Herbs outside coop

[PerlyBee]

Hi. If i plant herbs right outside the chicken coop will they be ok to use in cooking or in infused water? Will they be contaminated?

 

[Matilda Belle]

As long as the chickens aren't nibbling on it and pooping on it, you can eat it.

 

[coach723]

I think they would be fine. I have them in various places around the yard, including the chicken run. I would worry more about pesticides and chemical sprays than contamination by the chickens. Even if they are away from the coop they are still open to wild birds and other animals passing through. I just rinse, like I do everything from my garden, before using.

 

[PerlyBee]

ok thank you for responding

 

[MerryMeridional]

I think they would be fine. I have them in various places around the yard, including the chicken run. I would worry more about pesticides and chemical sprays than contamination by the chickens. Even if they are away from the coop they are still open to wild birds and other animals passing through. I just rinse, like I do everything from my garden, before using.

Yup just rinse like anything else from the garden. I have used duck bedding/straw all in the garden. I'd be more worried the chickens would eat the herbs through their enclosure, depending on your design. I thought I'd trellis zucchini on my duck run and that was a huge failure. Pesticides are a much bigger worry.

 

[PerlyBee]

The coop is in my small closed backyard no chemicals or pesticides on my part... but i do have neighbors I have pollinator gardens on the other side of my yard so no spraying if any kind.

 

[PerlyBee]

 

[MerryMeridional]

The coop is in my small closed backyard no chemicals or pesticides on my part... but i do have neighbors I have pollinator gardens on the other side of my yard so no spraying if any kind.

I wouldn't worry too much about that. Not much you can do to change what they're doing and they aren't spraying your stuff directly. There's probably more for concern synergistically in your entire environment as a whole. Anything extra they spray will generally run off and get into the water. That's how excessive nitrates get into the water table (unsafe to drink without treatment) or the ocean (causes excessive unnatural algeal blooms).

Plus if you have a pollinator garden right there you will definitely benefit from that. Those bees don't just stick to one area

 

[PerlyBee]

View attachment 1885633

Still adding the finishing touches to the new coop and run.

 

[MerryMeridional]

Still adding the finishing touches to the new coop and run.

Yours looks sharper than mine! It looks lovely and really well made. I cobbled mine together with landscaping fencing and stakes, though my coop is predator proof. You've got it going on!