nannyhenny Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 Does anyone know of a general fertiliser that you can use where hens free range? My girls roam around our soft fruit and shrubs but I like to give the plants a spring boost of general fertiliser. I know that you can use Aftercut safely on lawns that hens use (I phoned to ask the manufacturers) but the makers of Growmore general fertiliser say to keep hens off ground where it's been used for 2 weeks. Could I use Aftercut on shrubs etc, I wonder - is it that much different from the general stuff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueSilver Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 You could try something a bit less chemical-y - fish, blood and bone meal for example, or a seaweed/comfrey combination to water in. I use fish/blood/bone and chicken manure pellets (as I didn't have hens yet at their poo needs to break down for a while before it can be used). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 I've used bonemeal Nannyhenny, over the lawns around the fruit trees. But I did apply it just before rain, whilst they were in the runs, so that the dust washed into the ground. Of course the chickens are supplying general fertiliser anyway. Danger here, as you realise, is that they eat grass shoots so anything on them will be ingested. Can you dig anything in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 How about a bit of chicken manure? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nannyhenny Posted March 10, 2014 Author Share Posted March 10, 2014 I do make great compost with the coop shavings and poo, of course, but I've used all the nicely rotted stuff and the rest is waiting for some warmth to rot it down! I contacted J. Arthur Bowers again and they said you can use a liquid fertiliser as long as it's dry before the hens scrat. I'll explore seaweed liquid, though - it's supposed to be great for fruit I gather. Good idea about chicken manure pellets - they surely ought to be ok! Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 10, 2014 Share Posted March 10, 2014 I was meaning the manure produced by your own hens. Chicken manure pellets are a by product of battery houses. I wouldn't recommend them because of the welfare issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueSilver Posted March 11, 2014 Share Posted March 11, 2014 Not always true, Eglutyne - for example; Parkhouse Compost does a non-battery-hen version of pellets, which are very good value for money. It's where I get mine. Just a matter of shopping around - read the fine print and do a bit of Google research. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nannyhenny Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 Have contacted Parkhouse and they are indeed free range chicken pellets. They also do a finer version for lawns. Think this may be the answer until my next lot of compost is ready! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
