Is it possible to compost chicken? The answer is yes, it is possible to compost chicken but with a few tricks. Improving compost for higher soil fertility is essential for people growing plants at home or in their gardens. You may have heard some stories praising how adding chicken manure to garden soil can help your plants grow better.
Let’s dive into the world of composting chicken bones. In this article, we have covered everything from breaking them down faster to avoiding attracting unwanted pests. The whole process of composing waste from hens in a single article. So, let’s get started!
Are Chicken Bones Compostable
Of course, chicken bones are entirely compostable. Adding the chicken bones for composting in both cooked and uncooked form is safe. Cooked chicken bones are best because they deter the spreading of harmful bacteria. Chicken bones are usually slimmer as compared to the other bones which is why they decompose easily.
The chicken bones consist of essential nutrients like collagen fibers and calcium phosphate and hence, provide calcium to the soil. The soil then delivers that calcium to the plants. However, you cannot compost the chicken bones in haste because they take a little longer to decompose than other organic matter.
Break them into smaller pieces which makes them faster breakdown by microbes. So, chicken bones will work together with organic matter that you decompose within the compost. Chicken bones can decompose with the wastage of fruits and vegetables.
However, there is no specific need to compost chicken bones with vegetable and fruit waste because meat bones attract pests and harbor pathogens. That means bones always take some time to decompose quickly, but you can add them to compost.
How Long Do Chicken Bones Take to Compost
The decomposition time of chicken bones depends on several factors. Remember that the bones have collagen fibers and calcium phosphate, and the bacteria and fungus in the compost eat all the collagen proteins from the bones. The acids help calcium phosphate break up quickly and also help the bones to disintegrate.
The total time the bones will take to decompose completely depends on the process, it can be a month or a year. The decomposition of the bones depends on the weather and soil conditions, if you bury them in the ground, they will decompose. Adding the chicken bones to the soil will take time, according to the temperature and weather.
Generally, chicken bones in hot compost take a little time to decompose. But if you add them to cold compost, it will take a longer time for the bones to break down. Whenever you add them to the compost, please place them in the center of the pile where it is hot. This will protect the compost from pests, and bones will decompose quickly.
Are Chicken Bones Biodegradable
Just like most vegetables and animals, chicken bones are also biodegradable. It does not matter whether the chicken bones are in landfills or compost, they are degradable and compostable. The meat bones take longer to decompose under the soil than the soft food, but the bones try to decompose quickly. You can compost them using hot or bokashi bin methods; they will disintegrate in two months or more.
But if you bury the bones in the cold compost, the bones will take longer. Fresh chicken bones contain almost 2.4 percent Nitrogen, 12 percent Carbon, and 80 percent moisture in them. In addition, they possess a 5:1 ratio of C: N by weight. The chicken bones lack enough amount of carbon and are too wet to decompose, so add the additional carbon substrate or material.
Are Chicken Bones Good for the Soil
If you use chicken bones as compost, they deliver the best nutrition to your lawn and soil. This process is straightforward, it takes some time but ultimately provides lots of essential organic matter for the plants and garden. The whole process is healthy, so worrying about it is unnecessary.
If you want to make the process the best and healthy for the plants, then make sure to collect more bones as much as you can. Break the bones into smaller pieces if they are bigger, but if they are smaller, then don’t break them into pieces.
The bone fertilizer breaks down with the season, it will steadily and slowly release the nutrients to the plant. The advantage of the slow-releasing nutrients is that they will not burn down the plants and their roots. If you want to add the bone fertilizer directly to the plant, sprinkle it in the bottom of the planting furrow before putting in the seeds.
Can You Put Chicken Bones in the Garden
The addition of chicken bones in the garden entirely depends on their form. It will determine whether the bones will suit the compost or not. You can add chicken bones to your garden in three ways. In the first method, you must add the bones as they are; breaking them is unnecessary. The disadvantage of this method is that it takes many years to decompose completely.
In the second method, you have to compost the bones. Composted chicken bones decompose faster than the first method and release nutrients for the plant roots. This method provides a lot of organic nutrients to both soil and plant. In the third method, you have to use the bones as a chicken bone fertilizer, which is also the best way.
To make the fertilizer suitable for the garden, boil or burn them first and then use them as fertilizer. After cooking them, crush them, and if you burn them, let them cool down and then crush them to apply in the garden. Either way, the bones will convert into a powder, and then you have to sprinkle that powder into the garden. You can also add fine powder to the garden and get compost that is rich in nutrients.
