My husband just sprayed weed killer

[hambor]

My husband just sprayed weed killer all over and we have chickens that I usually let roam around the yard in the early evening. What should I do and how long should I keep them in the coop before letting them out again?
He sprayed 2 different kinds of products, one was Roundup and the other was Ortho Groundclear.

 

[jjthink]

I would worry.
Don't know how long till the coast is clear. You are asking a very good question. I am trying to think who would know the answer, and not just the propaganda.
I let the weeds win at my place!
JJ

 

[coffeemama]

If we ever do this (which is rare) we wait until we have had a couple of good rains before letting them out.

 

[AK-Bird-brain]

I agree with coffee girl, when I fertilize my lawn I wait at least 2 good waterings or rains prior to feeding lawn clippings to the hens.

 

[Oblio13]

I'll just don't get the concept of lawns. Why is a monoculture of grass better than a healthy mix of "weeds"? What makes it worth the time, money and environmental damage to maintain? My neighbor is a fanatic, watering and fertilizing his grass to make it grow so he can cut it and throw it away and start all over again. On his deathbed I expect him to say something like: "I wish I had spent more of my life spreading broadleaf killer. If only I could have lived long enough to get rid of those dandelions."

 

[DuckLady]

Lawn???? What's a lawn?

Seriously, I would wait at least a couple weeks before letting your chickens back out. I would also water heavily to get the weed killer diluted. Round up is "supposedly" safe for animals, but they are probably talking dogs and cats who only eat grass top throw up anyway.

My hubby only attempted to use Round up ONCE in the back where the ducks and geese are. Notice I said "attempted". When I saw him happily heading out with his pump sprayer, we had a discussion.

Now he doesn't use it at all.

 

[chcknrs]

Hambor, I think it's time you sprayed your husband with a good, long, COLD shower!

 

[hoosierhen]

I share your concern. I am deathly allergic to poison ivy, and have some I would like to kill, but am afraid to use herbicide because of my animals.
I know your husband was thinking grass, not chickens. I would wait awhile to let them in the area he sprayed.
Did he leave an area where you might be able to let them use until the other is safe?? How many chickens do you have?

 

[hambor]

I am having a big art festival at my home on April 5th and he was only trying to make me happy by killing the weeds in the flower beds and on our brick patio. I guess he was too busy to pull them out like I had asked him to do. When the weeds die I guess I will rake it all up and put mulch down. Our lawn is mainly weeds and we just mow them down, we don't use fertilizer or anything on that. I did call ortho and they indicated that it would be safe to let them back out in 7 - 14 days. Thank you for your replies.

 

[wegotchickens]

My DH would love to do what yours did. Now we have a compromise: he can make the front yard 'pretty' but the backyard belongs to me & the peeps. I don't understand the lawn mentality. To me, anything green is cool.

When we were dating he had his lawn perfect at his old house. Bragged about no weeds. When he'd tick me off I'd threaten to shake dandelion seeds all over his perfect lawn. He laughed at me until I showed him the bag of seeds I collected.... From MY wild lawn!!!

His weeds are my wildflowers.