Animal safe herbicide?

[roysha]

Is there such a thing?

Spring has sprung with the usual dramatic growth of weeds everywhere. In the past we have kept up with the weeds using Round-Up and 2-4D but because of that had to keep the chickens penned up which, at that time, wasn't too bad. However, with the drastic increase in the cost of feed, we would like to let the chickens run. We live in the country and have a rather large driveway and such, which in no way can I even think of keeping the weeds down mechanically.

I have looked at some of the "recipes" online for various "eco friendly" herbicides but have come to the conclusion that in most cases the cost is equal to the increased feed costs or are quite impractical from either a use point of view or availability of some of the components.

Anyone have a reliable "recipe" from their personal experience that is economical and easy to use?

[Froogal]

A combination of salt and vinegar was recommended to me for weed control in a driveway. I tried it. My driveway then smelled like pickles for about a week. Didn't bother the weeds one little bit

[GregLaROCHE]

As I remember there is a minimum time you are supposed to wait before letting animals graze on it. I used it a lot before, but now very rarely and only in small spots. I’m worried most about getting it on myself these days.

[HWooldridge]

I have heard of salt brine + Dawn soap, but I confess to never trying it. I use Roundup and just keep animals off for 48 hours. In your case, you might want to spray then mow the dead vegetation before letting the chickens out.

[kungfustyle]

YES +1 on salt and vinegar and dish soap. It works! might take a few applications, but it will even kill poison ivy.

[popper]

Don't know about the salt part but vinegar works, soap is sticky additive to get the vinegar to stick to the leaves. Salt in the ground kills the root system, for YEARS! Like copper but cheaper.

[barnetmill]

I use a mower and bush hog a lot and herbicide for areas that can not really be moved. I only have dogs and I keep them away for a few hours until the sun had dried out the herbicide. The dogs eat some weeds unlike chickens that can eat a lot of weeds.

[rancher1913]

try and get ahold of "milestone" its a long acting 24d that has no hold time for grazing. its big draw back is the animals manure can not be taken off the premise and it will kill broadleafs if you use the manure in gardens. basically the 24d gets in the grass and the grass emits enough to kill broadleafs and when the animals eat the grass it passes through them into the manure. it works wonders on thistle and goatheads

[barnetmill]

try and get ahold of "milestone" its a long acting 24d that has no hold time for grazing. its big draw back is the animals manure can not be taken off the premise and it will kill broadleafs if you use the manure in gardens. basically the 24d gets in the grass and the grass emits enough to kill broadleafs and when the animals eat the grass it passes through them into the manure. it works wonders on thistle and goatheads

I mix both 2-4 d and glyphosate. About 2 quarts of each to three gallons. If it will wet the plant it will kill most things. Some leaves tend to shed it off like water off a ducks back. Does not work too well on green briar that have those huge potato like tubers in the ground.

[Polymath]

My bee keeper cousins use vinegar in a sprayer out in front of their hives.

[farmbif]

I used a cup of salt with just enough boiling water to dissolve it, a gallon of white vinegar and half cup of dawn on some poison ivy. putting heavy coat on daily on hot dry summer days in about a week all the leaves started getting wrinkled and turned brown. but that was last year on a small area. ive got so many aggressive vines, poison ivy, honey suckle, and kudzu and others I'm seriously considering getting some crossbow or bk32 chemical brush killer. I have tried the keep the place chemical free, organic nuts are worth much more than non organic and to be certified organic need 3 years chemical free. but I'm super allergic to poison ivy and oak and they are super aggressive growers. I was cutting and pulling vines yesterday and will try the vinegar, salt, soap again after the forecasted rains and see what happens.

[rancher1913]

the "milestone" is a once a year application that lasts all year, only need a cap full to cover a large area. but it is a chemical. i just dont have time to apply homemade weed killer every day

[Rich/WIS]

A weed burner might be an option, other than ash no residue.

[contender1]

As noted,, the salt, vineger, & Dawn has been mentioned as a method you seek. It may take a few applications,, and regular use,, but it may be the answer for you.

I'll offer another idea.

Have you considered using a moveable chicken pen? Use it when you apply Round-up or 2-4-D or whatever,, for 2-3 days. Then let the birds roam. A mobile pen, can be placed where they can peck at whatever,, and moved to a different area easily. I know a guy who uses one on 3" wheels, and he's very happy with his results.

