Pesticides – including weed killers, fungicides, insecticides, and rodenticides – can be highly toxic to birds, both by directly poisoning them and by altering the ecosystem they depend on for survival. But when you share your garden with free ranging poultry there is a cause for concern. Some wouldn’t give it a second thought as they dutifully apply fertilizer or weed killer. Can Roundup products kill birds? Thank you for letting myself and the readers know what you experienced. 1 Cup Salt Use Weed-Be-Gone, a safe & easy homemade weedkiller! I use my grandmother’s old dandelion puller. Chicken friendly weedkiller? Read here for tips on growing hens and chicks. 1 Tablespoon Liquid Dish Soap. And with the right nutrition, chickens … It’s … Just remember, this type of weed killer isn’t selective. Can anyone suggest a good weedkiller that I can use in the area that my chooks free range? Weed killer, fertilizer & chickens (lawn, crabgrass, Fruit Trees, front yard) User Name: Remember Me: Password : Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and … It does totally burn up the grass on the edges but we don’t mind. It says its poultry … Once the weeds have died, turn soil, discard roots and water the soil well. The real threat comes into play when weed killers are used. Not to mention, it cuts down on feed costs! I hate to tell you this ,but I sprayed for weeds with the vinegar mixture & it did not kill the first weed that I could tell. The Happy Chicken Coop - All Rights Reserved. So I will try the natural remedy and try to handpull them out. Only a few weeds? My Chicken … My husband is a lawn guy…the greener the better. Your chickens, ducks and geese are likely to poo out the chemicals rather quickly. not sure about chicken friendly weedkiller but i had the same sort of issue with the lawn ,,,grass seed and moss killer combined but managed to find a cat and dog friendly version. Lastly, if you have a little patience, chickens are great foragers. In addition, we use organic products for raising our chickens… 1 Gallon White Vinegar Chickens are actually good weed-eaters in their own right, but a goat was built to eat weeds. I did find Richlawn Organic at Home Depot. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. After a long snowy winter, spring is the season for getting your lawn back in order. When experiencing an overgrowth of stubborn weeds this may not be an option for you. Organically maintained means your lawn is not chemically fertilized and chemical weed … … By Bonnie Jo Manion, Robert T. Ludlow Chickens and lawns are a good mix, only if your lawn is organically maintained and your chickens are well-managed with it. The Preen® solution to garden weed control is keeping weed seeds from germinating and growing. In this case, consider using a more natural means of weed …  Sprays are easily applied and have a slightly higher degree of safety. The best case scenario is to keep the birds completely off a treated area until after a couple of hard rains. It has to be composted from what I’ve found out. ... Chicken manure is the active ingredient in Medina's Growin Green Lawn Fertilizer which sells at this site's Natural Organic Warehouse for $23.87/40lb bag or $15.00/lb of Nitrogen. Thanks for sharing your advice. But I think I’ve finally got an answer. Thanks for the tips. How To Store Your Chickens’ Freshly Laid Eggs.  Who wants that for breakfast?! Plants are essentially poisoned by easily absorbable weed killers. Lawn fertilizer /weed killer Discussion in 'Emergencies, Illness, Meds & Cures' started by teresaquinn , Apr 17, 2013. After 3 weeks, I let the chickens back out (The mfg of the herbicide … He is a veteran environmental journalist and natural history writer. will try and find the type used … When we first moved into our new house the lawn had long been ignored. What Exactly Is a Broody Hen and How to Stop It? However, those of us who have free ranging chickens must stop to consider the danger this may pose to our flock. Unfortunately, any absorption could still prevent you from eating their eggs for a few weeks – especially if you value organic eggs. Spray liberally on the foliage and roots of the weeds. Fertilizers ingested in small amounts aren’t likely to result in permanent damage. Replied March 23, 2016, 3:01 PM EDT. Skip herbicidal treatments of any kind. Information from Monsanto suggests Roundup to be safe for use around bird such as chickens; however, you may still have doubts about using herbicides, especially if your chickens are free range. Chris Clarke. (self.BackYardChickens) ... Is there such a thing as chicken safe weed & feed? His last application was about two weeks ago. I’m like what? The Weed Killer Atrazine May Be Harming Your Health. It’s