All manures can be composted. Some composting sites are adamant you should only add herbivore (plant grazing) animal manure to your compost because carnivore (meat eating) animal manure may contain pathogens. All manures and waste can be potentially harmful to humans, other animals and plants.
We advise that no manure is added to the soil 'fresh'. Once the manure is in the HOTBIN, the combination of the bacteria, the high temperatures and the length of time away from the animal host's gut should lead to the destruction of faecal pathogens.
Good hygiene during use of the HOTBIN is essential, especially when dealing with manure - ensure you wear gloves and you wipe down the edges of the HOTBIN after filling it.
Different manures provide unique percentages of a number of key nutrients. The most important three nutrients are: nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K). The NPK values of the different manures is largely irrelavant in hot composting; whether the manure is mixed with bedding (straw, card or shavings) has more impact than what animal created the manure.
| Types of Manure | Will it Decay | Cold
Compost | HOTBIN Compost | Rate of decay in the HOTBIN | Comments |
| Bird poo (incl. pigeons) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Medium | |
| Cat poo | Yes | Not Advised | Yes | Medium | |
| Chicken poo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Medium | |
| Chicken bedding | Yes | Yes | Yes | Slow | Bedding comes in many forms - check the wood based table |
| Chicken pellets | Yes | Yes | Yes | Medium | |
| Cow manure | Yes | Yes | Yes | Medium | Check local regulations before taking farm manure home. |
| Dog poo | Yes | Not Advised | Yes | Medium | |
| Horse bedding | Yes | Yes | Yes | Slow | Bedding comes in different forms - check the wood based table |
| Horse manure | Yes | Yes | Yes | Medium-slow | |
| Human poo | Yes | Not Advised | Not Advised | Medium | Humanure will compost, but not advisable in any home composter. |
| Nappies | Yes/No | Not Advised | Yes/No | Medium | Certified biodegradable nappies are compostable - please do check individual product as many also have plastic elements that cannot be composted. |
| Pet bedding | Yes | Yes | Yes | Slow | Bedding comes in different forms - check the wood based table |
| Pig manure | Yes | Not Advised | Yes | Medium | Check local regulations before taking farm manure home. |
| Rabbit and guinea pig poo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Medium | |
| Rabbit and guinea pig bedding | Yes | Yes | Yes | Slow | |
| Sheep manure | Yes | Yes | Yes | Medium | |
| Urine | Yes | Yes | No | Fast | Its 97% water and 3% urea (biodegradable). You should not add liquids to the HOTBIN. |
| Zoo animals manure (lion, elephant, rhino, zebra etc) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Medium | |
