The ammonia is a result of too much "green" to "brown". The microbes use about 30 parts by weight of C to each 1 part of N. When there is more N than they can use, much of the excess is expelled as ammonia. The remedy is add more high C material (browns). Dried leaves are great, so is shredded paper or cardboard, wood chips, sawdust, or any of the typical browns. Just add the new brown stuff, mix it in, and keep it aerated. It may take a coupe of days for things to settle out, but it will be fine.

From your description of ingredients you have a very high N pile. The article from Cornell linked below may be helpful. You can also find much more information about composting using the Cornell Composting link at the bottom of the article.

Here is a link that might be useful: Compost Chemistry

Animal manures piled up and allowed to "age" can loose between 20 and 50 percent of the Nitrogen they contain both to the atmphere (that ammonia odor) and into the soils as rain falls on the pile and washes nutrients out.
Everything you put into your compost pile has a C:N ratio which can vary some depending on the age of the material and how it was stored, ie. leaves can vary fro a C:N of 40:1 to 80:1.
Pay less attention to the C:N ratio of materials and more attention to the ratio of materials and load in more material with a high C:N, ie. those leaves, and less material with a low C:N, ie. fresh grass clippings. Sir Albert Howard used a ratio of 3 parts vegetative waste to 1 part animal manure and you can approximate that with 3 parts shredded leaves and 1 part fresh grass clippings or something like that.

The folks at Cornell's Waste Management Institute make available for downloading spreadsheets for calculating C:N ratios of up to 4 component mixtures in compost piles (see link below). Using that spreadsheet along with the C,N and moisture numbers they also publish in Appendix A of their On-Farm Composting Handbook (URL http://compost.css.cornell.edu/OnFarmHandbook/apa.taba1.html), I did a couple of calculations based upon what was stated in the OP.

Using 3 lbs chicken manure (8%N, C:N 48, and 69% moisture), 5 lbs horse manure (1.6% N, C:N 48, 72% moisture), 2 lbs food scraps (2% N, C:N 15, 70% moisture) and 2 lbs straw (0.7%N, C:N 80, 12% moisture) I got a calculated C:N ratio of 18.9 and 60.9% moisture. The OP situation was originally possibly even lower C:N because of the addition of blood meal.

To get to a C:N ratio of 30 adding just straw would require the addition of another 5 lbs of straw, not accounting for the bood meal.

Based upon that, I would suggest mixing in another 5-7 lbs of straw into the OP mixture described, and adding a bit of water to keep the moisture up as the dry straw is added.

Here is a link that might be useful: Compost Mixture Calculation Spreadsheets

This post was edited by TXEB on Sat, Jun 22, 13 at 8:53

If left alone will the pile find equilibrium by gassing off the excess N?

...further, I have read that adding equal parts browns and greens was the best method
(example http://www.london.ca/d.aspx?s=/Recycling_and_Composting/Compost_Main.htm)
However this seems to be false, the 30:1 ratio is by weight, so that would mean for every lb of high N kitchen scraps I add 30 lbs of Brown C rich materials?

Yep, pretty much. It will typically smell of ammonia as that happens. The excess ammonia may further slow things down by acting as a disinfectant of sorts and wiping out some of the microbes that otherwise would be working the pile. But it will ultimately decompose if all other things (moisture, oxygen, etc.) are proper.

so the proper ratio is 30lbs C to every 1 lb of N? or have I misread somehow.

btw thanks for all the replies I was figuratively wringing my hands over this.

That's right. The trick is to account for the amount of C and N in all the components. In practice you find the relative amounts of your common use feedstocks that give the about right balance, and then pretty much stick with it. You can be way off from ideal and still make great compost, it will either just take more time if low on N, or likely smell of ammonia if N rich. Either situation can be a nuisance, but neither is really wrong, just not optimal.

Easy calculator....

Here is a link that might be useful: Compost Mix Calculator

Perhaps the linked composting tutoral will be of some help.

Here is a link that might be useful: Composting Tutorial

I filled the rest of my bin with shredded dry leaves and added some water, leaving enough space at the top for air flow. Today when I turned my pile there was no ammonia smell but there was a fine white mold that has spread from the aged horse manure to the rest of the compost, it is hot enough to feel like its almost burning my hand. Thanks.

If I recall correctly (not certain) anaerobic conditions will lead to ammonia generation during composting. Keep the pile aerated and don't over water it. Maybe a lot of holes in the trash can would help if my anaerobic idea is correct.

