Pets With Benefits

[amh]

I was inspired by this thread to make this post.

 

Today I cleaned out my main chicken coop. I've mention before that I compost my paper waste using chicken manure for a nitrogen source. 

First I arranged some cinder blocks into a square. I then empty a bag or two of shredded paper, old napkins, tissues, torn paper, etc into my wheelbarrow and add some chicken/coop waste and mix; dump in into the square. Repeat until the coop is cleaned, then add water. Tomorrow I'll add some oak leaves and kitchen scraps, then mix. 

 

As the temperatures warm, the soldier flies will become active and I'll add more cardboard to the pile. The soldierfly larva will eat cardboad in very little time and provide free treats for the chickens and wildlife. I'll add to this thread with the progression of the composting process.

I have found this is a great method to get many cubic yards of compost per year, while cutting the amount of trash that I create. Chickens are a wonderful asset to the garden that consume pest, create manure and provide eggs.

[amh]

It has been wet and cool, so things aren't composting as fast, but progress is being made. I decided not to add oak leaves because there is a shortage this year, and I have left the leaves to become soil. I'll place some cardboard on top to coerce the soldier fly larvae to the top for a future picture.