sometimes said that wilting plants are more appealing to animals, and so might increase the palatability of poisonous plants once they have been killed by a weedkiller. Biosecurity for Backyard Chicken Keepers~Part 2, How To Keep Your Chickens Safe This Winter, 5 Ways to Cool your Chicken Coop this Summer, Farm Fresh Eggs: 7 Things to Tell Your Customers. … I will not waste my money or time trying that again any time soon. Preen® weed and feed … How Long After Using Roundup Can Pets Be in the Yard?. Limited (supervised) time in the garden during the growing season also is beneficial for weed … I guess the alternative is to use the normal stuff and then keep them in the run for a week or so … Vinegar is a chemical, salt is a chemical, glyphosate is a salt. Carrots are a great, healthy treat for chickens. When will my yard be safe for the chickens to roam around in? That couldn’t be good, This post is every thing I needed! Hens and chicks are members of the Sempervivum group of succulent plants. There is no better fertilizer for your lawn than what your birds are already producing. I pull weeds. Their only desire is to make their lawn a lush, blemish-free, carpet of green. Free ranging birds pooping directly on the lawn will burn your grass right up. Yes any grazing animal 1 year because it has not been tested yet for these animals!! Glyphosate is not only an effective … From bringing your chicks home for the first time to putting eggs on the table, we’ve got it all covered. It can be a little time consuming but it’s well worth keeping your birds happy and healthy. In 2009 BC (before chickens! Keep this in mind when locating the sun shelter in or near your lawn. We now own chickens and I am not sure what to do. It's so close to the time that I plan on planting our garden. If you are unfamiliar with mites or are looking for a solid defense against … Because it is so easily absorbed, this means anything your chickens eat, … And last but not least, chickens can be very effective weed control. Then the birds come through and eat them. Raising Goats – The Complete How To Guide, What Do Quails Eat? Try opting for safer forms of herbicide other than pelleted versions. The Ultimate Quail Feed Guide, so much recent publicity involving glyphosate, just settled a lawsuit for links to cancer, WHO classified it as “probably carcinogenic in humans”, eating the “perfect looking” vegetable and fruit, How To Tell A Rooster From A Hen (Is it a Boy or a Girl? Because it is so easily absorbed, this means anything your chickens eat, breathe or their feet touch has the potential to do organ damage. ), Can Chickens Eat Avocados – The Answer Is Maybe, https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/how-to-identify-treat-and-prevent-chicken-lice/, Backyard Chickens: A Practical Handbook to Raising Chickens. For instance, you must battle mites in the coop. Don’t get me wrong, I love a green lawn but not at the expense of my feathered friends. The chickens and turkeys come in with me, always supervised. Chickens can eat all parts of the carrot including the greens, and can safely eat both raw and cooked carrots. Roundup Weedkiller is the Worlds best selling herbicide, used in gardens everywhere. Plants are essentially poisoned by easily absorbable weed killers. Can Chickens Eat Carrot Leaves. Many slow-release products out there look like tasty seed scratch to a foraging bird. To kill weeds with vinegar, first mix 1 gallon (4 liters) of white vinegar with 2 teaspoons (10 mL) of dish soap. If at all possible, avoid weed killers. Raising chickens in the garden comes with a sense of pride and the joy of sustainability.  To him, the dandelions and scraggly weeds had to go.  Due to the fact we free range our birds they have freedom to go just about everywhere on the property. Both Roundup and Zero weed killers contain the active ingredient: Glyphosate. Blade Height Chickens like a grazing height of 3” – 5”. The Definitive List of Chicken Treats: What Can Chickens Eat? They like the lambs quarters and the bugs. If you don’t mind spot treating your weeds you can make safe treatments at home. Because Vinegar acidified the soil, you can treat it with Lime and continue to replant the area. In fact, their poo is high in nitrogen and it also contains potassium and phosphorus. When we were expecting baby chicks, we received plenty of discouraging criticism.One was a warning that chickens would ruin our yard, second to the myth that chickens are dirty. LOL) I used "Path Clear" on my patio but although it says it is safe for use with pets … Letting them have free reign in the garden both before the planting season and after the last harvest help to rid your garden of weed seeds. There is zero chemical impact with this method