Composting chicken bones can seem daunting, but with the right techniques, these calcium-rich scraps can enrich your compost and fertilize your garden. Follow this guide to learn the safest and most effective ways to compost poultry bones of all kinds.
An Overview of Composting Bones
Chicken bones, along with other animal byproducts like meat, eggshells, and dairy, have typically been considered a no-no for backyard compost piles. However, with proper preparation and management, they can certainly be added to boost nutritional content.
The main concerns with composting bones are:
- Attracting pests: Raw bones or rotting scraps will entice unwelcome critters like rats, raccoons, and flies.
- Odor problems: Decomposing meat and bones can cause foul smells if not tended to correctly.
- Slow to break down: Whole, hard bones take very long to disintegrate even in active compost.
- Pathogens: Raw chicken may contain salmonella bacteria or other harmful microbes.
However, there are solutions to all these issues. When bones are prepared properly and mixed into a well-maintained compost pile, the risks are greatly reduced. The mineral-rich finished product will give an added boost to your soil and plants.
Benefits of Composting Bones
While composting chicken bones takes more effort, the rewards are plentiful:
- Calcium: Chicken bones are an excellent source of calcium, an essential plant nutrient. Calcium strengthens cell structure and aids growth.
- Phosphorus: Another critical mineral for root, flower, and fruit development in plants.
- Nitrogen: Helps produce chlorophyll and proteins. Meat and bones contain nitrogen.
- Potassium: Vital for photosynthesis, water movement, and disease resistance in plants.
- Trace nutrients: Including iron, zinc, boron, magnesium, and manganese for overall plant health.
Essentially, recycling those leftover chicken scraps back into the soil completes the cycle of nutrients from plants to animals and back into new plant life again.
Preparing Chicken Bones for Compost
To avoid problems and get the most value from chicken bones, follow these tips:
- Cook them first: Bake, boil, or roast bones to kill any bacteria like salmonella. Avoid composting raw chicken.
- Break up large bones: Use a hammer or axe to crush bones into smaller fragments so they break down faster.
- Mix with high carbon materials: Balance bones with 2-3 times the volume of “browns” like dried leaves, sawdust, or shredded paper.
- Bury deep into the pile: Place bones at least 12 inches deep into an active, hot compost pile.
- Turn and aerate the pile: Turn over and mix the compost regularly to distribute air and moisture.
- Maintain high heat: Strive for an internal temperature of 130-150°F to destroy pathogens and soften bones.
Follow these simple rules, and chicken bones can be safely added to supercharge your compost.
Methods to Compost Chicken Bones
Several techniques exist for successfully composting bones:
1. Hot Composting
This fast, efficient composting method involves building a large bin or enclosure to contain the compost, then actively managing conditions to produce high heat and accelerate decomposition.
For chicken bones, aim for:
- A minimum pile size of 3′ x 3′ x 3′ (1 cubic yard)
- Moisture content of 40-60% (like a wrung-out sponge)
- Frequent turning and aeration for oxygenation
- Ingredients balanced with a 30:1 carbon to nitrogen ratio
Maintaining a hot pile between 130-150°F will rapidly break down meat, fat, and bones, while killing pathogens and weed seeds. Turn bins at least weekly and monitor conditions. In as little as 4-6 weeks, quality compost can be produced.
2. Trench Composting
A simple way to compost chicken bones is digging trenches 1-2 feet deep, placing bones inside, and burying them. The earthworms, beneficial microbes, moisture, and cooler temperatures will gradually break down the bones over 6 months to a year.
Make trenches in garden beds you will be planting in so the finished compost is readily available. Mark spots clearly so you don’t accidentally dig up unfinished products.
3. Bokashi Fermentation
Bokashi uses anaerobic fermentation aided by microorganisms to quickly pickle and compost meat products and bones.
- Add bones to a sealed Bokashi bin along with a Bokashi bran inoculant.
- Let ferment anaerobically for 7-10 days. The bones will pickle and partially break down.
- Bury or mix the fermented bones into a traditional compost pile to fully decompose.
The initial fermentation eliminates pathogens and gases. Bokashi works faster than standard composting to reduce bones to usable compost.
4. Commercial Composting Machines
Convenient countertop appliances like the Vitamix FoodCycler or Lomi provide an easy option for home composting of all food scraps including chicken bones.
The grinders pulverize bones while heating the contents, then drying and deodorizing the output. In just a few hours, usable compost is ready with little effort or mess.
The only downsides are limited capacity and higher cost compared to DIY outdoor composting. But for bones and meat, they work very effectively.
