[SamT]

I would like to give our lawn a feeding and weed killing treatment but I notice most of them say to keep away from pets, our chickens come out every day and eat a lot of grass, are they any effective ones I can use that wont hurt the chickens?  If I was to use one of the standard ones and kept the chickens off it how long before I could let them eat the grass again?

Thanks

[Mum2mj]

I've been using my chickens to weed & feed my lawn! 

[Norfolkgrey]

Like Mum says.....the chickens  . I have read somewhere, someone putting maggots on the mossy patches as it encouraged the chooks to scrab like mad at the moss to get every last one 

[SamT]

Its mainly dandelions that we are having a problem in the lawn with, no moss luckily but they seem to have appeared in large numbers this year so want to keep them down.  For some reason they seem to eat everything but dandelion leaves. 

[Helenaj]

Its mainly dandelions that we are having a problem in the lawn with, no moss luckily but they seem to have appeared in large numbers this year so want to keep them down.  For some reason they seem to eat everything but dandelion leaves.

That's really  odd - mine will kill for a dandelion leaf! They won't usually eat the flowers but i have never had a problem with the leaf part of the plant

[Geo]

My lot love dandelion leaves. I used to stop on the way home from work at night and fill a large bag.
there are now none left in that area now buying cabbages

[Geo]

I put a moss / weed killer and feed down last year and the wild birds were eating it. I would not like to risk the hens feeding on it though.

[compostqueen]

The chickens will deal with all your moss!!!!! they will scratch it all up for you. You just have to collect it and green bin it. I've tried composting the darned stuff but it will take years, if ever, to rot down. I gave up on it and I'm a dogged composter   

When we moved to our current house the lawn was all moss. The chickens got to work straight away. it looked like an explosion in a mattress factory within minutes.  They eat the weeds, manuring the grass as they go. Give them a dust bath to avoid them digging holes in your green sward    My husband was appalled when I got hens but when he was viewing the lawn from the bedroom window he was a changed man. The difference in the section where the hens had been was a vast improvement on the bit they hadn't been let loose on.  After that he was a confirmed hen fan. They green the lawn up no end. Their scratching and removing of moss and weeds lets the air get in. Their poo manures the grass and it transforms it. All for free and no use of chemicals. 

[Norfolkgrey]

 

[compostqueen]

They eat the leaves greedily but leave the flowers. The bees love dandelion flowers. Put the weed killer away. You can take out the flower with a sharp knife if you're so keen on a pristine lawn.  My neighbour mows her lawn everyday then asks me for my dandelions for her tortoise and rabbits    She knows mine will be free from pesticide 

[barley]

if it says keep away from pets it says it for a reason 

you can get a tool to remove dandelions

[compostqueen]

Speaking of dandelions.  My family were garden watching yesterday at tea and saw a load of goldfinch on the seed heads. I was so chuffed at my tardiness. Finch food