How do I compost goat poop and straw...

[Catahoula]

I ordered a simple 3 bin wire composter and am ready to do start composting just the my goat berries and theri straw bedding. How do I do it? Do I just dump them in the composter and add some water and let it sit? How much water? Do I need to let the urine soaked bedding dry out first before adding it to the pile?
Thanks!

 

[SmallFarmGirl]

I just put it all in the composter. Then every so often I give it a turn! That's it for me. I think water would make it stinky, but I guess you could.
If it seems to dry you could add a little soil or water. I don't think you should let it dry. I also scrap of poo from the toys and put that in my beds!

Hope that helps.

 

[daisychick]

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.

 

[DonnaBelle]

We figured out that we need some green stuff in there too. We use the straw & poop, a few green grass clippings, and we add a little dirt from the pond into it also.

DH uses his tractor with the loader bucket to scrape up some rich dirt at one end of our pond, and has a big mix pile that he turns with the loader. When we cleaned the barn straw and poop from the winter build up early this year and also the pine shavings and chicken poop from the chicken house , he had some guys help him and he loaded it all on the trailer, took it over and shoveled on top of the dirt pile. He then mixed it all up. It has been sitting there since late Feb and is really looking good.

We have the large pile, and then the smaller pile he turns by hand once a week. I also save all my egg shells, and coffee grounds and put that on the smaller pile. We have used a little bit of it this year, but my tomatoe patch has about 12 tomato plants and is made from the pond dirt and straw and poop. Those tomatoes are looking good.

The main thing is to not put any dog poop, human poop or fats into your pile. But the goat poop, oh that loverly goat poop!! It's the best.

Also, google compost pile accelerator. It's a recipe to use to add some fertilizer, ammonia, beer, cola, and I forget what else. It might be the thing you folks in dryer climates need.

DonnaBelle

 

[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...

 

[hcppam]

You do need green wast too, weeds (that haven't gone to seed), garden scraps lawn clippings , mixed in well. There is also enzim compost additives that will help to get it hot so it breaks down quicker. New to goat poo, was told it will not burn plants if used fresh?

 

[daisychick]

Isn't manure considered "green" stuff ??

 

[hcppam]

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.

not mine but same idea. I would not put pasta in it though Great potatoes!

 

[hcppam]

Isn't manure considered "green" stuff ??

No.

 

[Waterfall]

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, this is basically how to compost.

We put all our poo, wasted straw, hay, and urine in a large pile and turn it maybe once a week. Keeping it somewhat moist is also good in the hot months.