Help! How can I control compost smell?

[Country Parson]

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It is at these moments that I praise God for three healthy/strong children. I can almost work up a sweat just watching them turn that pile!

Just kidding (kind of). Actually, we usually turn it together. Makes a good Saturday project. Between the 4 of us (factoring in the fact that kids goof off 85% of the time) it takes us about 2 hours to turn the pile.

 

[Organics North]

Turn the pile and add more browns/carbon.

Yes lime will stop the smell, however I think it will burn off too much volatile nitrogen. Best way to retain the nitrogen is add more browns..

ON

 

[noodleroo]

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Agreed.

 

[Barry Natchitoches]

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This is excellent advice!


Ken (and also Organics North) are right. Definitely follow this advice.


(I am a Tennessee Master Gardener, and teach classes on how to make up compost, and this is exactly what you need to do!)

 

[classicsredone]

Keeping the pile moist, hot, and aerated is the best option. You can also add beneficial microbes that help kick-start the composting process. (Garden stores will carry them.)

 

[Knittycat]

I just planted a jasmine vine next to my compost bin.

 

[nerd0geekboyz]

The probable reason that your pile has a putrid smell is that it has gone anaerobic.

As some have stated, a healthy compost pile is full of microbes. Microbes however need oxygen. Turning the pile will help provide air and the water provide a moist environment for microbes to flourish.

As the chicken poop is full of nitrogen it fuels microbial activity and your pile can get hot provided water, air (oxygen) are present. This stage of composting is bacterial dominant.

Adding carbons provides diversity of microbes during the fungal stage. You will know when your pile is in the fungal stage is when your pile is at ambient temperature. However, the reason you add carbons is not to reduce the smell, but to allow your pile to move into the fungal stage (carbons are the food source for fungi).

Carbons in the form of twigs, leaves and the like can provide pockets of air within the pile material as opposed to other materials that may compress your pile not allowing room for air to pass. Providing pockets of air can help keep your pile from going anaerobic.

Even adding too much water can cause your pile to go anaerobic. Take a handful of materials from your pile and squeeze it tight in your hand. If a few drops of water exit your hand the pile is wet enough.

In short, a good compost pile must contain air (Oxygen), water, nitrogen (grass, alf alfa, green waste, etc.) and carbons (paper, wood, brown leaves, straw, etc.).

Note, do not use lime in your compost pile. In fact, you don't need much more than you already have: Air, water, chicken poops and wood shavings.

You also don't need to add any inoculants (dormant microbes) to your pile.. Don't waste your money. All the microbes you need are present.

If you want to know more about composting, look to soilfoodweb Dot Com (sorry, the site would not allow me to place a URL).

Master Composter from California.

 

[Chris09]

How long has the manure been sitting in you coop/run before you cleaned it out?

In most cases when a compost pile start to smell it either need more air, or the Carbon /Nitrogen is not balanced (excess nitrogen).
Improper Carbon (C)/ Nitrogen (N) --- (The C:N level in a compost pile needs to be balance. For a "sweet-smelling" compost you nee to maintain a C:N ratio somewhere around 25 to 30 parts carbon to 1 part nitrogen, or 25-30:1. If the C:N ratio is too high (excess carbon), decomposition slows down. If the C:N ratio is too low (excess nitrogen) you will end up with a stinky pile.)

Chris

 

[ParadisedivaChic]

Turn the pile and add more browns/carbon.

Yes lime will stop the smell, however I think it will burn off too much volatile nitrogen. Best way to retain the nitrogen is add more browns..

ON

Hi I’m new here! I’m wondering what you mean by Adding more Brown? Like Leaves?

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Hi I’m new here! I’m wondering what you mean by Adding more Brown? Like Leaves?

Yes, browns are the high carbon items...leaves, wood chips, straw, shredded paper/cardboard, etc.

"Greens" are the high nitrogen stuff like food waste, grass clippings, etc.