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Can I Compost Pigeon waste?

(From the Garden waste category | 7 comments - join the conversation)

pigeon-droppingsPigeon droppings can be composted – though it is best to only compost it from healthy, captive birds (such as racing stock), as poop from wild birds may contain harmful diseases or pathogens.

Like chicken poo, pigeon droppings can be a useful fertiliser in the garden but it needs time to “cool down” first. (It’s highly alkaline to start with and can burn delicate roots and stems of plants.) It will work as a compost activator in your heap – helping things rot down in a nice, timely manner – and the resulting compost will be great for your garden.

As always, it’s best to keep your compost heap balanced, made up of a range of different things, rather than just one thing – it’ll produce better compost quicker and with less smell. Since chicken waste is nitrogen-heavy, it is best added alongside “browns“, like wood shavings/sawdust or straw — perfect if you already line the bottom of your dovecote/nesting boxes with that sort of thing. If it’s not already mixed in with bedding materials like that, add it to your compost heap in moderation (1 part poo to 4 or 5 parts other stuff) and mix it in well.

If you’ve added a lot of pigeon poop to your compost heap, be careful using the resulting compost on acid-loving plants – the compost can still be leaning towards alkalinity even after it is rotted down.


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7 Comments

  1. Never know that pigeon droppings can be a useful fertiliser in the garden. The best animal waste that can be used as fertiliser is cow waste.

  2. Thanks for the specified information pertaining to the guano of pigeons, in particular. I’m planning on using pigeon guano as a raw material and additive in planning a vintage varietal cigar tobacco crop for a home cottage industry project hobby, as an [aside from gardening] iPigeon aficionado and bird lover. Your site is useful in providing references in my blog article that I’m writing.

  3. Have pigeon poo from a S.A pigeon racer. How will i use it in my veggie & also around the garden roses etc

    Thank you

  4. Thanks for your valuable information . I’m just a home-gardener who loves tending to plants .
    Sincere appreciation
    Leroy

  5. I’m gonna start w pigeon poop adding to my compost. I put everything in my compost meat dairy candy vitamins expired medication, plastic bags to retain lots of water. I’m in Arizona adding lots of platics bags and plastic bottles filled with water. HELPS

  6. How to let droppings cool down because I tested ph of them its very high do I add vinegar?

  7. my neibour is dumping wheel barrow full of pigeon poo againg our fence and his trees are coming out of the ground with the winds
    he will not listen as it smells and the grount is like quick sand from the poo

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