Why is my chicken feed killing everything that grows where I throw it?

[Marcy74]

I've found it troublesome that where ever I throw my feed mix. Organic scratch grains, sunflower, and egg layer mix everything dies. My hens are laying terribly this summer as well. Makes me wonder if the food is intentionally being altered to make things harder for those of us wanting to live outside of the system. I'm getting maybe 2 eggs a day out of 8 hens in their prime. What would they add to the food that kills everything to the root, weed killer doesn't even kill this well. I might just start sprinkling chicken feed on the weeds in my driveway. Any thoughts

 

[Iluveggers]

I've found it troublesome that where ever I throw my feed mix. Organic scratch grains, sunflower, and egg layer mix everything dies. My hens are laying terribly this summer as well. Makes me wonder if the food is intentionally being altered to make things harder for those of us wanting to live outside of the system. I'm getting maybe 2 eggs a day out of 8 hens in their prime. What would they add to the food that kills everything to the root, weed killer doesn't even kill this well. I might just start sprinkling chicken feed on the weeds in my driveway. Any thoughts

What brand of fees are you using? Where did you get it? Can you post a pic of the grass that was affected?

 

[Marcy74]

This is the two areas where I sprinkle it, the chickens don't scratch here as they eat in the morning the feed them go out and free range, my whole yard has nice grass besides where I sprinkle. I think I use organic dumar, organic chick starter from nature best. And dumor layer crumbles

 

[Marcy74]

My mother as well buys Scratch grains to feed the wild birds and had noticed the grass gone where she puts it as well

 

[Weeg]

My mother as well buys Scratch grains to feed the wild birds and had noticed the grass gone where she puts it as well

Scratch and Peck sprouts. I sprout grains for my birds and use Scratch and Peck as my sprouting grains. I might understand if pellets were killing things, but Scratch and Peck shouldn't.

At this point I'm assuming that the wild birds are finding the feed your throwing out, and scratching up the ground while eating it.

Also, why were you sprinkling pelleted feed around the coop? Where you trying to sprout it? A pelleted feed is made of finally ground grains, they wont grow anything in such a processed form.

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

It looks like ground that has been scratched up by the birds, which I would expect form feed that's been tossed out on the ground. Nothing kills plants more dead than bird feet.

 

[Iluveggers]

It looks like ground that has been scratched up by the birds, which I would expect form feed that's been tossed out on the ground. Nothing kills plants more dead than bird feet.

That’s what I was thinking, too. If your birds don’t spend a lot of time there, but the food is gone, either they are eating it and in the process pulling out grass, or wild birds are.

 

[Marcy74]

It looks like ground that has been scratched up by the birds, which I would expect form feed that's been tossed out on the ground. Nothing kills plants more dead than bird feet.

That’s what I was thinking, too. If your birds don’t spend a lot of time there, but the food is gone, either they are eating it and in the process pulling out grass, or wild birds are.

The chickens eat it within seconds then run into the yard. I'll do a test and this week put them where no birds can scratch and see what happens

 

[Marcy74]

Scratch and Peck sprouts. I sprout grains for my birds and use Scratch and Peck as my sprouting grains. I might understand if pellets were killing things, but Scratch and Peck shouldn't.

At this point I'm assuming that the wild birds are finding the feed your throwing out, and scratching up the ground while eating it.

Also, why were you sprinkling pelleted feed around the coop? Where you trying to sprout it? A pelleted feed is made of finally ground grains, they wont grow anything in such a processed form.

In thinking there might be something in the larger crumbles, maybe excess nutrients or something in it that kills the ground

 

[Weeg]

In thinking there might be something in the larger crumbles, maybe excess nutrients or something in it that kills the ground

It wouldn't surprise me. Cornmeal keeps seeds from germinating. If you sprinkle corn meal in a garden bed with mature plants, it will keep new weeds from growing. Maybe that has something to do with it.

I would be surprised if the Scratch and Peck was killing the ground though since thats only whole grains. I guess there is the fines though.