Safe de-icer

[Hobofarm]

Can anyone recommend a de-icer that is safe to use with chickens that free range? We bought "pet safe" , but that mostly refers to dogs and cats. Want to make sure if the hens were to peck at it or eat it they would be okay. Thanks!

 

[azygous]

Use wood ash. It is free and works as well as caustic de-icers and chickens won't get sick if they eat some of it. In fact, it's good for them. And it's good for your grass and plants, too.

How organic can one get? If you have no wood stove, this is a great excuse to get one.

 

[mandelyn]

Nothing you could buy at a store. Wood ash and maybe some sand for traction. Or use the pet safe and keep the birds from the area where it was spread, waiting until it's "used up" before letting them around the area again.

The stuff listed as pet safe has to do with burning their paws, not ingesting it. Rock salt can burn the pads of their feet.

 

[aart]

I keep stuff shoveled down as clean as possible,
then use sand for traction where ice forms.

Use wood ash. It is free and works as well as caustic de-icers

Does the ash actually melt the ice/snow?
That would be great, but not sure I'd want to track that into the house.

 

[azygous]

That's what mud rooms and garages are for, where you leave your filthy boots.

The wood ash adheres to the ice, not melting it, but providing a non-slip surface. Yes, it can be messy, but, winter is anything but tidy.

 

[aart]

The wood ash adheres to the ice, not melting it, but providing a non-slip surface.

Oh, then I'd rather use sand...
...much easier to clean up from coop shed and house entry than ash would be.

 

[Hobofarm]

Yeah, we do have ash, but the area we're concerned about is direct foot traffic inside. The chickens do range all the way up to our front door...so that is why we are concerned. Thanks for the responses!! Looks like sand may be our best bet for now. And manual labor. We did find out, however, that the chickens do NOT like the snow!! Haha

 

[henryt6]

Wood ash can also be used to create a non toxic brine solution that can be used to melt ice. Can find exact formula on line, but it is made by placing wood ash in a gallon of water, let it sit overnight to leach out the potassium and calcium. filter through cheesecloth. Add 1 gallon of white vinegar. pour resulting solution of potassium and calcium acetate into a sprayer (yard sprayer for pesticides/weed killer/fertilizer) an apply on icy areas. Can use to pretreat walkways or driveways before it snows to prevent ice from sticking. With this method you do not have ash on sidewalk.