Chickens pooping around ground strawberry crop - help?

[KerryP]

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but just before I got my 4 back yard city hens I planted a bunch of strawberries in ground. They're healthy and growing, but I've now realized that the hens will freely poop all around them... and now I'm afraid to eat the berries even if washed very well. Am I being correct in my precaution, or is there really a good risk of salmonella (or whatever else)? I know that I could chicken wire off the area, but it's somewhere that I'd really prefer not to have that eyesore. Help? Thanks!

 

[GitaBooks]

Welcome to BYC!

I know that a lot of people let chickens into their gardens and haven't reported problems about any diseases being passed on. I also know that people use chicken droppings as garden fertilizer and in compost, so it could actually be helpful to the plants!

I don't have a garden, so I'm not sure about how to protect plants from being eaten, from being over fertilized, ect.

I hope this helps.

Best of luck!

 

[Cacique500]

I'd be more concerned about you never getting a chance to eat one of those strawberries with the chickens around...