Ways To Compost Chicken Bones At Home
Here is the detailed method of composting chicken bones at home:
1. Harvest and Clean the Chicken Bones
Raw bones are not better for composting, boil them and then use them for composting. If you are worried that boiling the bones will eliminate all their nutrients, you can add boiled water to the pile while using the bones for compost.
2. Dry the Bones
After boiling the bones, let them dry for some days. It can take one or two days to become completely dry. If you are in a hurry and want to save time, use the oven to dry the bones on low heat. Set the temperature at almost 200 degrees for a couple of hours, and then take the bones out of the oven. After drying the bones, place them under the sunlight and give them time to dry.
3. Break Down Bones
Due to the lack of surface area and thick structure, chicken bones took longer to decompose. You can increase the surface area by breaking the bones and provide much more surface for the microbes to work on. It is effortless to break down the bones using a hammer or rock to turn them into powder. The smaller pieces of the bones are, the more quickly they will decompose in the soil and provide nutrients to the plants.
4. Add Bones Into The Compost
Add the bones to the compost after breaking down the bones into smaller pieces. Ensure to add the bones or powder in the middle of the pile. The middle part of the pile is always the hottest, so place the bones in that part. Cover the bones to deter the scavengers.
5. Continue Composting
The process of composting goes a long way, after the addition of chicken bones to the compost. The aftercare of the compost pile is very necessary after composting the chicken bones. So that the better growth of the plants is ensured.
If your compost is ready, but there are still big pieces of the bones, add them to the next pile to continue the process. By following the above mentioned steps carefully, you can make your garden and plants more nutritious and efficient.
Mistakes To Avoid When Composting Chicken Bones
There are a few mistakes that you must not make when you are composting chicken bones:
- Never add raw bones to the compost pile. Raw bones attract pests and diseases. Make sure to cook the bones before adding them to the compost pile.
- Adding the larger bones into the compost will take many years to decompose, but if you break them down into smaller pieces, they will decompose quickly.
- Do not add the chicken bones to the cold compost pile because the bones will take longer to decompose. Make sure to use the hot compost to add the chicken bones.
- Chicken bones lack Nitrogen which is necessary for healthy compost, so do add nitrogen-rich materials for the balanced ratio.
Advantages of Recycling Chicken Bones
- Nutrient-rich soil: Chicken bones incorporate essential nutrients such as calcium and phosphorus into compost, thus making the soil more fertile.
- Decreased Waste: Composting chicken bones diverts organic waste from landfills, thus contributing to waste minimization attempts.
- Better Plant Health: Nutrients released from decomposing chicken bones improve soil quality, enhancing plant growth.
- Environmentally Friendly: Composting chicken bones helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by landfill decomposition, mainly methane.
- Economical: The usage of chicken bones as a composting material turned into a budget-friendly and viable alternative to use as commercial fertilizers.
Drawbacks of Recycling Chicken Bones
- Slow Decomposition: Complete decomposition may take a long time, thus slowing down the composting process for chicken bones.
- Pest Attraction: decomposing chicken bones on the compost pile is an invitation for rodents or flies.
- Odor Concerns: chicken bone rots create a pungent smell, hence leading to discomfort.
- Requires Proper Management: Successful decomposition without odor problems and pest infestation involves careful monitoring and management when composting with bone meal.
- Physical Handling Challenges: The physical nature of the substance creates handling difficulties because it is bulky during the process.
Conclusion
In the closing analysis, composting chicken bones benefits and advantages gardeners and environmental enthusiasts. However, they also have some drawbacks, such as slow decay, smell issues, and attraction to pests. Despite this, if you follow correct composting procedures without making common mistakes, you can benefit from recycling chicken bones into soil fertility and healthy plant growth.
FAQs
1. Can I add chicken bones to the compost?
Yes, Chicken bones are compostable. You can boil them, let them dry, and then add them to the garden or break them down into smaller pieces and add them to the compost. Do not add larger animal bones to the soil or compost; decomposing will take many years.
2. What are three things that you must not compost?
You must not compost grease, whole eggs, meal scraps, or dairy products in a pile. They take many years to decompose and also attract rodents. Don’t add pet feces to the soil, avoid adding dead or diseased animals or plants.
3. Are Chicken Bones Suitable for Compost?
Chicken bones are best to compost and are a healthy and nutritious source for your garden and soil.