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Compost confusion

midnightbluemidnightblue Posts: 66
in Problem solving
I've added shredded magazines to my hens' straw bedding.
Can I compost the mixture as usual or is paper with coloured photographs on toxic?
I compost the hen bedding and droppings separately from other garden compost heaps because it is slower to rot down so I wondered whether any toxins in the magazine paper would be gone by the time it is ready to use?
Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    No problem with modern inks in magazines and newspapers but you may find there's too much carbon if you're adding it to straw, even with hen poo.   Try adding some layers of green stuff such as grass cuttings and weeds to speed up the process.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    My understanding is that modern inks used in printing are not toxic. 
    Printed paper may not ordinarily rot down as quickly as plain paper ... but with the addition of the magic ingredient that is poultry poo 😊 I’m sure it won’t take long. 

    What sort of chickens? ❤️ 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • midnightbluemidnightblue Posts: 66
    Thank you Obelixx, I have plenty of green matter to add to the mix so I'll do that.

    Thank you Dovefromabove that's good to know too. My chucks look like Rhode Island Reds. I'm not sure because they are rescues from battery farms. Some had no feathers at all when they arrived but they are looking better now and seem to like tearing up my garden! Currently they are scratching moss out of the grass which is great!
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Awwww 🥰 rescue hens 🐓 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Rescued battery hens will more than likely be Warrens. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Warrens certainly used to be the hybrid used on most farms but nowadays there are several others that are just as common if not more so ... but they certainly all look very similar. 
    😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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