grass fertilizer and ducks

[Alysia Travis]

My ducklings recently accidently drank the water after we put fertilizer in the grass and the water from the sprinklers with the fertilizer in it reached the coop. Will they possibly die. They only drank around 3 slurps each

 

[Amiga]

My ducklings recently accidently drank the water after we put fertilizer in the grass and the water from the sprinklers with the fertilizer in it reached the coop. Will they possibly die. They only drank around 3 slurps each

I would put a teaspoon of food grade activated charcoal,powder in a cup of water and give that to them to drink from for an hour or two, just in case. It also depends on the fertilizer. Organic? Includes pesticides?

 

[nolamimi504]

Do NOT use it!!!!! Period. No it is not at all safe to use any type of fertilizer on a grazing lawn. It is "safe" for pets but dogs and cats don't go around eating every little crumble in the yard. It is very dangerous to ducks. Essentially it would be like putting it in their food. I'm saying this mostly for your husbands benefit. Your lawn will survive without fertilizer! In fact you have the best kind around, ducks! Their poop is great for lawns. Please, please, please do not let him use it anywhere around the duck. I wouldn't even chance it on the front yard due to run off. He can return the bag to the store or sell it on Craigslist but it is not safe at all to be around livestock that eat the grass. Same thing goes for grass seeds. If he ever wants to lay down seeds he will have to look for something that is not treated and is safe for grazing. I have yet to find anything to fit that bill in a normal hardware store.

My ducks have destroyed our backyard. We no longer have any grass in the backyard, only dirt, because of our weather/climate (Louisiana-HOT & HUMID) our dirt often turns to mud and the mud has begun to have algae spots in some areas and a complete section of the yard. Sometimes, it’ll storm for almost a week and then we have sunny, clear and hot skies. Attached pics of the algae and this week’s weather forecast. Someone suggested that we add grass seed because the grass will help prevent the algae? Will using Scott’s Grass Seed harm them? I know this is an old post but hoping you will see it and reply.

 

[Amiga]

Hi! I'm a duck mama and soil geek and plant nerd.

Fertilizer - nope. And grass seed may not take, in that spot anyway.

Nerding out:

Looks to me like you have very compacted, beaten up soil. Can happen to anybody, I am not dirt-shaming anyone.

What the soil could use is some good healthy biology.

Instead of grass seed, if you can find some nice organic compost, that's a good start. Depending on how much of a hurry you are in, you can sprinkle a thin layer of compost and then mulch (like, 6" minimum) over that with chopped straw, coir, a little peat moss mixed in, aspen shavings...stuff that won't turn gooey and won't harm ducks.

You could try - before mulching - deep tilling a section(once only), see if that speeds up the recovery.

I have found that wheat will grow in light shade in duck poo-enriched sawdust. Yup. That was NOT planned, but there it is. I'll see if I can snap a pic later.

They love that stuff. And dandelions. Up here above the Mason-Dixon, we have lots of dandelions. Some cool things about them are that ducks love the greens (free food), the roots push through compacted soil, improving drainage and soil health, pollinators thrive on the flowers, which you can eat or use to make wine or a salve for sore muscles, win-win-win-win . I grew up in the south and I think I recall dandelions aplenty.

How is the slope in the yard? Does the water all drain into the problem area? You can divert it with shallow channels, into a rain garden.

Rain gardens are just shallow 9-10" deep areas to collect rain runoff. There are web sites to help calculate size. Similar to above, you use nice mulch (not dyed bark) and plant appropriate plants. Remember sone plants are toxic to ducks and avoid them.

I'll go get a pic of that renegade wheat, out there growing in the shade on sawdust!!!!

 

[Amiga]

Thinking more, I have flax and field peas growing in the sawdust, also.

Let's see if I can upload photo's.

 

[Amiga]

Thinking more, I have flax and field peas growing in the sawdust, also.

Let's see if I can upload photo's.

View attachment 2722738

 

[nolamimi504]

Hi! I'm a duck mama and soil geek and plant nerd.

Fertilizer - nope. And grass seed may not take, in that spot anyway.

Nerding out:

Looks to me like you have very compacted, beaten up soil. Can happen to anybody, I am not dirt-shaming anyone.

What the soil could use is some good healthy biology.

Instead of grass seed, if you can find some nice organic compost, that's a good start. Depending on how much of a hurry you are in, you can sprinkle a thin layer of compost and then mulch (like, 6" minimum) over that with chopped straw, coir, a little peat moss mixed in, aspen shavings...stuff that won't turn gooey and won't harm ducks.

You could try - before mulching - deep tilling a section(once only), see if that speeds up the recovery.

I have found that wheat will grow in light shade in duck poo-enriched sawdust. Yup. That was NOT planned, but there it is. I'll see if I can snap a pic later.

They love that stuff. And dandelions. Up here above the Mason-Dixon, we have lots of dandelions. Some cool things about them are that ducks love the greens (free food), the roots push through compacted soil, improving drainage and soil health, pollinators thrive on the flowers, which you can eat or use to make wine or a salve for sore muscles, win-win-win-win . I grew up in the south and I think I recall dandelions aplenty.

How is the slope in the yard? Does the water all drain into the problem area? You can divert it with shallow channels, into a rain garden.

Rain gardens are just shallow 9-10" deep areas to collect rain runoff. There are web sites to help calculate size. Similar to above, you use nice mulch (not dyed bark) and plant appropriate plants. Remember sone plants are toxic to ducks and avoid them.

I'll go get a pic of that renegade wheat, out there growing in the shade on sawdust!!!!

OMG…Thank you..Thank you…Thank you sooo much. I’m definitely going to let my husband know. We moved into this house about 4 years ago and didn’t want or plan to do much with the backyard. Now, we have grandkids, which they’re outdoor toys are in our front yard, which is just as big as the back but with a huge oak tree-great for attaching their swing too, I think I’m just tired of constantly stepping in mud and having to wear fishing boots every time I go outside lol. We use pelletized bedding in our duck houses, it turns to pine saw dust, if I’m not mistaken? It’s just like Dry Den but sold by Tractor Supply since we can’t get Dry Den out here without paying huge shipping costs or ordering it from Amazon and a HUGE mark up.