Can you still put fertilzer on your yard if you have chickens?

[MRNpoultry]

My dad wants to put fertilizer the yard. I told him if he did I would have to keep my chickens locked up for about three weeks. What will happen if they eat fertilizer? We had some plants started in a bucket that had mircale grow in it, he did't know there were seeds in it a dumped all of the dirt out. They ate some of it will they be ok? If he does put fertilizer on the yard what should I do with my chickens. We have two acres so that is alot of fertilizer.

 

[Pinenot]

They will have to be locked up or better yet...why not just let the chickens fertilize the yard???

 

[MRNpoultry]

Thats what I said, he still wants to put fertilzer on the yard.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

There are natural fertilizers. Manure is wonderful and does just the same if not a better job of fertilizing when spread correctly.

Anything with chemicals in it would be a risk to animals, even dogs and cats. Also, if your chicken coop is at the bottom of a hill and you fertilize any ground higher, there is a big chance of that running into the coop during a rain storm.

So I would say it is NOT safe to fertilize the yard with the chickens. I know my parents made other arrangements to fertilize the yard naturally in order to protect the chickens and other farm animals we have.

 

[MRNpoultry]

My coop is right at the bottom of a hill. But the garge is front of it so that might stop the runoff. He has already bought 4 bags of fertilizer.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

If he is definitely going to fertilize than I would just keep your chickens in for a week or so to give it time to seep into the ground. However, see ifyou can talk to him at all. There is still time to return the fertilizer and choose something else!

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Remind him that fertilizer make the grass grow faster and therefore more mowing! With the price of gas nowadays.....

 

[MRNpoultry]

Since my chickens free range they spread manure every where they go. If he thinks it whould hurt the chickens he might change his mind. He likes them more than he use to.

 

[MRNpoultry]

Quote:
That one reason that chould make him change his mind. I don't like mowing ethier.

 

[opihiman911]

I fertalize my yard and garden with 100% organic fertalizer that is 9-9-9.
The ingredience is blood, bone, cotton & fish meal, kelp, molassas, chicken & steer manure. It costs about $6 more per 50# then the nasty chemical fertalizer
I've spread it out and my chickens have pecked a piece or two but mostly ignore it....guess it doesn't taste good to them. But I figure if they do eat it is all natural organic stuff.

Cory