Chicken Composting

We moved house this month. So busy! 

Unusually, the previous owner bequeathed his five chickens to us as part of the purchase. They are such gorgeous gentle girls. Prolific layers too, averaging about three eggs a day. Believe me, our friends and family are suddenly enjoying multitudes of morning fry ups. No one is complaining.

However much I like their eggs, I'm actually more excited about their power to compost. Yes, you heard me right. They are, in fact, already working as willing composting colleagues.

Chicken Composting


As you can see, rather than adding our table scraps, weeds, and spent potting soil directly to the compost pile, instead, we now throw it all to the chickens first. The ladies just love it, confirming their satisfaction with soft cooing clucks as they peck and scratch their way through it. Of course, along the way, they mix their precious manure through it too, without us having to lift a finger.


The amount of aeration their scratching adds to the mix is not to be sniffed at either. We only adopted these girls a week ago and, I kid you not, the ground of the chicken run is transforming to black gold before my eyes. It's quickly gaining a beautiful smell too. You know what I'm talking about, no longer dirt but wholesome earth.

Chicken Composting

You know whats comes next. Compost, glorious compost!


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