Is granulated fertilizer dangerous to chickens?

Date sort Score sort
squat

squat

Chirping
11 Years
Aug 26, 2008
37
7
87
Our five chickens are free to roam our 1/3 acre pasture which is fully fenced. We want to overseed and fertilize the pasture grass soon, but are concerned that the chickens will eat the fertilizer granules. We usually use straight nitrogen granules for fertilizing our lawn and pasture. Is it likely they'd just take a little taste and then move on to more interesting things or would they make a meal of the granules? Any recommendations? Thanks!
 
I would think it would be very harmfull to them, and could kill them. I would just spread their poop on the grass, things should grow and green up pretty good then.

AL
 
Why not use an organic form of nitrogen instead?


Consider alfalfa meal, or soybean meal -- you spread them on a lawn same as the chemical stuff, but if your chickens help themselves to some of it, no harm will be done.


Check out your local farm co-op or farmer's feed store for the cheapest prices. (I can get 50 pounds of soybean meal for less than ten bux around here).
 
Mornin...

Any way to keep em off that area until the fertilizer disolves? I had an open sack of general purpose garden fertilizer in the back barn... wasn't even thinking about it. Those round granules were like chicken magnets - all the girls were lined up with the roo guarding them while they ate. Moved that bag toot sweet. All the girls were fine by the way - but I don't know about a third acre's worth of straight up nitrogen.... they'll eat the seed you put down too...... lol. Funny they are.
 
We could probably put them in the back yard which is fenced in, but then they wouldn't have their chicken coop to lay their eggs and sleep in. Would they be alright to sleep under a tree or bush for a week or so, until the granules could dissolve?
 
The organic fertilizer sounds like a good idea too. I'm going to check that out. I didn't know there was such a thing. Thanks!
 
Hi,

To answer your questions about outdoors for the chickens - that would depend on your weather conditions and the probability of predation. The coop is to protect them from the elements and hungry predators. So... I guess you would have to decide if leaving them outside for a week is safe for them. If you feel it's safe, supply them with a nest box.... after a week goes by and they are back in their own area they will get back into the swing of things like they had never left. I may be wrong, but I think organic fertilizer is stuff like compost or aged poop.
smile.png
 
I would guess that with my 8-10 chickens I have covered 1/2 of my acre over the winter with spread out chicken poop. This summer I guess the front 1/2 will also have chicken poop on it, spread lightly. When i has the tractor the moved areas re-grew very nice grass first day after the tractor was moved. I have no need to seed or use chemicals beside chicken crap.
 

Similar threads

P
    • Like
Starving chickens
Replies
8
Views
1K
Brooks_
Brooks_
O
*Possibly* Sick turkeys?
Replies
2
Views
847
Orthodad
O
M
    • Haha
Chickens jumping over fence!
2 3
Replies
23
Views
4K
Piedmont mike
P
L
    • Like
Are cherry and pear trees safe for chickens?
Replies
5
Views
1K
Jane11
Jane11
J
    • Like
Predators that don't fear people
2
Replies
13
Views
2K
GrandmaOrpington
GrandmaOrpington

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom