Chickens may have eaten plant fertilizer!

[YoGuy]

Hi all,

You learn something new everyday with these hysterical lunatics!

I put down some basic fertilizer around my lime tree like a dolt, forgetting I hadn't yet blocked that area of the yard from my small flock of four young birds. It doesn't contain any pesticides/fungicides, just a straight NPK mix in the 8-8-8 range. I'm pretty sure they ate some of it.

So I'm guessing I probably should skip the eggs for a bit. If they did consume it, which I'm pretty sure they did, it was about a cup's worth. Slow release granules. They probably thought it was grit. Ugh.

My New Hampshire Red began laying last week and I'm getting almost an egg daily from her. The Dominique may have laid one or two also; I haven't caught her in the act yet. And the two RIRs haven't started yet.

I've looked through other threads and all I could find were situations where the birds got into grass fertilizer which often contains weed killing properties. This isn't that. It's for fruit tree/tropicals. Not organic, the basic NPK mixes one gets at a garden center.

They seem healthy, it's been a few days, acting very normally, eating, drinking, scratching, doing their thing.

Any ideas? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Thanks!

-YoGuy

 

[YoGuy]

Wowsa! I found a topic that nobody has any feedback about? On BYC? I'm shocked!

Up to this point I had amazingly fast responses to other posts. I'm hoping by bumping maybe someone will see who can chime in.

I really just need to know if their eggs are safe to use of they got into granular plant fertilizer/no pesticides. Can't believe nobody else has had this happen with these kooky birds that seemingly eat everything!

Thanks!

-YoG

 

[FeatherTay]

It’ll be fine. Eggs will be edible but maybe, depending on how much they ate, will taste finez

 

[YoGuy]

Thanks, much obliged. Wanted to confirm if they'd be edible or if we should limited intake for a couple days/weeks.

I read some similar posts regarding grass fertilizer which often includes weed killing agents and people recommended laying off for a while in that instance.

YoGuy