[Rapier]

Pasture Guard works for broad application on active pastures and hay field operations but is expensive.

[10x]

I mix both 2-4 d and glyphosate. About 2 quarts of each to three gallons. If it will wet the plant it will kill most things. Some leaves tend to shed it off like water off a ducks back. Does not work too well on green briar that have those huge potato like tubers in the ground.

A teaspoon of Dawn® dish soap mixed with that will help it stick to oily leaves

[MarkP]

A weed burner might be an option, other than ash no residue.

I was going to say the same. But sounds like you may have a large area, since you are in the country goats may be a good option.

[firefly1957]

Depending on how much area you have to clean up Really hot water can be effective if you can heat the dirt to 160 degrees it will also kill any seeds .

Only time I have actually used it was after a corn roast and it did work well pouring almost boiling water in thistle .

I have tried the "non toxic"* Vinegar dawn dish soap and Epson salt (Magnesium sulfate) and got really mixed results it would work in one place but not another , On one thistle plane when I got enough to kill it the spot was dead for three years !

*While they claim there is no chemicals in that mix they are just house hold chemicals and I do not know what can be made not only by mixing them but when they are put on the ground with who knows what !
I

[Wag]

I tried the salt/vinegar/soap combo which didn't work more than about a week.
Did the weed burner routine and heated it up to astronomically high temps. Worked for about two weeks.

If you can't use round up, just plan on using a weed eater for the summer.

--Wag--

[Duckiller]

There is no such thing as a safe herbicide. Herbicides eliminated the pheasant population in Southern Michigan. DNR keeps trying to bring them bacjk but as long as farmers are going to use herbicides in their fields there will be no great hunting.

[jonp]

DEF fluid will kill everything and is animal environment friendly

[firefly1957]

There is no such thing as a safe herbicide. Herbicides eliminated the pheasant population in Southern Michigan. DNR keeps trying to bring them bacjk but as long as farmers are going to use herbicides in their fields there will be no great hunting.

I grew up in Shelby Twp Michigan and spent a lot of time in Lapeer county hunting and fishing I have heard over and over how farmers and herbicide killed off pheasants but something else moved into the areas at the same times that pheasant populations plummeted and that is possums! The area of Shelby (Macomb county) I was in no longer had active farming when I first started seeing possums the pheasants went away then a couple years later the same started in Lapeer county to the north .

[firefly1957]

DEF fluid will kill everything and is animal environment friendly

I believe DEF is actually a fertilizer ! 32.5% urea and 67.5% de-ionized water.

Rock salt will kill weeds and be animal safe .

[5090SS]

You might check the label on Pasture Pro and see if it might work for you.

[Froogal]

I grew up in Shelby Twp Michigan and spent a lot of time in Lapeer county hunting and fishing I have heard over and over how farmers and herbicide killed off pheasants but something else moved into the areas at the same times that pheasant populations plummeted and that is possums! The area of Shelby (Macomb county) I was in no longer had active farming when I first started seeing possums the pheasants went away then a couple years later the same started in Lapeer county to the north .

Coyotes got all the pheasants around here. Had nothing to do with herbicides because those herbicides have been in use for many, many years and we still had an abundant pheasant population.

The coyotes seem to have moved on and the pheasant population is slowly coming back.

[Handloader109]

Goats.

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[jonp]

I believe DEF is actually a fertilizer ! 32.5% urea and 67.5% de-ionized water.

Rock salt will kill weeds and be animal safe .

DEF will burn it to the ground and last a couple of months. I've done it on the driveway with leftover from jugs from my semi

[Bmi48219]

I’ve had pretty good luck with salt, cleaning vinegar (the cheap stuff) and dish soap for weeds growing on our paver driveway. Sometimes you need to apply twice. It doesn’t seem effective on bushes or plants with woody stalks.
I’ve seen guys using “Rodeo” for aquatic vegetation, it may be worth a look.

[firefly1957]

Coyotes got all the pheasants around here. Had nothing to do with herbicides because those herbicides have been in use for many, many years and we still had an abundant pheasant population.

The coyotes seem to have moved on and the pheasant population is slowly coming back.

KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR POSSUMS IF you do not have them yet they are coming! Coyotes where very rare at the time and in the places I pheasant hunted they are heavy there now! If I remember correctly the bounty on them was $25 back in the 1970's .