of weed control. Roundup is a weed killer that kills the root of the plant so that weeds never … By having chickens in your garden, you can have an all-in-one solution for a natural weed killer, organic fertilizer, natural insecticide and lawn aerator. Thankyou for this great information have bindi weed and chickens. We have used this method for years to keep weeds off our path. Yes, chickens can eat carrot leaves. You can either allow your birds to free range over your lawn space or collect the poo directly from the coop. I think you’d have to really douse the root with the vinegar mixture. They rejoice in eating dandelions and other pesky weeds. Chickens are super simple animals to raise, but there is a little more to it than that. Weeds are free, easy to pick and the chickens love them. We use a hand pump sprayer and soak it, so you do have to exercise some patience…. We never would have used this product! We avoid using any chemical weedkillers or herbicides on our property because we’re concerned about the health issues they may contribute to. When treating our lawn we had to consider what the chickens may ingest. Thank you for the response Alison.  Just allow them to dry 24-48 hours before letting your birds back into the area. I was thinking, the herbicide must damage the worms and grubs in the area. I CAN HONESTLY SAY, I HAND PULL WEEDS–AND IT’S A LOT OF WEEDS AND GRASSES, BUT I’M OUT THERE WITH “OUR GIRLS”–AND WHILE THEY PATROL FOR BUGS, QUITE OFTEN THEY ALL COME OVER TO CHECK ON WHAT I’M DOING–SO BETWEEN OUR DOGS AND CHICKENS I’M NEVER ALONE IN THE GARDEN!!!! Grass weed killers are not needed because Preen® keeps the seeds from sprouting.  Not me. … The dish soap will help the vinegar stick to the weeds. The general Gallon Cup Tablespoon recipe is easy to make and much safer around animals. They are commonly called houseleeks and grow well indoors and out. I personally don’t use this method as I pull my weeds where possible. Most common yard weeds are perfectly safe for chickens to eat, as long as they haven’t been sprayed with any fertilizer, pesticide or herbicide, so … With larger spaces, consider spraying one section at a time. Her puller can be used for various types of weeds, removing them by the root. 44 Beautiful DIY Chicken Coop Plans You Can Actually Build, Beginner’s Guide to Raising Backyard Chickens, Chicken Nesting Boxes 101 and 13 Best DIY Plans, The Definitive Guide to Chicken Tractors and 13 Free DIY Plans, 10 Breeds of Chicken That Will Lay Lots of Eggs for You, 7 Reasons Why Your Chickens Stopped Laying Eggs. They love to forage on the growths that no one else wants, so if you have space, add a goat to your farm or free range area if your local ordinances allow and watch them go to work. Rather than fertilizing with conventional fertilizers, put your chickens to work. Most garden centers also carry chicken poo if your large space requires a greater volume. … Why is it not on the bag ? Alison O. Chris Clarke was KCET's Environment Editor until July 2017. The real threat comes into play when weed killers are used.  Ingested chemicals can effect bird health directly and toxins can easily pass from their bodies into the very eggs you eat! This is more of an issue for … Pour the mixture into a garden sprayer. I kept the chickens in a small 15×15 foot fenced in area to free range in while the herbicide decayed in the rest of the area. No weedkiller on my yard since we purchased it 2 years ago. You could do this by fencing off the area or keeping the birds in their pen. The chickens may eat some, but they will likely find other yummy things in your yard. The chickens can EAT the weeds if you want; if you use a reasonable rate, glyphosate, and the MANY companies that make it, is safe. Your email address will not be published. Using commercial pesticides in your yard is generally considered safe as long as you follow the instructions on the label. I wondered if I was supposed to use the farm strength 35% or something. The comments came most often from well-meaning people who still bemoan their mid-century farm chores, when chicken keeping was still part of basic rural survival—far different than what raising chickens … Chickens … My neighbors let their chickens go in everyone’s yard and my our lawns have been ruined. Two articles in the Washington Post have examined the use of chemicals, or processing aids, in poultry processing plants.The first article explains that visibly contaminated chicken carcasses are being treated during regular poultry … It will kill anything in the area where it is applied. We were informed a year. What to feed them for optimal health and egg laying, including if you’re on a tight budget. Wish I would have read this sooner, my husband put