Grazing outside?

[nikkidphoto]

I am moving into a house wit a big fenced in yard in the next two weeks. The yard is heavily overgrown and will be cut soon. I am trying to decide on an outdoor enclosure for my 10 month old red foot. Either a kiddy pool where I know for a fact no pesticides etc are used or an open bottom type where it can graze. My problem is I have no way to know if the previous tenants sprayed anything on the yard. And being so over grown wouldn't anything they sprayed eventually "grow out"?

 

[ascott]

If the prior owners used sprays then I would not use the area for grazing for at least a year from the last spraying (but since you do not know if this was done or not, I would wait for at least one full year).

Now, some folks will say go for it and that is entirely up to you....I am a bit OCD about the chemical aspect so I would wait if it were me

Yes, the new growth will eventually grow clean.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Can you ask the previous owners if they sprayed? They might tell you the truth...but it's a gamble.

You could search the yard itself. If you find weeds rampant throughout then you can guess they didn't spray weed killers.
If you find lots of bugs and bug eaten greens in the yard then you can guess they didn't spray bug killer. This is also a gamble.

You could take a 20'x20' patch and remove all the grass. Pull out some dirt, too. Make your pen perimeter on the bare spot and start over. Lay some new dirt and sow some fresh seeds.

Like Angela said, it's up to you but I hope I've given you some more options to consider.

 

[Tom]

You could search the yard itself. If you find weeds rampant throughout then you can guess they didn't spray weed killers.
If you find lots of bugs and bug eaten greens in the yard then you can guess they didn't spray bug killer. This is also a gamble.

I use this criterion regularly. Hasn't failed me yet. If I find a pristine weed patch with not a bug in it, I just walk away. If I find caterpillars, aphids, bug eaten leaves, rollie pollies, spiders, earthworms, etc. Then I will sometimes risk it.