5. Chicken Bone Meal Fertilizer
Boiling or roasting chicken bones until completely dried, then grinding into a powder creates a concentrated bone meal fertilizer. It provides an immediately soluble source of phosphorus, calcium, and other minerals to mix into potting soils or sprinkle around gardens.
While bone meal takes more prep work, the nutrient boost can be worth the effort for gardeners who don’t want to wait out a long composting process.
What Not to Include When Composting Bones
Avoid adding the following alongside chicken bones:
- Fatty scraps like bacon grease, butter, or salad dressings
- Excess meat or fish trimmings
- Cheese, dairy, or other oily foods
- Citrus peels
- Onions, garlic, or chives
These ingredients may negatively impact the composting process or attract pests. Stick to a balanced diet of greens and browns like plant leaves, grass clippings, straw, and vegetable scraps when composting chicken.
Troubleshooting Chicken Bone Composting
Even with the best practices, problems occasionally arise. Here are some common challenges and solutions for composting with chicken bones:
Problem: Rotten egg smell from the compost pile
Solution: Add more browns like sawdust or straw to balance the nitrogen. Turn the pile to aerate and dry it out.
Problem: Mold growth on bones or unfinished compost
Solution: Mix in additional browns to increase airflow. Turn the pile to dry it out and remove any visibly molded spots.
Problem: Meat or bones are not fully breaking down
Solution: Use a garden fork to break up any large pieces. Be patient for full decomposition which may take many months.
Problem: Rats or other pests scavenging the compost
Solution: Eliminate meat and fat scraps. Cover pile with garden fabric or wire mesh to block access. Ensure the exterior remains dry.
Problem: Bad smells from pile
Solution: Turn the compost to aerate. Add more carbon material like dried leaves or cardboard. Cover with garden soil or finished compost to trap odors.
With attentive management and the right ingredients, even chicken bones can be composted at home easily. Adjust your methods as needed until you find a system that works. The resulting nutritious compost is worth the time and effort.
Frequently Asked Questions About Composting Bones
Can you put raw chicken bones in compost?
It’s not recommended to add raw chicken bones directly to compost, due to the risk of salmonella and other pathogens. Always cook chicken thoroughly first to kill bacteria before composting.
Do chicken bones break down in compost?
Yes, chicken bones will eventually break down in an active compost pile, but it takes a very long time – usually 6 months up to 2 years. Crushing the bones first and maintaining hot temperatures accelerates the process.
Should you crush chicken bones for compost?
Crushing or grinding chicken bones before composting helps speed decomposition. The smaller bone pieces have more surface area for microbes and moisture to act upon. Aim to break large bones into fragments under 2-3 inches.
Can I put chicken bones in my tumbling composter?
You can add chicken bones to a tumbling composter, but they may take a long time to break down enough to be unnoticeable in your finished compost. Tumbling provides aeration to the compost, but doesn’t generate as much sustained heat as a hot static pile. Crush bones first and mix with high carbon materials. Check periodically and remove any large uncomposted bone pieces to recrush and return to the tumbler.
What happens if you put too many bones in compost?
Excess bones or meat in compost piles can throw off the delicate balance and cause problems. Too much nitrogen from the bones causes strong odors. Piles may not heat up properly or become overly dense and anaerobic. Remove any uneaten bones after meals before composting to avoid overloading the carbon to nitrogen ratio.
Can you put chicken bones in worm compost?
Chicken bones are challenging for worm compost bins. Small crushed eggshells are fine, but most worms cannot break down large hard bone fragments. Start with very small bone pieces mixed into bedding, or consider removing bones before adding food to vermicomposters.
Is chicken poop good fertilizer?
Chicken manure makes an excellent organic fertilizer or compost booster, as it’s high in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The droppings from laying hens are especially rich in nutrients. Allow fresh manure to compost fully before using to prevent burning plants.
Do eggshells decompose in compost?
Crushed eggshells will break down over time in compost as other organic matter decays. Leave very small shell fragments no more than 1/4 inch in size. For fastest results, consider calcifying the shells in an oven first before adding to your compost pile.
Can you put meat bones in garden soil?
Burying raw meat bones directly in garden soil is not recommended. They decompose very slowly and can attract pests to root them up. For best results, first compost bones fully using high-heat compost methods, then mix the finished product into your garden beds.
Conclusion
Composting chicken bones requires careful preparation and conditions tailored to accommodating these tough-to-break-down scraps. But bones can provide a nutritional boost of calcium, phosphorus, nitrogen and more for enriched garden soil. Follow the guidelines here for the proper methods to compost poultry bones successfully, avoid problems, and reap the benefits in lush, healthy plants.