What do you use for animal SAFE salt or de-icer?

[redhen]

I'm needing a VERY safe animal safe salt or de-icer for my back yard and deck where my animals walk. I have dogs/pigs/chickens/geese..that will come into contact with and most likely EAT it...
I dont want to use sand.. too messy...
Cat litter, not to sure about... same thing.. it doesnt dissolve..messy for my yard come spring..
What else do you guys use??

 

[Sherry]

Morton's makes a pet safe salt.

 

[eggbuster]

We just had freezing rain on top of old ice. Couldn't get out of the house. Happened to have a 5 gal. bucket of chicken feed on the porch. I broadcast it on the side walk and all the way to the barn. It gave me enough stick to walk on the ice and its totally poultry friendly. It won't melt the ice, but with this crazy winter I just have to make it a few days before it will be gone enough for industrial purposes.

 

[Oregon Blues]

I use coarse sand. Sprinkle on the ice and it provides excellent traction. Then sweep it off and it blends right into the soil.

What works best is to get out there and shovel snow. But if it gets ahead of me, I use the grit. Salt isn't good for the birds, but it is also very bad for your soil.

 

[justafeedboy]

use Urea 46-0-0 fertilizer it contains no chlorides will not burn feet. It is the main ingredient in Safe pet ice melter and some blue food dye and some polymer I believe.

 

[Nitrous]

A good shovel works great. If you have ice building up, you can get rid of it by tapping, in a line (not in the same place, over and over) and then shoveling out the ice. Use a piece of rebar or any long, sturdy chunk of metal.

 

[Yetti]

back when Sun flower seeds were cheaper I used them instead of salt. then the birds cleaned them up after everything melted