weed control

[Lazys]

My chickens and ducks free range on my 3 acres every day. Weeds will soon be popping up and I need to know what is safe weed spray. I need to kill the weeds and not grass, I can't weed eat, so I need to spray. Is it safe to spray and keep them off the area for a day or so? what brand of spray? Help...

 

[centrarchid]

I am not seeing a lot of smarts behind this plan of action. Meany of the weeds are likely to have superior value for the poultry. Consider use of a bush hog or other tractor-driven mower.

 

[Lazys]

Wow.... I don't think having a weedy property is smart.
Hopefully someone will actually help me..

 

[TalkALittle]

I'd be hesitant to use any weed killer. I know there are some that supposedly are "pet safe" after a certain number of days or after drying on the plant but I assume it means pets that don't eat the plants. Personally, I don't spray any vegetation that my dogs or chickens could come in contact with. I have found that the chickens actually eat many of the weeds in the yard anyway.

 

[centrarchid]

Wow....  I don't think having a weedy property is smart. 
Hopefully someone will actually help me..

You were provided sound advice all around.

3 acres will require a good amount of spraying or some manner of wicking if protection of grass and other desirable plants desired. Grass only will look pretty but nutritional value for free-range birds will be inferior to that provided by a more heterogeneous plant assemblage that in addition to edible plants can also support animal forages..

 

[chickenpatch]

I would keep the chickens away from the sprayed weeds for at least 2 weeks.
If they eat the weed kill or the affected plants they could get seriously ill. Do they have a smaller fenced off area or coop that they could be kept in?
I know it's not ideal to keep them cooped up for so long but this is for their protection, when you mow the lawn you could throw the grass clippings into the coop, also giving them plenty of vegies will keep their health up. Giving them a dust bathing pit and hanging up cabbage heads will help with their boredom.

 

[TheEggCollecter]

Don't kill weeds! They have such value for your birds. One day you will be like me and will be running out of lush green land for your birds.

 

[TalkALittle]

The following is a link to the fact sheet for potassium salts of fatty acids (a common active ingredient in insecticides/herbicides) published by the National Pesticide Information Center. It references toxicity levels for birds.

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/psfatech.pdf