# Fertilizer



## amumtaz (Jun 13, 2007)

Friend of mine went away over the weekend and asked one of his neighbors to feed his birds. By mistake the neighbor gave the birds fertilizers for the trees. Unfortunately, some of them died some of them still very sick but most of them are recovering from this deadly mistake. Any suggestions what he can do to make them feel better?


Thanks.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Any idea what fertilizer was used?

Pidgey


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## amumtaz (Jun 13, 2007)

*Palm Tree Fertilizer*

Yes it was Palm Tree Fertilizer that says "plant food" on it. It is a white 25 pound plastic bag. Thanks.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

We'll have to research it some. It looks like palm tree fertilizer has a lot of the normal stuff in it (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium as Potash) as well as some other stuff to help palm-type plants like zinc, molybdenum, manganese, iron, sulfur, copper, calcium and magnesium. They probably need to drink a lot of water to flush their systems.

Pidgey


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

That is terrible, sounds like the neighbor didn't spend much or any time with the birds and their routine prior to the owners trip.

You can give them dandelion leaves, be sure to wash thoroughly, it cleanses the bloodstream and liver .

Alfalfa tabs, human grade are also very good to detox the body and liver. It's loaded with some natural vitamins as well as chlorophyll. I have used it on my birds, for overall health, 1/4 of a human dose. I used it on some brooding hens who's poops were huge and smelled, after a dose of alfalfa the poops remained the same size, but the smell was gone.


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## KO Loft (Jul 1, 2007)

*contact vet*

I would contact vet. You will hear a lot of rememdies including i have heard carbon that is supposed to absorb the toxin but in college I learned the best way is to take poison to vet and get a specific treatment for the compound or else you may be doing more harm than good.

joe


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Couldn't find anything in the vet books about that for treatment purposes. Don't have any idea what damage could have been done, yet.

Pidgey


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

Well, it kinda' looks like there are different treatments for different possibilities. IV Methylene Blue for Nitrite Poisoning (Nitrates can get converted to Nitrites in the intestinal lumen under certain conditions) to the tune of a couple of milligrams per kilogram. The phosphates can cause organophosphate poisoning, which can cause seizures similar to pesticides and that takes Atropine.

It's just all over the board and I haven't found a way to guess which way to jump for this. The activated charcoal will pick up special carbon-based molecules but probably isn't worth a flip for the more elemental materials in this mix. You'd probably need to list the symptoms of individual birds and go from there.

Pidgey


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## Whitefeather (Sep 2, 2002)

amumtaz,
Please do pass along to your friend, my condolences on the loss of his birds.  



KO Loft said:


> I would contact vet. You will hear a lot of rememdies including i have heard carbon that is supposed to absorb the toxin but *in college I learned the best way is to take poison to vet and get a specific treatment for the compound or else you may be doing more harm than good.*
> 
> joe


I agree, Joe. This is something that needs *urgent* attention. 

I realize the incident is over, but I'm wondering how can one mistake fertilizer for seeds, unless the fertilizer 
was in pellet form.  

I would also suggest that your friend move the seeds to a spot where it absolutely cannot be mistaken for anything else. 

I hope the remaining affected birds recover without further incident.
Please do keep us posted.

Cindy


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

i was watching tv & they say that birds in the wild eat clay and charcaol to counteract any poison that they may have eaten.


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## amumtaz (Jun 13, 2007)

*Thanks*

Thanks to all of you for trying to help. His remaining birds are recovering and seems like they will make it.


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