources.) There are " homesteaders" that are growing potatoes in just hay/ straw. Ever heard of spontaneous combustion of the hay? Happens! Are we going to see the chicken tractor in action soon? Happy Spring.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

I know I thought the same thing when it said chicken toy, I thought the chickens would be curious and push the balls around.......maybe better for cats 🙂 I'll have a chicken tractor update soon. Thank you

[@wendydriggs1539]

Put veggies or fruit in the balls and they will pick at them and roll them around.

[@carolleenkelmann3829]

Yeah!👏😊😎

[@robertcool9735]

After the intro the dog is like "who are you talking to?" lol

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

🙂

[@nancyl67]

Horses,Camels,Ostrich and Hay MANURE good for vegetables and fruit ? Thanks

[@jenbear8652]

All animal manure should be good. It just needs to not be fresh. Many manures can burn plants when they’re fresh.

[@lsankey9019]

You haven't spoken lately about the chicken that was picked on. You put her in a tractor to heal. Could you give an update on how she is doing please?

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Absolutely, That was going to be my next video. 🙂

[@retiringrenegade9874]

Howdy Pete, Dan Wilson(The Retiring Renegade) here from down in Silsbee, Texas! Love Your channel and it's content, big props to Toby and Mia for being wonderful fur babies! I will be implementing the chicken run technique with quail hutches suspended in the run as well! Do You have a follow up on the compost heap? You and Yours stay safe and well! Enjoy the holidays Dan

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Hi Dan, I don't have a follow up video for the compost pile but I did end up using it as part of my greenhouse beds soil mix.

[@debbiedillener1331]

So how do you keep your dog from eating the chicken poop from around the edges of the unfenced compost area?

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

I yell at them 😂 But I'll eventually put up a fence.

[@duett445]

Well if the dogs likes let him eat it.

[@SlackerU]

You should cover that in DE. Dry grass can get full of mites.

[@leonarddavis3684]

I would have gotten about 1/2 way through the pile and said "MILLER TIME", and finished tomorrow.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

😂

[@shellymoody5707]

Give the compost a beer too! A coke, beer and water in a sprayer...spray all over. It will speed things up!

[@genesetzer2905]

Hello Pete B. I have been watching you for a week. I live in Cuba Mo. And I love your videos of chicken coops. I want to build one but we have wild animals here. i just want to know does your coop really keep out the raccoons? Gene Setzer

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Yes it does keep out all the wild predictors we have here.

[@babyzizi1]

Great video!

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you 🙂

[@babyzizi1]

@@petebeasttexashomesteading 😊

[@devbachu7072]

I got some chicken manure add it to the plants an kill everything now I muxing it with leaves hay stickers etc daily wet anvturn

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Yeah, you have to let the chicken manure compost in a compost pile for about 6 months before putting it in your garden.

[@TheAdhdGardener]

When u said that u had a bucket of chicken manure I thought to myself- "man that shit must smell bad "🤣 their poops SMELLS so bad!😆 this is only my first year so im trying to find different bedding and run ideas

[@chickenmomma2537]

Great video, thank you.

[@elizabethsansom6447]

In the future I would bring the rolled hey closest to the door so you don’t have to do the same job twice. Work smarter not harder God bless you

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you ☺

[@Thelady30]

Where are u located? I'm currently WWOOF-ING in Arizona. Just got here from New York. I love everything that I'm learning

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thanks, we're in east Texas

[@d.j.robinson9424]

Hey Pete, do you think I could sprinkle a bit of Azomite on my compost piles, and water it in..? 💛👍👍🙏💫🐓🐓🐓🐓

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Yes you can but you really don't need to do that. You can just add the Azomite when you're ready to use the compost in your garden.

