watermelons getting pooped on by chickens?

[timluvr]

I only have 5 chickens. I was not in charge of how large their run was built, but I feel that it is too small and shaded. So I let them out daily. But they like to visit my garden pretty often. They don't do a lot of pooping or damage anything, but I'm concerned about my watermelons and cucumbers being safe to eat since they grow along the ground. Any thoughts?

 

[jonezjollyfarm]

Are they pooping directly on the cucumbers and melons? Chicken poopy is full of nitrogen which is great for plants.

 

[jonezjollyfarm]

I'd say wash them good before your eat them... or feed the pooped on one's to your chickens they live watermelon.

 

[lazy gardener]

Or you can fence them out with fiberglass posts and deer netting which comes in 100' roll x 7' high. You can cut it in half to yield 200' x 3.5. Weave the posts through it and clip with clothes pins at the top. they are too stupid to figure out that they can fly over it. They'll spend a couple of weeks bouncing off it, then will give up and just stare longingly at all the goodies within!

 

[timluvr]

they haven't pooped right on them...yet. I just don't expect them to have any real sense about where they leave their turds.