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Subject: Re: Can I compost feathers?
From: "Nancy" <NancyleeRose@aol.com>
Organization:
Date: Wed, 16 Aug 00 08:41:57
Message-ID: <MOD$000815.10103@rec.gardens.ecosystems>
References: <MOD$000815.29926@rec.gardens.ecosystems> <MOD$000815.4611@rec.gardens.ecosystems>



Well we are talking about 2 very different things here, a large compost
"facility" and a small back yard compost pile, set up by an average person,
with garden waste, grass clippings and perhaps a bit of kitchen waste.
They may have the same basic principle, but very different in term of the
average homeowner. I'm sure that the university was considering the average
homeowner rather than a large composting facility.
The average person does not put whole chickens in his compost pile, it would
stink, and would not dissovle in a couple of days. It is not recommended
for the homeowner to add these types of materials.
Feathers perhaps, whole chickens, I think not.

CAVM wrote in message
news:MOD$000815.4611@rec.gardens.ecosystems...
>
> >
> >Actually that sounds pretty smelly to me.
>
> A properly run compost facility has no smell from the composting process.
> Odors do sometimes come from the materials brought to the facility such as
> grass clippings left for a few days in plastic bags, they are about the
worst.
>
> The chickens in the compost winrows had no odor and disappeared in 3-4 days.
> True, this was not a backyard facility.
>
> The trick is to know how to build the pile and keep it moist but not wet. The
> other thing is when the material is still fresh to keep a layer of wood chips
> or straw on the top of the pile several inches thick. This acts as a biofilter
> and keeps the odors in the pile until they can be consumed in the process. No
> odors mean no flies, no dogs, birds, rats, etc.
>
> There are many aspects to building the pile right and they are not appropriate
> to go into here but it is a pretty well established science.
>
>
> Cornelius A. Van Milligen
> Kentucky Enrichment Inc
>