Fertilizing a Lawn with Chicken Safety in Mind

[Bear Foot Farm]

My grass is green. The grass is thick enough that I do not have to deal with broadleaf weeds. So my yard is free from from weed killer, pesticide and insecticide applications. Been doing it for the last 15 years.

I bet it would stay that way without the treatment.
You're not removing any nutirents unless you always bag when you mow.

120 lbs on 12,000 sq ft of yard...I would never consider using that much in a year even if I was using bagged fertilizer let alone 3x that amount.

Then you're not adding enough to benefit the grass

Fertilizer to grass is like feed to the chickens.

If they need a pound, they can't get by on an ounce

If you're giving them an ounce, and they still thrive, they are getting what they need somewhere else, and the ounce isn't making any difference

It's just chemistry and physics​

 

[mdbokc]

Bear Foot,

No, if I don't spray that solution on the yard and do nothing, the grass will thin and weeds will start to take hold. And you are correct in that I mulch the grass every time it is mowed...which is not insignificant.

Jerry Baker, Master Gardener, (easily found with a search) is my guru on this. He has not steered me wrong on anything to date. His approach is about synergy of ingredients, not the application of raw product.

You say I am not adding enough to benefit the grass. I have to disagree. If I miss or extend the spray intervals too far apart, the grass suffers. It greens right back up within a couple of days of the application to a deep green. I encourage you to try it rather than dismiss it outright. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Here is my yard and the photo doesn't do it justice....especially after this year's record heat and drought. The "chemistry and physics" is synergy of the items used in the spray.

 

[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!

 

[pjuhl2313]

Hey there Mdbokc,

Does your mixture still work. I'm looking to fertilize my yard this spring and keep my chicks and ducks safe. We have just over 1/2 acre. Do you have an idea how much I would need for that amount of land?

 

[JLR]

I too, was curious weather chickens would eat the fertilizer pellets and cause problems. I live in the city and have a wooded lot and a large open grass area. Fertilizer is necessary. My soil is not the best, the yard gets a lot of traffic and unlike some I enjoy mowing and taking care of my yard. I always try to fertilize right before a good rain. I do need thick grass to handle volleyball, baseball, football and kids just playing hard. From previous posts it looks like fertilizer does not harm chickens. Is that the way it is?

 

[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!

 

[BY Bob]

I'm confused, don't the chickens fertilize your lawn? They do mine.

 

[JLR]

I'm confused, don't the chickens fertilize your lawn? They do mine.

I'm confused, don't the chickens fertilize your lawn? They do mine.

The same way a dog fertilizes the lawn.

 

[Henrik Petersson]

Must you use the deep litter method though? The nightsoil could come in handy on the places on the lawn where the chickens won't poop.