Fertilizing a Lawn with Chicken Safety in Mind

[Bear Foot Farm]

No regular spreader will handle compost, and you'd need about a ton for your yard anyway.

Just use a good balanced pellitized fertilizer, and put it out the day before a good rain.

It won't hurt the chickens

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

1 c regular Coca Cola (no diet) (thatch control)
1 c ammonia (use lemon scented if you want insect control)
1 c dishwashing soap (use lemon if you want insect control)
1 c antiseptic mouthwash (anti fungal)
1 can cheap beer (enzymes stimulate growth)
1 c liquid fertilizer

To really benefit plants, you have to supply the nutrients they need.

That is typically measured in POUNDS per acre, or pounds per 1000 sq ft

The small amount of material you're using doesn't contain enough of anything to provide any real benefits when spread over 12,000 sq ft

http://www.neuse.ncsu.edu/LawnCare.htm

Fertilizer Rates
A typical lawn feeding is 1 lb. of nitrogen per 1000 square feet.

Here are some common lawn fertilizer formulations and the amount of each needed for 1 lb. of nitrogen:

10-10-10, 10 lbs.

You'd need 120 lbs of 10-10-10 on your 12,000 sq ft lawn to apply ONE lb of actual nitrogen/1000 sq ft, and 3 times that much for your yearly total​

 

[SueBaby]

Quote:
Why, oh why would you want to fertilize your lawn. That just means you'ld have to mow it more!

Yes, I am a chicken/egg farmer

but I'm also a suburban resident with 3 kids that play soccer, baseball, tag, frisbee, you name it- on my lawn. We have cut back on about 1/3 of the area in our yard that used to be grass to save water, but we still have a front lawn and a big green plot in the middle in back. Here in So. Cal fertilizing is a must. I tried going without once and the weeds took over like crazy. Then the weeds go brown and it looks really bad. Frequent mowing and mulching of the clippings helps, but we still need to fertilize twice a year.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. It's been food for thought.

 

[brandislee]

I am going to do the clover thing, actually. We are NOT suburban and I would just as soon not have any grass at all (except that the kids like to play on it) in favor of pasture or garden/crops, but it's a sticking point with my husband and I choose not to push it... now. But overseeding with clover would improve the lawn as forage for the chickens... I like!

 

[mystang89]

I don't know. I normally fertilize our yard just before spring but when that time comes our birds won't free range for about a month until its sank into the ground and been rained on. I generally use normal 10-10-10 for my fertilizer.

 

[bleith]

Thanks for the info Bearfoot. I am interested in the fertilizer risks as well. good original post

 

[darkmatter]

Quote:
Why, oh why would you want to fertilize your lawn. That just means you'ld have to mow it more!

 

[mdbokc]

I use this from from our PBS station. No problems...safe for dogs, cats, chickens, etc......

1 c regular Coca Cola (no diet) (thatch control)
1 c ammonia (use lemon scented if you want insect control)
1 c dishwashing soap (use lemon if you want insect control)
1 c antiseptic mouthwash (anti fungal)
1 can cheap beer (enzymes stimulate growth)
1 c liquid fertilizer

Mix in a container. Place this concoction in a 20 gallon hose end sprayer and apply until grass is wet. I use one batch over my 12,000 sq ft thin blade fescue front yard. I apply every few weeks all growing season. It has worked fine for us. Compliments of local PBS station.

I purchase most items very cheaply from the local Dollar Store.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Quote:

Why, oh why would you want to fertilize your lawn. That just means you'ld have to mow it more!

If you will only get more chickens then you will never never need to fertilize or cut the grass ever again.

 

[AudieWarren]

Overseed with clover. Clover is a nitrogen fixer. it fertilizes the lawn every time you mow, and chickens LOVE it.

We just planted 100 lbs of clover mixed with 50lbs of rapeseed!