When to stop adding to compost pile?

[Kricket]

Yes, I'm new here and really excited about the education I'm about to get from this forum as well as my other favorite. Anyway, since acquiring chickens last year my compost (hot) has grown big. We turn it over quite often. When should I stop adding to it to use for the garden (Veggie). How long does it need to sit before I can use it. A year? Meanwhile I'll start another pile else where. My pile consist of chicken poop, straw, shavings, shredded paper, coffee grounds and kitchen trash.
Thanks

 

[setter4]

Yes, I'm new here and really excited about the education I'm about to get from this forum as well as my other favorite. Anyway, since acquiring chickens last year my compost (hot) has grown big. We turn it over quite often. When should I stop adding to it to use for the garden (Veggie). How long does it need to sit before I can use it. A year? Meanwhile I'll start another pile else where. My pile consist of chicken poop, straw, shavings, shredded paper, coffee grounds and kitchen trash.
Thanks

Most people advise that straight chicken poo should compost for at least 6-9 months but I just read that if it is a lot of wood chips or straw wityh it when you clean the coop out that a couple of months should be long enough.
And

 

[patandchickens]

Dig into the center/bottom of it. Some (possibly much) if it should be ready to use now. Best thing is to start your next pile right adjacent to the current one. Take off the top/outside portions that do not look composted-down yet and put them next door to form the basis of v2.0 . When you hit stuff that is dark brownish or black and seems like nice humusy broken-down stuff (as opposed to lighter-colored and/or with easily recognizeable items that went into it), start putting it in your wheelbarrow to use. Some people would chuck it through a frame of wire mesh to screen out the bigger pieces, which can be put back to compost more along with the outer stuff.

If you just need a little bit of compost for the moment, you can alternatively go 'mining' for it, digging into the center of the pile til you hit something useable-lookin'

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Kricket]

Thank you setter4 and Pat. We have a uniloader so we can turn the compost pile weekly. (not sure if that is too often or not) I did start a pile right in the garden last year but stopped in Nov. That just got tilled in last week. The other pile I have in another spot and like you said Pat I can dig to the middle if I need it for something. I hope it is big enough so that the chickens don't scratch it out flat like they did with the other one.