I have a plastic composting bin courtesy of Milton Keynes council ( dont ask!!) with a lid and unless I put about 20 litres of water into it every week it just dries out. Perfect snake breeding ground  :(
As for weeds the chickens and turkeys eat all of them, so the only stuff I have left to compost is tea bags, about 200 a day :)
I might end up just growing potatoes in it.
The donkeys eat all the olive prunings.
I do use the donkey manure as a mulch, even the fresh stuff, as its not acidic like horse manure. It helps keep the soil moist so less watering.