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Our coop and runs are finally ready, the birds are to be collected next weekend.I have a final thing to sort out: the poo!
I am unsure as to how much poo 3 birds will make. The run is earth floor, the coop is a pull out litter tray which I will line with paper and shavings. My query is really about the volume of poo expected with a weekly clear out and what to do with it. Next Spring I will have 3 raised beds to fertilise with it (to be built this Autumn). I was thinking of making a pallet compost heap for it, but I don't know how practical that will be? It's down the end of the garden so smell wouldn't be a problem. Or I could brown bin it, I suppose, if it won't be too much? How long does it take to compost down? Should it be mixed with garden matter? What do people do with theirs?

Thanks, friendly people!

Hi
Expect loads, seriously, loads. But it composts easily. I bed my birds on a mixture of grass and shredded paper and then just put the lot into a compost bin until I'm ready to use it. Your pallet composter will do fine to start with.

Enjoy your birds, I'm sure they'll be great.

Zoe

I have 3 chickens which I got at the end of February this year. I have 2 dalek compost bins in my garden, a big one and a smaller one. (I don't know the sizes and it's too dark round there to go and look for markings, but I think the small one is more standard.) My smaller bin was already in use, about 1/3 full when I got the ladies. I scoop the poo out of the garden and empty the tray every day, along with the newspaper that I use to line it (saves scrubbing too often). It all goes in my little dalek along with all my kitchen waste, garden waste, and a load of elder branches that I cut down and shredded. 7 months later, it's still only 2/3-ish full. I turn it more regularly than I used to because it tends to form a bit of a solid, stinky lump in the middle if I don't, but I think it's more to do with the heat it is generating that it breaks down so quickly. When I turn it, I often add shredded paper as extra 'brown' stuff as well.

I think you have to leave it a year before you use it on the garden due to the heat. Feel free to correct me anyone

We jut put it in the compost bins along with everything else. You will be surprised how much poo they do in a day!

My compost pile is by the garden. I add to it throughout the year but most of it is from the chickens and then the next spring it goes into the garden.