Are Grass Fertilizers harmful to poultry?

[amartinlb]

Last year for the first time in decades my son fertilized the lawn, NO PESTICIDES, etc, with Scotts Lawn Fertilizer which all I believe it did was add nutrients and minerals back into the soil for the grass.

Would it be harmful to the poultry if I added it on the grass again this spring (in the sense that they'd eventually eat the grass, dandelions, insects, etc living in the soil that was fertilized)? They won't be able to eat it since all the chicks are still in the house and the fertilizer pellets should be dissolved way before they are all ready to go outside.

If it could harm them I'll just tell him not to fertilize the grass this year...

-Anna

 

[cmom]

MY DH and I fertilized a part of the lawn for the birds. After we fertilized, we watered the area well for a few days before we let the birds roam there. They didn't seem interested in the fertilizer and we noticed nothing unusual with the birds. We kept watering the area after we let the birds roam the area. I even had to mow it.

 

[keljonma]

Personally, I wouldn't chance it. Chickens don't only eat the grass and dandelions. They also eat the dirt.

Also, I know you didn't mention this, but please don't use Round Up.

Round Up is a nasty neurotoxin as well as herbicide. Think "agent orange" here.......

According to the manufacturer, chickens and children should be kept off any area sprayed with Round Up for at least a year.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Your chickens and eggs will not be legally "organic" and I don't know how you feel about that. But it will not harm them or you for them to graze that area, especially if the pellets are dissolved.

 

[what was i thinking]

i was wondering the same thing. my chickens spend a lot of time in the neighbors yard... which they don't mind. thank god.... (they are great city neighbors that have found themselves in the country) anyway, they just mentioned to me they want to fertilize the lawn and want to make sure it won't hurt the chickens.
my thought was a long as they were keep off it a while and it rained really good on it, they would be ok????

 

[patandchickens]

Fertilizer granules are very definitely toxic to poultry. If you wait until they are really truly all dissolved, then as long as you are *right* about that, it will not be a problem.

BTW, not criticizing the idea of fertilizing a lawn, just bringing up another angle: do you use a mulching mower? If you do, that will decrease a lawn's nitrogen needs by 1/2 or so. Seed in some white clover (which will also keep things green in droughts) and that will *further* reduce the lawn's N needs.

Or, just don't fertilize, it will be a bit more 'biodiverse' but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Our lawn has not been fertilized in the 6 yrs since we moved here and it is in noticeably better shape than when we got here, actually

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[amartinlb]

Yeah we don't collect the grass clippings from the mower in a bag.

I guess we could just fertilize the areas that REALLY need it badly which is less than a 6th of the yard, or just not do it at all this year. Usually though I heavily water those areas for about a week daily...

 

[kelliepulido]

what about per emergent that kills the dandilions will that hurt the chickens?It is sprayed on and dries in a couple of hours.I will have to look for the white clover I wonder if tsc carries it?

 

[freesoul]

I have a question about using Hollytone fertilizer.

I want to use it around a lilac bush as I have the past few years to bring a nice sized bush back.

This year our chickens are free-ranging in the yard. Would Hollytone be harmful to them? Underneath the bush is one of the spots they seem to congregate in.

If I water it in real well and keep them in a few days will that help?

Thanks

 

[SimplyForties]

Quote:
Where did you read that? The label on RoundUp actually says "People and Pets may enter treated areas after spray has dried." Again, according to the label you can plant vegetables in an area treated with RoundUp after 3 days.

I just got that off the label of RoundUp Weed & Grass Killer Concentrate Plus.

Even their prevention product doesn't say anything about staying off the area for a year.

I use RoundUp so I'd really like to know where you found that information. Thanks!