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When raising backyard chickens, you obviously want to keep them safe and healthy. You also want to keep your lawn looking its best. For many homeowners, herbicides and pesticides are used to keep unwanted pests and plants away, but what do you do if you have backyard chickens? Are those same herbicides and pesticides safe for them to be around? Here we answer all of your questions about these products and how they’ll affect your chickens.
Herbicides
Herbicides are essentially chemicals that are meant to kill plants that are growing in your lawn. They’ll kill any plant they are used on, but people mostly use them for weeds. Chickens are omnivores, but they love to munch on any vegetation they can get their beaks onto. So, while it is possible to use herbicides in a controlled environment, chances are your chickens will digest it, and this could cause serious side effects including fatigue, illness, strange behavior, and even, in extreme situations, death.
Pesticides
Pesticides are poisonous chemicals meant to kill unwanted, living creatures such as pests, insects, and/or rodents. Considering your chickens are also living creatures, it can be extremely dangerous for them to be around pesticides. Those dangers may also be passed onto their eggs or meat, which could harm anyone who ingests them.
Safe alternatives
Sometimes the solution to your problem is staring right in front of you—namely, your chickens. Chickens, as we said before, are omnivores. This means they love to eat plants, weeds, insects, mice…. all of the things that you’re trying to get rid of with herbicides or pesticides.
Therefore, if you’re having problems with weeds or pests, the best solution is to introduce more chickens into your flock. At Chickens for Backyards, we have plenty of chicken breeds for you to choose from. Contact us today to get started!