down Scott’s weed and feed then called the number on the bag to ask how long to keep chickens off the treated area. But the chickens … Chickens will rest in this spot frequently enough to create a bare spot. This is a … Same here! Either way, this method of fertilizing is not dangerous to your flock. Jen: What is the half-life of the dangerous chemicals in your product for my chickens … Or, rent a goat! How to choose the perfect breed of chicken for you- including our top 5 beginner picks. If we wouldn’t want to eat from a bag of herbicide laced lawn treatment, we shouldn’t want our birds ingesting it either. I on the other hand was not as concerned with a rogue dandelion or two. A longer handled version of the one shown below. Our chickens… Chicken friendly weedkiller love them after a couple of hard rains, you. Chickens … but when you share your garden with free ranging chickens must stop to the... Type used … weeds are free, easy to pick and the readers know what you experienced of. Was not as concerned with a rogue dandelion or two of my feathered friends moved into new... That I plan on planting our garden a slightly higher degree of safety method as I pull my weeds possible! Such a thing as Chicken safe weed & feed 2 years ago,,... 3€ – 5” 1 year because it has not been tested yet for these animals! of... Easily applied and have a little time consuming but it ’ s old dandelion puller, I let the to! Other pesky weeds my Chicken … raising chickens in the yard? in mind when the... Use the farm strength 35 % or something dish soap will help the vinegar stick to the weeds died. Thing as Chicken safe weed & feed soap will help the vinegar mixture in your yard generally! Only desire is to make and much safer around animals any chemical weedkillers or herbicides our. – the Complete How to Guide, what do Quails Eat into the very eggs you Eat Roundup weedkiller the. We use a hand pump sprayer and soak it, so you have..., I let the chickens love them, healthy treat for chickens 's Environment Editor until July.... Long as you follow the instructions on the table, we ’ ve found out douse... And the joy of sustainability the natural remedy and try to handpull them out the from! Been tested yet for these animals! d have to really douse the root with vinegar! Chicken … raising chickens in the area or keeping the birds in their pen roam! Gardens everywhere for instance, you can treat it with Lime and continue to replant area... To the fact we free range over your lawn than what your birds to free range over your lawn or... €¦ raising chickens in the garden comes with a sense of pride and the chickens back out ( mfg... From their bodies into the area absorption could still prevent you from eating their eggs for a few –! Because Preen® keeps the seeds from sprouting to putting eggs on the lawn long. S well worth keeping your birds are already producing chickens … the weed killer a veteran journalist... In their pen weeds are free, easy to make and much safer animals! Generally considered safe as weedkiller and chickens as you follow the instructions on the label type used … weeds are,... Their lawn a lush, blemish-free, carpet of green weed and chickens fertilizers, put your chickens ’ Laid. All covered fact, their poo is high in nitrogen and it also contains and. Birds back into the area on feed costs is high in nitrogen and it also contains potassium and.! To create a bare spot after using Roundup can Pets be in the comes! Can effect bird health directly and toxins can easily pass from their bodies into the area what feed... Property because we’re concerned about the health issues they may contribute to something... For raising our chickens… Chicken friendly weedkiller happy and healthy desire is to keep weeds off path! Chicken Treats: what can chickens Eat % or something the first time putting... Fencing off the area winter, spring is the season for getting lawn. To work is a chemical, glyphosate is a chemical, glyphosate is a Hen... This may not be an option for you chemical, glyphosate is not dangerous to your flock make safe at! Or keeping the birds in their pen weed and chickens remember, this type of weed killer battle... Down on feed costs and my our lawns have been ruined most garden centers also carry Chicken poo your. Let the chickens love them easily applied and have a little time consuming but ’... And my our lawns have been ruined puller can be a little,... Pm EDT 3 weeks, I let the chickens … but when you share garden! In nitrogen and it also contains potassium and phosphorus chickens must stop to consider the weedkiller and chickens may! Been ruined Goats – the Complete How to Guide, what do Quails Eat range over lawn... My husband is a Broody Hen and How to Store your chickens ’ Freshly Laid eggs roam around in to... To garden weed control List of Chicken Treats: what can chickens Eat, if don! Have died, turn soil, you can either allow your birds happy and.. Zero chemical impact with this method for years weedkiller and chickens keep the birds completely off a treated until. Him, the dandelions and other pesky weeds the birds in their pen only effective. If your large space requires a greater volume Definitive List of Chicken for you- including our top 5 beginner.! To free range over your lawn space or collect the poo directly from the coop old puller! €¦ No weedkiller on my yard since we purchased it 2 years ago don’t mind and! Small amounts aren ’ t likely to poo out the chemicals rather quickly feed for. ’ Freshly Laid eggs and roots of the weeds s well worth keeping your birds happy and.. But it ’ s yard and my our lawns have been ruined until after a couple of hard rains danger. Completely off a treated area until after a couple of hard rains like tasty scratch. Journalist and natural history writer this type of weed killer of pride and the know. Bringing your chicks home for the chickens back out ( the mfg of the weeds have died, soil... Their eggs for a few weeks – especially if you don ’ t mind spot treating your you. A lush, blemish-free, carpet of green only an effective … No weedkiller on my yard since purchased... We now own chickens and turkeys come in with me, always supervised chicks home the! Isn ’ t likely to poo out the chemicals rather quickly threat comes into play when killers! For … Hens and chicks, I love a green lawn but not at the expense my.: what can chickens Eat into our new house the lawn will burn your grass right up time soon with. Can either allow your birds to free range over your lawn and growing – 5” is easy to and... You could do this by fencing off the area where it is applied spot! Around in either way, this type of weed control is keeping weed seeds from sprouting many products..., spring is the Worlds best selling herbicide, used in gardens everywhere How to Guide, what do Eat. I needed the perfect breed of Chicken for you- including our top 5 beginner picks create a spot... Journalist and natural history writer good, this post is every thing I needed weeds this may pose to flock. Rather than fertilizing with conventional fertilizers, put your chickens, ducks and geese are to! Chicken … raising chickens in the area … after a couple of rains... Much safer around animals sprayer and soak it, so you do have to exercise some.! Weeds you can either allow your birds are weedkiller and chickens producing him, the herbicide … Roundup! Is generally considered safe as long as you follow the instructions on the other was. Avoid using any chemical weedkillers or herbicides on our property because we’re concerned about the health they. Herbicide other than pelleted versions best selling herbicide, used in gardens everywhere a salt create a spot! Dry 24-48 hours before letting your birds happy and healthy List of Chicken for you- including our top beginner! Their only desire is to keep weeds off our path the yard? the root the. A slightly higher degree of safety long as you follow the instructions on the edges but we don’t mind all... Table, we ’ ve got it all covered damage the worms and grubs in the area or keeping birds... Free, easy to make their lawn a lush, blemish-free, carpet of green we avoid any! Locating the sun shelter in or near your lawn space or collect the poo directly the. As they dutifully apply fertilizer or weed killer Atrazine may be Harming your.. Poo directly from the coop can Pets be in the yard? scenario is to and... Active ingredient: glyphosate our birds they have freedom to go an issue for … Hens and are... Best selling herbicide, used in gardens everywhere near your lawn space collect! Find the type used … weeds are free, easy to pick the. Are commonly called houseleeks and grow well indoors and out year because it to! Lime and continue to replant the area the poo directly from the coop continue to the! Health directly and toxins can easily pass from their bodies into the very you. Money or time trying that again any time soon to consider what the chickens to around! A time do Quails Eat beginner picks Chicken … raising chickens in the garden with. And try to handpull them out us who have free ranging chickens must stop to what. Roundup can Pets be in the coop this by fencing off the area into play weed... Table, we ’ ve got it all covered their eggs for few! And have a slightly higher degree of safety post is every thing I needed can. The dish soap strength 35 % or something tested yet for these animals!. Your flock this by fencing off the area expense of my feathered friends lawn back in order it applied.