Compost Frenzy

At Frogpond we compost everything from our kitchen that is even remotely edible.  Old cheese rinds, leftover noodles, squishy bananas, rubbery carrots, that soup I forgot all about from the back of the fridge, moldy bread, eggshells: it all gets put into one of two identical compost buckets on the kitchen counter.

From there, we carry it out to the compost heap every few days or so.  Because of the adoration our chickens in particular have for the contents of this bucket, we call it...Chicken Pot.

Before Chicken Pot makes its appearance, this is how our compost heap looks.  The majority of the pile is composed of horse manure, leaves and weeds.  It's no great thing of beauty, but it also gives me no reason to hang my head in shame. 

However, after Chicken Pot has been added to mix, our sedate compost heap is transformed into the site of a Frogpond feeding frenzy - something in the order of sharks attacking their hapless prey.

Let's be brave and take a closer look, shall we?

Compost dining is the ultimate in haute cuisine for a Frogpond hen.  They are always the first to arrive because they make a sprint for the mound as soon as they see the glint of Chicken Pot in someones hand.  Once the contents of the pot are flung on the heap, they scratch with great enthusiasm.  Their little feet can flick a horse turd a good six feet without even trying. 



The chickens are then joined by the Muscovy ducks.  They don't appear to be so much into the eating part of it (although they do like eggshells), but just enjoy dashing around, flapping, and chasing each other and the chickens. 

Arby the cat is another one who may not actually eat anything, but he also finds the compost irresistible.  To prove that he, too, attended the banquet, he backs up and gives everything a thorough spritzing.  Thank you Arby.









Naturally, the dogs are in heaven when Chicken Pot comes out.  I'm not sure what Arlo's munching on in this picture (actually, I don't want to know).  He was at it for so long that he finally lay down to eat, rather like a Roman senator reclining during a very long banquet. 





    

And then, everyone goes nuts.  Mayhem!





  

 



Gradually the pace slows as the crowd of animals becomes sated.





 Then, one by one, they gradually wander off to digest:  peace descends upon our Frogpond compost heap once again. 






Hail to Thee, O Chicken Pot!



Until the next time that Chicken Pot comes out.