[@d.j.robinson9424]

@@petebeasttexashomesteading 👍

[@robyngoern3115]

Why didn’t you roll the round bale closer to the coop door ? Then you could have had it blocking the door so chickens couldn’t get out and you could have grabbed it in one easy motion instead of double handling xx

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@wayofthewordwow7574]

Nice tractor

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you

[@brianwhite9555]

I would suggest throwing all of your kitchen scraps in the chicken run. Whatever the birds don't eat will mix with the hay for faster decomp. Do you catch the grass when you mow? Alternating layers(lasagna style) of grass & hay, wetted down, should produce compost fairly quickly. After you turn the hay with the tractor, wet it down again.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Yep, we always throw our kitchen scraps in there. I don't usually bag my lawn clippings but I might do that now. Thanks

[@brianwhite9555]

@@petebeasttexashomesteading, I know that catching your grass clippings adds another layer of labor on the homestead, but I view the clippings as a free resource. But it makes sense when you're already mowing, and composting. I actually live in an urban apartment complex, and don't own land. But a cousin lives two miles away, and has a utility corridor running behind his back yard. 19 years ago, I arbitrarily decided the utility company wouldn't mind if I gardened back there. Haven't been kicked out yet! I collect loads of summer grass clippings and fall leaves from an older guy in my cousin's neighborhood, which saves him the trouble of bagging them for trash collection. I make loads of compost with these free resources. I do envy the room you have, not to mention the chickens... and a tractor!

[@lapislazuli455]

How much does that big roll of hay cost?

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

It depends where you go but between $35 and $50 a roll around here.

[@carolleenkelmann4751]

you are supposed to fill those "dumb chicken toys" with something to peck on. (smiley)

[@donniecarter3848]

How about a update on the compost

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Will do that soon, thank you.

[@nkel6111]

YES THE END PRODUCT IS THE REASON TO WATCH. jERK...YOU WASTE TOO MUCH TIME ON LIL STUPID SHIT LIKE DRIVING TRACTOR. AND MOVING HAY

[@lenawright1857]

This comment is completely irrelevant, but you have some beautiful doberman's!

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you

[@nickybob2553]

Should show the result in how many days takes and what it look like!!! don't you think.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

The hay in the coop took about a month and the pile never really composted: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jpynZYOGlJemkJY

[@joannthompson765]

Look forward for an update video

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thanks, will do soon.🙂

[@craftingwithnathalie74]

I started doing worm farming.

[@fredflintstone1547]

%20 percent greenwaste is advisable for your compost inner coop

[@suppafli1242]

We did this for a year or 2 but kept having serious snake problems.

[@trailcamerasinnewengland0112]

Howdy Pete been doing the same thing here. Do I have y’all’s permission to build that run for my smaller poultry house?

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Absolutely build away. 👍 That's why I make the videos to help out people with ideas.

[@thelordschurchfarmandranch6694]

Pete where you in the miIitary

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

No, I've never been in the military.

[@sirbobdesign]

6:09 Bunch of Chickens!

[@richardsiegers8684]

My rabbits play with the Simba chicken toys

[@4cysmith]

I think the chickens like that first “toy”, aka straw, that you put in their play yard.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

They do like the hay and keeps them and the eggs clean after it rains.

[@jennyvithoulkas6865]

If you want a smart chicken toy, hand a melon fron the roof 2x4 and watch the chickens play ball! they will peck in all directions.

[@phillipjohnson7583]

Frickin' chickens...NO hiding get to work! :)

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

🙂👍

[@rickdavis2235]

I used to do that with straw. My chickens would be right there under foot.

[@elizabethsansom6447]

Throw seeds like sunflower seeds in the hair your ladies will terret up at a compost very fast PS next time put the hay all the way to the back of the run and work your way back so you don’t have to keep stepping over your work lol

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@kazzana9013]

I think your chickens would prefer a rotting log that you turn over every now and then, rather than a couple of plastic balls, lol. If you are going to give them balls, perhaps some real ones from a castrated animal would be of more interest.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Rotting logs is a great idea thanks but the castrated balls would be a little gross 🙂

[@chuscaace6321]

Your doggie wants to play

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Yeah she's a working doberman and she has to be constantly doing something or playing 🙂

[@oddopops1327]

👋😊

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Thank you

[@georgesimpson3113]

Now see, my chicks would lay their eggs in the hay...! They put them all over. They free range but mainly lay where they are supposed to.

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

👍

[@jakeschisler7525]

It might catch fire

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

I hope not I'll be watching it closely.

[@richardrhodes6037]

B

[@nancyl67]

Horses,Camels,Ostrich and Hay MANURE good for vegetables and fruit ? Thanks

[@petebeasttexashomesteading]

Yes but make sure it is composted.