Fertilizer in the coop

[chickenlver2013]

Did they eat all the vegetation (grass) in the old pen where these bushes are?  What kind of shrubs, how big?   Plants that have an excess nitrogen load will often resemble plants that are UNDER fertilized.  I'd be a bit concerned, but not knowing your soil or climate, all I can do is sit here and speculate about what your climate is like now, and what your soil parameters are now.  If these shrubs are important to you... if you want to be sure they don't die, it might be worth having the soil tested.  I think the basic NPK test is about $15, and you can buy a kit for multiple tests for around $22.  If you are not too specific about the outcome, you could give them a dose of liquid fertilizer and see what happens.  Have they leafed out yet, or are they still dormant?  If they've leafed out, what do the leaves look like?  Can you post a picture?  I wouldn't fertilize any shrubbery until it's broken dormancy.

It's pampas grass or pampas bush whatever it's called

 

[lazy gardener]

Pretty stuff!

 

[chickenlver2013]

Pretty stuff!

I know and I figured as big as they get the babies can hide In it and play around. My other hens loved the bush I'm going to get one to put in there with the older hens

 

[aart]

Did they eat all the vegetation (grass) in the old pen where these bushes are? What kind of shrubs, how big? Plants that have an excess nitrogen load will often resemble plants that are UNDER fertilized. I'd be a bit concerned, but not knowing your soil or climate, all I can do is sit here and speculate about what your climate is like now, and what your soil parameters are now. If these shrubs are important to you... if you want to be sure they don't die, it might be worth having the soil tested. I think the basic NPK test is about $15, and you can buy a kit for multiple tests for around $22. If you are not too specific about the outcome, you could give them a dose of liquid fertilizer and see what happens. Have they leafed out yet, or are they still dormant? If they've leafed out, what do the leaves look like? Can you post a picture? I wouldn't fertilize any shrubbery until it's broken dormancy.

Good point...and I wonder if it's in an area that used to hold chicken if in fact that might be the problem.
Ditto on the dormancy, I don't think any kind of fertilizer will help if the plant is not actively growing.

Does pampas grass do better if cut down every year like other ornamental grasses?

 

[chickenlver2013]

Good point...and I wonder if it's in an area that used to hold chicken if in fact that might be the problem.
Ditto on the dormancy, I don't think any kind of fertilizer will help if the plant is not actively growing.

Does pampas grass do better if cut down every year like other ornamental grasses?

its slowly growing back because my father ran over the bush on purpose.

 

[aart]

its slowly growing back because my father ran over the bush on purpose.

It should start re-growing once it warms up and the days get longer, fertilizer won't speed that up, it takes time and water and sunshine.
I trim down all my ornamental grasses every year early in the spring.

 

[chickenlver2013]

It should start re-growing once it warms up and the days get longer, fertilizer won't speed that up, it takes time and water and sunshine.
I trim down all my ornamental grasses every year early in the spring.

What do you trim them with?

 

[aart]

What do you trim them with?

I use electric hedge trimmers, works pretty good and pretty quick.
I moved some this summer that were 10-15 years old, used a sawzall with an 8" bimetal blade to cut the root balls up....worked pretty good!

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I'm thinking the chickens are providing some of the best fertilizer known to man in your run already.