Gordons Pasture Pro Plus weed and feed and chickens/guineas

[AppyChick77]

I need to deweed and fertilize my horse pastures, the pastures that my chickens and guineas free range in. In the past I have used Gordons Pasture Pro Plus with great success, but that was before I had my birds. The buttercups are going crazy here in TN. Does anyone know if this is safe for the birds to graze on? If it is not, what can I use that won't kill the grass and will take out the weeds that I can spray as a liquid for 8 acres? https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/gordons-pasture-pro-plus-one-step-weed-feed-15-0-0-2-1-2-gal . This is my first year with free ranging birds

 

[aart]

The horses and birds are not enough fertilizer?
Why are buttercups a problem?
I would not want my animals eating 2,4-D...or any other herbicide.
Tho I don't really know if and/or how it's detrimental to them,
might want to call your local agricultural extension.

 

[Folly's place]

2,4,D is potent stuff, implicated in causing cancer in man and beast, and best used nearly never, IMO. Have you read it's MSDS?
Buttercups ain't good either, and many fields do get treated with that stuff often, it's just not best. And definitely not because it will find it's way into any eggs you will be eating...
I don't know what alternatives there are, maybe check with your ag extension office, at least.
Mary

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Will goats eat the buttercups? There has to be a better way

 

[AppyChick77]

The horses and birds are not enough fertilizer?
Why are buttercups a problem?

Buttercups are toxic to horses. They wont eat them unless they dont have anything else as they dont taste good. The buttercups also grow really fast and tall and will coverup the grass so it cant grow well. It is a nuisance plant that can ruin a good pasture quick. While I do use my manure spreader with the horse manure for the pasture, it still needs lyme and fertilizer every few years...and its that time.

 

[Folly's place]

Toxic invading plants are miserable to deal with! Here we have hoary allysium, which at least the horses don't eat in the fields. We can't cut hay out there, because they would eat it dried. One year we did have the fields treated with 2,4D, and it reeked for weeks! And the rotten stuff regrew anyway, reseeding the following year. I'm hoping to overseed and manage things better this year too.
Then there's the multiflora roses along the fences, where we can't brush hog the stuff.
Flamethrower, maybe...
Mary

 

[Wolfie2]

Anything tha animals won't eat will eventually take over a pasture. Best preventative is to get it before it gets to be a problem. I have the birds and 4 goats on a 1 acre "pasture". Every few years I have to go on a rampage, spot treating with whatever kills the predominate weed at the time. Different products for different weeds. I will also dose with a pre-emergent to keep new weed from coming up. But this will also prevent the seeds from your forage plants from germinating.
There has been legal troubles and bad press for most classes of weed killer. They all are not good for mammals or birds or insects for that matter. It is what it is. You Do what you have to do. If the pasture grows nothing edible then you have a very high feed bill or no animals.
With that said, a vinegar solution will kill the tops of most any vegetation and is not toxic to animals. But it is not very effective either. It will kill everything down to the ground but roots and seeds will survive. If you get them early enough you will also prevent seeds, cutting down on next years problems. Also it will kill everything it touches, even the grasses and weeds that your animals like to eat (goats love select weeds). Will be more work but should be a lot less harmful to your animals.