Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Fertilization Fertilizer?

I got 6 Guinea Hens and 1 Chicken in the spring. Was gonna build them a coop but they took roost in a tree overhanging the ponds edge. Where they roost is half over the pond and half on the bank. There is plenty of dropping going right into and near the pond in this spot, its at the shallow end. Do you all think its good natural fertilizer or maybe not? Thanks Joey Hope all is well at PB its been a while.

Holy Moly Joey, where ya been?
I don't have an answer to your question, wait for one of the experts. Perhaps Theo, I think he knows a thing or two about Chicken poo. Thanks for posting and don't be such a stranger!

Joey how big is the pond and what do you guess the volume of fertilizer is? Do you get other fertilized runoff?

The pond is about 3/4 A. Not a lot of fertilizer run off, maybe some from the garden but otherwise I dont fertilize the grass. I would guess the birds droppings around the roost amout to a good cupfull a day.

I did not do any extra fertilizing last year just the extra nutriants from the fish food. The ponds seemed good to me, not to much algea or extra weed growth, fish of all sizes seemed good.

One fact I can say about the Albino Cats( not really to do with fertilizer). I have what I considered a lot of them and there getting big, pushing 7 -10 lbs so I caught a few and took them out for food. To my surprize there was ONLY greens in all there bellys, no fish, and no feed which I knew because they dont come up for the feed. All green mossy stuff. So the rest got a pass. I like them even more now that I know there not eating everything in sight. The other monster cats which I believe are Blue channels, there not normal channels there mouths are differnt. I have 3 big ones about 15 lbs or more pounds, they on the otherhand eat sunfish as big as 6 inches maybe bigger. At least one is coming out in the spring.

What makes you say that?

Joey, I tolerate 3 ducks per acre. Considering the Guineas and the chicken probably go toidy on dry land part of the time, you are probably under my limit. If you don't consider the pond to be overrun with vegetation, I wouldn't worry.

Chickens are really hard to paper train, anyways.

OK good... was hoping it might be a plus.... Here is pictures of the fertilizers hehehe Somepeople say she is a easter egger? Possably blue eggs but 7 months old and nothing yet!

I think you are safe - I agree with Theo's assessment.

Maybe OK in the short term, but quite a bit of N2 over the long haul. Too bad the cats are attracted to the green moss. How did they taste?
Maybe if not for them, the vegetation would be worse. I would try and change the poultry's habits; get them guineas out there chasing ticks. Maybe some pie tins in the tree would discourage them. 1cp/day. 2 gal/month of hot stuff in the summer is more than I would tolerate. But, then again, I hardly let the fish woo woo in my pond.

The Cats tasted really good..and ya they seem to be keeping the greenery in check. I have one big Koi in there also, she or he used to eat pellets but quickly stopped he increased his size 10 fold in one year, eating moss I guess. The birds free range all day, they just go in that tree at night. I never saw them in it during the day. There to busy going in the street becoming road pizza... started out with 7 down to 5....

"There to busy going in the street becoming road pizza... started out with 7 down to 5.... "
One of our WV meisters will be along tomorrow with a recipe, I'm sure.

Joey.
How is the pond these days? And those birds? The Aurucana should have been giving you green or blue eggs at 5 months of age. I had one though that lived several years until killed by a malemute. When I gutted her, she was hermaphroditic, and had never laid an egg.
I've got a bunch of hens and am considering putting just a small quantity of their hen house litter into the inflow stream to my pond(after soil and water tests this summer). My pond is small, 1/5 acre, cool water, clay alkaline soiled, probably low fertility.
I'd appreciate more observations from you about how your water body is fairing.
Thanks.