How do you think this kind of trash can (old fashioned galvanized metal) would work for composting a small amount of manure (or other compost material)?
I have two of them that I don’t use for anything. Was thinking of drilling holes, getting a lock for the lid, maybe throwing in some worms, and making some compost.
What is your goal? Worm composting? Or a way to get rid of manure, or making garden compost?
I think it’s way too small for manure or making garden compost, but I know that a lot of people use worms to compost kitchen/veggie waste. If you want to do that - I’d read more about worm farming/composting and see what they need for living environment.
While I get that it’s a good thing, nothing would skeeve me out more than a can full of worms in my garage. 
[QUOTE=S1969;8741860]
What is your goal? Worm composting? Or a way to get rid of manure, or making garden compost?
I think it’s way too small for manure or making garden compost, but I know that a lot of people use worms to compost kitchen/veggie waste. If you want to do that - I’d read more about worm farming/composting and see what they need for living environment.
While I get that it’s a good thing, nothing would skeeve me out more than a can full of worms in my garage. :)[/QUOTE]
Ha! That does sound pretty creepy! I have a space behind the garage that is fenced off (was a small dog run years ago) where I’d park the compost cans.
I’m trying to regularly get rid of manure. It is a temporary situation. But I’ve always wanted a home compost bin, so after then manure situation is done, I’ll probably keep the compost going with home scraps and leaves.
My horse will be living on 24/7 turnout for 6 weeks (post surgery recovery). Barn regularly pick the runs but I’m obsessive and will want to pick up any piles I see when I’m there (they pick only once a day). So, it won’t be huge amounts. I’m at a large facility and there’s really no good place for me to put the manure I pick unless I’m there at just the right time (it is all loaded onto a tractor that moves from barn to barn at picking time, then driven to the back of the property and spread).
Barn has been very accommodating to set up a special temporary paddock for me and meet other special sick horse requests - I don’t want to bother them with a request for a special bin where I can leave just my horses’s manure and I don’t want to wheel barrow it waaaaaaaay out to the back 40 (it is a long way away) each time. So I thought I could feed bag it and put it in my composter.
I think it would work with holes drilled in it. It isn’t going to go fast. You will fill those babies up in a hurry. I wouldn’t worry about locking the lid. I think, if you are going to put worms in there you are going to need some sort of new material for food for them. They’re not going to eat horse poop. They would eat any leftover hay materials but if you are picking carefully, there would probably not be enough of that. In which case, you could just throw some worm food in every few days (i.e. lettuce scraps, coffee grounds)
[QUOTE=SmartAlex;8742330]
They’re not going to eat horse poop.[/QUOTE]
Ok I might just leave the worms out of it. It was kind of a whim. If they aren’t going to eat poop (who can blame them), and if I have to feed them (I don’t eat lettuce or make coffee at home!) then maybe not.
I don’t know why compost seems like so much fun. I had a small pile once many years ago (not in a container) and I thought it was fascinating! Just dirt and leaves and kitchen scraps. It got super hot and worms just kind of appeared in it on their own. It was fun to turn and watch the steam come out of the middle.
Just adding a random thought - I lived in England as a kid, which is where I started riding, and most of the yards composted their manure. They had large, three sided, open enclosures made from cinder blocks or similar material. Usually one active pile and one or more “cooking” piles. I thought it was interesting when I moved to the States that no one used a system like this. I’m sure it has to do with some practical or expense/space related issue I haven’t thought of.
Of course, that was a long, long time ago and maybe things have changed.
Many people compost in the States It isn’t always as formal as having three sided enclosures. More often it is a manure pile which gets turned over now and then and then the old side used to spread on the fields and grazing areas in the fall or is given away to gardeners who will haul it away. Not everyone has a tractor with a loader to turn it and compost it well. Not turning it works too only much slower.
[QUOTE=SmartAlex;8742528]
Many people compost in the States It isn’t always as formal as having three sided enclosures. More often it is a manure pile which gets turned over now and then and then the old side used to spread on the fields and grazing areas in the fall or is given away to gardeners who will haul it away. Not everyone has a tractor with a loader to turn it and compost it well. Not turning it works too only much slower.[/QUOTE]
That’s good to know!
I have a three sided compost system. Currently just two in use. You just haven’t been to my house.
Are you the one who posted the great pics a year or two ago?
[QUOTE=Ganesha;8742388]
Just adding a random thought - I lived in England as a kid, which is where I started riding, and most of the yards composted their manure. They had large, three sided, open enclosures made from cinder blocks or similar material. Usually one active pile and one or more “cooking” piles. I thought it was interesting when I moved to the States that no one used a system like this. I’m sure it has to do with some practical or expense/space related issue I haven’t thought of.
Of course, that was a long, long time ago and maybe things have changed.[/QUOTE]
This is an excellent way to do it. I’ve seen it done this way here lots of times.
OK…so just saw this again.
That container is way to small to get rid of horse manure. It will break down eventually, but you could fill up a can/day and that won’t help much. To effectively compost you need it to be a substantial pile so that the weight will cause it to heat up in the middle; I have read an estimate of 3’x3’x3’ minimum or it will just dry out or “decompose”, not compost.
Can you make a small pile in one corner of the run? Or buy your own wheelbarrow and keep it parked in the run, and then dump it somewhere else (what is outside the run or nearby?) I’m not averse to flinging manure over fences if it’s just to get rid of it… But not if there are horses on the other side.
Composting is fun. I did a great lesson for my kids once when they were little and we all climbed into the compost pile with our rubber boots on to feel how hot it was on the inside of the pile. But it does need sort of a dedicated space to cook. If you just need to get rid of manure there might be other options like flinging it.
I have one 3-sided manure bin and then it gets transferred to big piles that I flip. I have 4 piles right now and this fall will be adding a pile or two to a new garden, and probably giving 2 piles away to my neighbor for his. But I have 5 horses so it adds up fast.
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