I've been working on this particular pile since Summer 2025. It is mainly wood chips, plus chicken manure and whatever food scraps I can muster. I turn and water it pretty regularly. How long do you think it will take for this to break down? I'm in the Los Angeles area, zone 10b. I am hoping to have finished compost by Spring. Do you think this is a reasonable goal? I have heard people say it can take up to 2 years for wood chips to decompose enough to be usable compost, but since I am adding so much nitrogen I am hoping to get this down to ≈9 months. I have 5 chickens that are working this pile.
Let me know your thoughts! Thanks!
by Admirable_Respond569
4 Comments
The pile is too shallow. It cannot retain heat over time.
Interested to hear that 5 chickens are turning it pretty well. When I had a big chicken compost pile, I was running about 80 chickens. I also had a much “richer” mix of inputs, with lots of food waste, and leaves as my primary carbon source.
Here’s a pic of one of my composters a couple years ago…got it so full the side blew out!
https://preview.redd.it/pk8svq5nm0ag1.jpeg?width=1000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3f7ffe65e96eed087efeb3daa78d4e89dbd7dcdf
I saw a youtube…the guy did not turn the pile frequently (1-2 time per month only) because it’s fungi that break down wood chips and fungi doesn’t want yo be touched.
I saw a youtube…the guy did not turn the pile frequently (1-2 time per month only) because it’s fungi that break down wood chips and fungi doesn’t want yo be touched.