How do I compost goat poop and straw...

[Catahoula]

I am trying to learn how to compost in our dry Colorado climate too. I have been doing a lot of reading and from what I can tell you just put it in the pile and keep is moist, not wet and turn it often. I am putting chicken poo, pine shavings, goat poo and straw and a little bit of wasted hay in it. I plan to add whatever veggie scraps the chickens don't eat in the pile too. Go to composting101.com it has great info. I hope I can get if figured out because I would love to have nice black compost for my garden.

Yes, the breeder said it keep in moist but not wet or it would smell.... Wonder if the types of bins would make a difference in CO here? Mine are put together wired panels which has some really good reviews including 'attractive'...rather to a big giant black plastic bin... I will give it a try. I will just pile straw/some hay and poop...for now. If I don't see any progress, I'll add dirt...

I have the black one you are talking about, live in the same climate situation, scraped it for hardware cloth I wired in large circles and then I plant potatoes in it and you can keep filling them at the potatoes grow. You can also lift these up so they empty mix them well and moving the contents to the next one as they progress.

http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/uploads/6006_potatoes_in_compost.jpg
not mine but same idea. I would not put pasta in it though Great potatoes!

Why do you need to wrap it with hardware cloth? Are the holes in the wire too big?

 

[hcppam]

Yes, the breeder said it keep in moist but not wet or it would smell.... Wonder if the types of bins would make a difference in CO here? Mine are put together wired panels which has some really good reviews including 'attractive'...rather to a big giant black plastic bin... I will give it a try. I will just pile straw/some hay and poop...for now. If I don't see any progress, I'll add dirt...

I have the black one you are talking about, live in the same climate situation, scraped it for hardware cloth I wired in large circles and then I plant potatoes in it and you can keep filling them at the potatoes grow. You can also lift these up so they empty mix them well and moving the contents to the next one as they progress.

http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/uploads/6006_potatoes_in_compost.jpg
not mine but same idea. I would not put pasta in it though Great potatoes!

Why do you need to wrap it with hardware cloth? Are the holes in the wire too big?

I just use hardware cloth, I don't wrap it around anything. The smaller holes keep what you put in it, in it and helps with air circulation. I can see in the pic I posted off the net, that they wrapped it around panels of some sort. P.S. how are your girls doing? Mine are doing great.

 

[Catahoula]

LOL, mine are boys...mischief I may add. They are wild...shy and timid. I finally was able to pet Walter but Jac still shy away. At least they know I have food. Each night so far, we'd hand feed them some so they are not afraid to come to us. Today I thought Walter was sick because he sounded like a pig as he breathed. Each breath he took, it was noisy. The breeder thought he might have allergy or had hay dust in his nose. I noticed the snorting noise for couple days and last night was very noticeable. Today really bad. Anyway, he at least didn't have a temperature but the vet heard something in his lung. So he is on antibiotic. He never lost energy...ate well and played rough. So I hope that's all.
Thanks for asking! I love the playground you have set up for your girls.

 

[hcppam]

LOL, mine are boys...mischief I may add. They are wild...shy and timid. I finally was able to pet Walter but Jac still shy away. At least they know I have food. Each night so far, we'd hand feed them some so they are not afraid to come to us. Today I thought Walter was sick because he sounded like a pig as he breathed. Each breath he took, it was noisy. The breeder thought he might have allergy or had hay dust in his nose. I noticed the snorting noise for couple days and last night was very noticeable. Today really bad. Anyway, he at least didn't have a temperature but the vet heard something in his lung. So he is on antibiotic. He never lost energy...ate well and played rough. So I hope that's all.
Thanks for asking! I love the playground you have set up for your girls.

Oh gee, sorry to hear Walter may be sick, hope he gets well soon! My girls were handled from birth, the baby is on my lap off and on fallowing me everywhere, the yearling loves for me to pet her, I think your boys will come around pretty quickly with the attention your giving them. Keep me informed, I feel we have a bit of a bond since we got our kids at the same time and the gardening thing in semi arid areas.