Cornell has a succinct answer to your question, refer to the link.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cornell

Go to the link below and then to the top of the Science and Engineering section where you'll find the Ammonia Odors link.

Cornell presents an enormous amount of information at their web site.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cornell

Ammonia odors can be generated under either aerobic or anaerobic conditions. In this case the most likely cause was the low C:N ratio based upon the balance of feedstock's used.

More typically under anaerobic conditions you get hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg) odors that predominate and are the clue to an anaerobic situation.

n a nutshell, Cornell seems to be saying getting the C:N and/or pH fouled up are certainly 2 causes. Another cause according to Cornell is anaerobic conditions which can be avoided in a number of ways including selecting coarse materials to add to the pile to avoid any clumping, avoiding over wetting and turning the pile frequently and thoroughly enough to provide the oxygen needed for the microbes to work the way we want them to (aerobically).

By all means, read through that big pile of info. Cornell has produced, it is very illuminating.

Michael - anaerobic conditions don't cause ammonia production, it is just that it can occur under either aerobic or anaerobic conditions.

pH will influence the release of ammonia. The lower the pH (more acidic) the more of any ammonia that is produced will exist in the ammonium ion form rather than free ammonia. The relative amounts of those two forms is an equilibrium that is pH dependent. Looked at another way, ammonia is a base, and its production will neutralize acids in the forming compost, increasing the pH.

The principle cause of high ammonia levels in composting, under either aerobic or anaerobic conditions, is high nitrogen levels (low C:N ratios). In some cases, this is sought. Producers of mushroom substrate purposely use very high N mixes, sometimes via the addition of urea, to produce a high N compost as a base for the growing medium. Typically their mixtures will have a C:N ratio in the range of 10-20. Some recommended formulations are published by Penn State University, see link below. Note the point under V., Phase I is considered complete when as soon as the raw ingredients become pliable and are capable of holding water, the odor of ammonia is sharp and the dark brown color indicates carmelization and browning reactions have occurred ...

Here is a link that might be useful: Substrate Preparation for White Button Mushrooms

TXEB: are we reading from the same Cornell site?

michael - are you having an issue with my comment? If so, what? My specific points are addressed in the Cornel reference you cited.

Everyone is right, do your self a favor and add a whole bunch of organic matter till it in and soak the whole deal with 4 inches of water and come next spring in your climate it will be all composted in and you will be off to the races, do this for about four years and your gumbo will be very healthy and workable. It seems complicated but its really basic you can add a whole bunch of O M and let nature over time build you a great garden. Ive been there and done that and the posters on here are 100% correct, keep it simple and it will work out for you.

TX: "Ammonia odors can be formed aerobically as well as anaerobically, so the control strategies recommended for anaerobic odors may not apply."

The above quote from the Cornell site is what has me wondering why you stated, " anaerobic conditions don't cause ammonia production, it is just that it can occur under either aerobic or anaerobic conditions".

No doubt about the C:N ratios and hydrogen sulfide too. Sanitary sewer systems are notoriously unsafe due to the hydrogen sulfide generated by and contained in them by the anaerobic digestion of organic materials in them.

Sorry to stink up the thread with that little factoid:)

Anyway, back to your statement, what are you getting at by saying what you are about not getting N losses under anaerobic conditions when Cornell says it does happen? Honestly, I may be simply missing something in what you said and am not trying to beat a dead horse.

c6-rz1: I didn't see a post by Everyone, where is it? Just kidding.

micaheal - read very, very carefully, both what I said, and the rest of what is published in the Cornell reference.

It can occur under either aerobic or anaerobic ... Occur does NOT mean that the condition causes it. In fact, that it occurs in both situations tends to indicate that the degree of aerobicity, or lack of it, is not the cause. Then read the very next sentence in the Cornell page, "Noticeable ammonia losses primarily result from a low C/N ratio.".

The primary cause is the low C:N ratio. That can occur either in an aerobic or anaerobic situation. It's the mix that is the cause, not the oxygen state.

The amount that may be formed which is released is directly related to pH.

A web search for nitrogen loss volatilization will produce 492,000 hits that one could study, and probably you would find two people disagree about what they do say. It is well known that Nitrogen is not very stable and will volatize, gas off, very easily if precautions to prevent that are not put in place.
In composting the way to prevent N loss is to get the Carbon to Nitrogen ratio close to that 30:1 ratio, ie. about 3 times as much high Carbon material as high Nitrogen material.