Chickens & Bonus-S Weed and Feed?

[TexasWineGuy]

Howdy All,

I'd like to fertilize my property this early March but I'm concerned that our chickens may/will eat the granules, and suffer problems.

What's the consensus on fertilizers and chickens? We do let them free-range for 2-4 hours each day.

TWG

 

[cavemanrich]

I have used fertilizer, and my chickens did not go on my lawn until a few good rains, or waterings. I won't use Weed and Feed, because the herbicide stays active, and may get absorbed into leaves, (like dandelion that chickens do eat) For longer periods than I'm comfortable with. I also don't use herbicides, since children play in grass/lawn.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[TexasWineGuy]

Well, looks like no more Weed & Feed! Better to be safe than sorry.

TWG

 

[TexasWineGuy]

Follow up question on this:

Can I spread granular fertilizer like 13-13-13 on the ground that does not contain any herbicides? Just fertilizer?

Will they eat it, or leave it?


CMOS

 

[All4Eggz]

Follow up question on this:

Can I spread granular fertilizer like 13-13-13 on the ground that does not contain any herbicides? Just fertilizer?

Will they eat it, or leave it?


CMOS

they could possibly eat it, which is why I would still wait for a few heavy rain storms before letting them out again.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Howdy All,

I'd like to fertilize my property this early March but I'm concerned that our chickens may/will eat the granules, and suffer problems.

What's the consensus on fertilizers and chickens? We do let them free-range for 2-4 hours each day.

TWG

In the main, chickens will peck at granualized fertilizer because they explore the world with their beaks, and maybe eat some (not enough to be dangerous), then avoid it. Not good eats. Watering it in afterwards canb help mitigate (rains, sprinklers) but likely counteracts most "weed control" measures in those products. Typically, they want to be applied to damp grass whererain isn't expected for some time

Spray fertilizers don't have that disadvantage, but end up on everything, so the chickens can't avoid it...

The root question is what are you fertilizing, and why? A general purpose fertilizer (10-10-10 or 13-13-13) suggests that you are fertilizing lawn grass because its expected of you, not because you know what your soil actually needs, or doesn't. If your local extension office is open, take some soil samples down, get it tested. Know what you have planted where its going, so you can then determine what's actually needed - which might be garden lime and not nitrogen, phosporous, or potassium at all.

Chicken droppings themselves are pretty good fertilizer (but high nitrogen - the more protein in their feed, the higher the nitrogen) so they can burn some plants. Better to compost them and/or make compost tea from them.

If you need to general purpose fertilize, and a soil sample is impractical, and you don't know specific needs for your grass (or you have a polyculture as I do), then use a lower concentration fertilizer, more frequently - like an 8-8-8. Better still would be to understand what your plants need, so you can plan accordingly - acid/base soil, drainage/aeration/water retention, blooms, leaf/stem, or roots. Each problem has a different solution.

Forgot to mention - "Bonus S" if I recall is for killing dollar weed, dandilion, flax, chickeed, oxalis, and clover among others - all things chickens can (and should) eat. Also atrazine, which should not be used around watersources (rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, etc) or in their watersheds.

 

[TexasWineGuy]

U-S,

Excellent response, as well as your questions.

I have used 13-13-13 for decades to fertilize my trees, not really for the grass. Pre-chickens, I used a fertilizer spreader to spread the fertilizer around the tree, in a diameter that matched the circumference of the tree canopy. It's a proven performer for me.

Since we've had chickens I have not done this but I have seen a reduction in tree growth during this time, hence my original question.

Thoughts?

TWG

 

[U_Stormcrow]

OK, that clarifies, quite a lot actaully. I've done the same. That you have trees - and they obviously aren't moving - means I'm sticking with the suggestion of getting samples to your local extension office for a soil test. Because they aren't moving, your ability to add certain soil amendments (like turning in a couple cu yd of peat moss) is also impaired, so your potential solutions are impaired as well. OTOH, you don't need "production" out of trees - the fast growth, short season way its needed from a veggie garden (15-30-15), or (18-24-16) for flowering shrubs, or the "leaf and root, no bloom" solution (25-0-12) to grass lawn care.

I'd sweeten the ring around the trees with compost and manure or other "low nutrition/long time" fertilizers about 2" deep to within about 2' of the outer tree ring, then cover that with bark, wood chips, etc in a thick layer (2-3") of mulch for weed control. Your chicken droppings can actually be gathered when dry and either composted and spread, or spread directly on top of the mulch material and watered or rained in. No danger of burning your trees, and it will continue to amend the soil as it breaks down (as will the mulch - which is your best chance at altering soil pH over time - though a growing body of evidence suggests pine needles don't acidify the soil the way they were once believed to do)

 

[TexasWineGuy]

I have too many trees to fertilize by adding compost or manure. I have to go with a targeted granules IF I can do so without killing the chickens.

How about fertilizing one tree at a time, then using a locally placed sprinkler to soak in the granules? Would that work, as far as the chickens.

TWG

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I have too many trees to fertilize by adding compost or manure. I have to go with a targeted granules IF I can do so without killing the chickens.

How about fertilizing one tree at a time, then using a locally placed sprinkler to soak in the granules? Would that work, as far as the chickens.

TWG

get more chickens???

and yes, that would work.