All manures can be composted. Some composting sites are adamant you should only add herbivore (plant grazing) animal manure to your compost because carnivore (meat eating) animal manure may contain pathogens. All manures and waste can be potentially harmful to humans, other animals and plants.
We advise that no manure is added to the soil 'fresh'. Once the manure is in the HOTBIN, the combination of the bacteria, the high temperatures and the length of time away from the animal host's gut should lead to the destruction of faecal pathogens.
Good hygiene during use of the HOTBIN is essential, especially when dealing with manure - ensure you wear gloves and you wipe down the edges of the HOTBIN after filling it.
Different manures provide unique percentages of a number of key nutrients. The most important three nutrients are: nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K). The NPK values of the different manures is largely irrelevant in hot composting; whether the manure is mixed with bedding (straw, card or shavings) has more impact than what animal created the manure.
|
Types Of Manure |
Will It Decay |
Cold |
HOTBIN Compost |
Rate Of Decay In HOTBIN |
Comments |
|
Bird Poo (incl. pigeons) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Medium |
|
|
Cat and Dog Poo |
Yes |
Not Advised |
Yes |
Medium |
Not always practical but compostable poo bags should be avoided unless torn up to prevent aeration issues |
|
Chicken Poo and Pellets |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Medium |
Chicken pellets provide a great heat boost in the HOTBIN |
|
Cow and Sheep Manure |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Medium |
Check local regulations before taking farm manure home |
|
Horse Manure |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Medium-slow |
|
|
Pig Manure |
Yes |
Not Advised |
Yes |
Medium |
Check local regulations before taking farm manure home |
|
Rabbit and Guinea Pig Poo |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Medium |
|
|
Zoo Animals Manure (Lion, Elephant, Rhino, Zebra etc) |
Yes |
Yes |
Not Advised |
Medium |
In theory yes, but the volume would not be suitable in a HOTBIN |
Can I Compost Animal Bedding?
Pet bedding, whether rabbits, gerbils, chickens or even horses comes in many forms - check the wood based table for further advice to avoid causing any aeration issues in the HOTBIN.
Can I Compost Human Poo?
Humanure will compost, but not advisable in any home composter. Certified biodegradable nappies are compostable - please do check individual product as many also have plastic elements that cannot be composted and view this specific post on composting nappies for more information.